How to purify alcohol at home: simple and affordable methods

The situation when the smell of purchased vodka does not inspire confidence is familiar to many - often the quality of drinks in the budget and mid-price segment leaves much to be desired. The problem can be solved by purifying vodka at home. We will look at simple and really working methods for removing fusel oils. In addition to the cleaning agent itself, you will need: a glass jar, a funnel, cotton wool or a coffee filter.

Attention! The proposed methods can only slightly improve the quality, but it is impossible to get rid of all impurities. Buy vodka only in trusted stores, and at the slightest suspicion of counterfeit, it is better to refuse this drink, since it is difficult to distinguish methyl alcohol from drinking alcohol.

A filter made of cotton wool and a funnel is needed for 5 out of 6 methods

The best ways to purify strong alcohol

There are several proven ways to clean vodka from harmful impurities that it may contain. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Activated carbon

This adsorbent, familiar to everyone since childhood, is capable of removing all harmful substances from alcohol. To take advantage of its capabilities, prepare a filter. To do this, crumble the coal into small fractions, roll the gauze into several layers and place the resulting black powder between them.

Place the filter in a watering can and pour vodka from one bottle to another. This operation must be repeated three times, changing the portion of the adsorbent each time.

Instead of activated carbon, you can use homemade charcoal. The results of such an event will be slightly worse than in the first technology. Take the purifying raw material at the rate of 50 g for each liter of vodka, place it in a container with alcohol and leave for three weeks. Be sure to shake the container every two to three days. After this period, strain the alcohol through several layers of gauze lined with cotton wool.

Freezing

If you bought a bottle of vodka, but are unsure of its quality, then pour its contents into a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. Wait 3-4 hours, then take it out, pierce a small hole and pour the drink from it into another container. Of course, there will be less of it than before freezing, but it will be much cleaner and a little stronger.

There is another method of cold treatment, which is equally accessible at home. Combine vodka with plain water in a 2:3 ratio in a large container and place in the refrigerator. Ice pieces will appear on the surface of the liquid, which contain all the harmful impurities. Remove them as they form and throw them away. When the ice stops appearing, the product is ready for use.

Potassium permangantsovka

Potassium permanganate is a powerful agent for removing fusel oils and other harmful impurities. Don't be afraid to use it at home: it won't harm you. Pour 1 g of the substance into a liter of alcohol and leave the container for 10-12 hours. You will see how a dark sediment will form at the bottom - these are the dangerous elements contained in the vodka. At the end of the procedure, strain the drink through a cotton-gauze filter twice: it will become crystal clear.

Milk

Cleaning with milk is a long-known method of removing harmful impurities. Its mechanism is based on the fact that fusel oils precipitate, which can then be easily filtered. The only negative is that the alcohol becomes a little cloudy after this treatment. However, this shortcoming can also be corrected.

Add milk to alcohol no stronger than 55 degrees at the rate of 100 g per liter. Mix the two liquids, close the container with a lid and place in a dark place for 6-7 days. At first, it is recommended to shake the container several times.

After the specified time has passed, pour the alcohol into another container without disturbing the white sediment that has formed at the bottom. Next, you can proceed in two ways: pass the liquid through a charcoal filter or re-distill the alcohol. The first method leaves the drink a little cloudy, the second allows you to achieve complete transparency.

Egg white

Take the whites from two eggs, shake a little and add to a half-liter container with vodka. This mixture should stand for at least 10 hours, and should be shaken every two to three hours. To complete the process, strain the drink through a cotton-gauze filter.

It is quite possible to clean vodka from fusel oils and other harmful substances at home. There are several methods from which you can choose the most suitable for yourself. The only drawback of all these methods is that their implementation requires a lot of time. Therefore, in order to be in time for the arrival of guests, take care of the issue of filtration in advance.

How to clean a ceramic frying pan

Proper operation and regular preventive cleaning of the surface with running water and a dry cloth are not a panacea that can protect frying pans from the formation of grease and soot. Over time, they begin to take over the surface both inside and outside. The main thing is not to delay solving the problem and start neutralizing it immediately. A thick layer of soot is much more difficult to deal with.

Olive oil as a way to combat fresh stains

No matter how strange it may be, olive oil is the first to combat fat and carbon deposits.

Required:

• olive oil - a couple of drops;
• soft fabric.

The method of cleaning a ceramic frying pan from carbon deposits using oil is quite simple. Apply a few drops of oil at room temperature to a soft cloth or sponge. Fresh, uneaten carbon deposits will easily come off the surface without effort.

Removing stubborn fat and carbon deposits using citric or acetic acid

Soft acids, including vinegar and citric acid, will help you clean a ceramic-coated frying pan.

The method is indicated for removing carbon deposits from the inside. There is no need to worry about the coating: the solution eats away fats without affecting the ceramic and non-stick layer.

Required:

• vinegar (9%) – 100 ml;
• citric acid – 1 tbsp. l.;
• water - up to a third of the pan.

Application:

1. Mark the amount of water so that the top level reaches a third of the pan.
2. Add citric or acetic acid to the water.
3. Pour the solution into the frying pan and bring to a boil. Turn off and wait until it cools completely.
4. Drain the water and remove the carbon deposits with a soft sponge with a drop of washing gel added.

Activated carbon for stubborn fat

Regular activated carbon will help clean a ceramic frying pan both inside and out.

Don't worry that the abrasive particles in the composition will damage the surface. The product is aimed at softening and peeling off fat and carbon deposits. The removal itself occurs with a soft sponge without the use of brute force or friction.

Ingredients:

• dishwashing gel;
• activated carbon – 1–2 packs.

Application:

1. Grind the activated carbon to a powder.
2. Rinse the pan under running water to remove dust and food debris.
3. Apply the gel evenly to the wet surface.
4. Spread the activated carbon into the powder in an even layer without rubbing.
5. After 60 minutes, rinse off the pharmaceutical-based cleaning product under high water pressure. Proceed to use the sponge only after the composition has been completely removed.

The product is quite effective. It will help to cope with old fat and carbon deposits. The ingrained contamination will succumb only after secondary exposure.

Melamine sponge for cleaning the outside of the pan

Melamine sponge is not recommended for use on the inside of the pan.

If there are already microcracks on the surface, particles of melamine chips may remain in them, which are harmful to health. Therefore, it is recommended to use melamine sponges only outside, where there is no direct contact with food.

Usage:

• The use of the sponge begins with wetting it with water. Spinning should occur without twisting.
• The sponge remained damp, but not soggy. In this form, using the rib, begin to clean the dirt.

Household chemicals for cleaning old stains

Often, old stains cannot be removed without drastic measures. Considering that friction and the use of metal objects are strictly prohibited, household chemicals will help in the fight. From a rich list, choose products that contain hydrochloric acid, but in a concentration of no more than 15%.

List of household chemicals that are allowed for external use:

• Amway Dish Drops – for 1 liter you will have to pay at least 630 rubles;
• Unicum Gold – 500 ml for 220 rubles;
• Sano Forte plus – for 750 ml 524 RUR;
• Shumanit – 270 ml for 255 rubles;
• Pemolux – 480 g for 45 rubles.

These can be sprays, gels, foams, or powders. The latter are used at home according to the principle of activated carbon: apply, leave and rinse off repeatedly.

You will need:

• Latex gloves.
• Soft foam sponge.
• Selected cleaning product.

To remove burnt fat using household chemicals, strictly follow the recommendations:

1. Wet the surface.
2. When using a liquid product, apply a thin layer and with gentle movements, without pressing, bypassing the areas of the handles, clean the carbon deposits. Dilute the powder in water to form a paste. Apply, leave. Rinse off most of it, and use the rest to clean.
3. After removing, rinse the pan thoroughly with warm water.

Freezing

Freezing is an effective way to purify alcohol. This method makes the drink stronger and eliminates cloudy sediment.

Fusel oils have the property of sticking to the walls of the vessel when frozen. The temperature when purifying alcohol should be very low. Wine must be frozen at a temperature of minus 5 degrees, vodka at minus 29 degrees.

Use the freezer and put the bottle in it. After freezing, pour the clean drink into another container. All harmful impurities will remain in the ice crystals.

When freezing, use a bottle that is strong enough so that it does not burst when the liquid expands.

We use black bread

Black bread perfectly absorbs harmful fusel oils. With this cleaning method, in addition to cleansing, alcohol acquires a pleasant aroma of black bread. Our ancestors also used this method. It is best used at home as a final cleaning.

Rye bread is used as follows:

1. Place a piece of bread in a jar of alcohol.
2. After the impurities are absorbed, the bread is pulled out.
3. To remove bread crumbs from the drink, you need to strain it through a filter.

General recommendations

Various components are used in the production of vodka from alcohol. There are mandatory:

• good quality ethyl alcohol or medical alcohol;
• drinking water, absolutely clear, soft, not boiled;
• glucose or sugar syrup.

Additional ingredients can change the taste of homemade alcoholic beverage:

• vinegar essence,
• milk,
• honey,
• lemon acid,
• sugar,
• citrus peels,
• black pepper, etc.

Recommendations for making vodka:

The ideal proportion for mixing alcohol with water is 2:3; It is better to mix liquids not by volume, but by weight; adding water to alcohol or vice versa does not matter; to improve taste, you can use various plant materials: herbs, roots, flowers, etc., and infuse vodka on them for a month; To soften the taste, sugar syrup or glucose is added to vodka.

Step by step recipe

The main thing here is not only to dilute alcohol with water in the correct proportions. All stages of making homemade vodka are important. Let's consider all stages of preparation. Use only good quality ethyl alcohol.

Stage one: water. It needs to be properly prepared. Of course, spring water is considered ideal for making vodka. It has been used by folk craftsmen for a long time. But in a modern city it is difficult to find such water. Therefore, we will use the one we can get.

It is advisable to purchase bottled table water for this occasion. The salt content in it should be minimal. Do not take distilled or boiled water: this is dead water, having lost all its benefits during processing. In addition, alcohol does not dissolve well in boiled water.

Stage two: alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is ideal. But you can also take a medical one, which contains a minimal amount of various impurities. Using a simple device - a hydrometer - check the alcohol strength. The proportions of its mixing with water depend on this.

Stage three: remaining products. In addition to alcohol and water, you will need glucose or sugar from which it can be made. If desired, you can add lemon, honey or other natural flavors to the vodka.

The glucose solution is made like this: mix a kilogram of sugar and a liter of water (any). Boil the mixture over low heat until foam stops appearing (which we constantly skim off before this).

Stage four: preparation. Now you need to determine how to dilute alcohol to vodka. You will need the alcohol strength that you have already determined. To get 3 liters of vodka with a strength of 40 degrees, the number of components (at an alcohol strength of 96 degrees) will be as follows:

• alcohol - 1250 ml;
• glucose – 40 ml;
• water - until you get a full three-liter jar.

40-proof vodka is considered optimal.
In such a drink, all substances will dissolve completely. It is worth noting that when mixing half a liter of water and the same amount of alcohol, you will not get a liter of vodka. During cooking, a chemical reaction occurs, as a result of which the volume of the liquid decreases slightly.

So, you have calculated how much water you need to add to the amount of alcohol you have. What is the correct way to add alcohol to water or vice versa? Opinions differ here

Conclusion - it's not that important!

Pour water into a jar or bottle. Add a small amount of glucose to taste. It will significantly soften the taste of vodka. You can add other products: honey, spices, citrus peels, etc. Stir the contents of the container.

Stage five: purification of vodka. There are many options for purifying alcohol. We described them in detail when we gave a recipe for cognac made from moonshine. Here's one way:

• add a few tablets of activated carbon to the prepared vodka;
• shake the drink;
• leave for a couple of hours (not in the refrigerator);
• Strain the vodka through gauze discs or thick cloth.

You learned how to make vodka from alcohol. All that remains is to pour it into bottles, let it sit for about a week, and store it tightly sealed. This will prevent the vodka from turning into vinegar due to oxidation.

When should you purify vodka?

Conventionally, all wine and vodka products can be classified into 3 price categories: budget, medium-priced and expensive. As practice shows, mid-price alcohol is practically no different from expensive alcohol. The price of such products varies mainly due to branding, advertising and marketing.

When producing budget vodka, manufacturers cannot afford to use truly high-quality wheat alcohol and distilled water, so they most often save on these products.

Potassium permanganate solution

If you bought cheap vodka, it is recommended to check the quality before drinking it. For testing, you will need a weak solution of potassium permanganate, which is prepared by mixing 4 crystals per 20 ml of water. The prepared composition must be mixed with a test portion of vodka in a ratio of 1:4. It is advisable that the temperature of the vodka be about 18-200C.

If after 5 minutes the liquid acquires a slight pink tint, this indicates that the vodka is pure. If the shade changes too quickly, then the product has not been tested and is of poor quality. Experts warn that the faster vodka turns pink, the more compounds it contains that are harmful to the body.

On a note! If, after mixing with potassium permanganate, vodka turns brown or burgundy, this indicates an excessive concentration of fusel oils.

What else can you do?

In addition to ridding vodka, alcohol or moonshine of all impurities at home, you can slightly improve the taste and aroma of the drinks. Your guests will definitely love what you offer them.

For example, after cleaning, you can crumble 50–70 grams of violet root into the liquid and add some raisins. It is enough to leave the container in this form overnight, and in the morning you will have a drink with a subtle pleasant aroma and an interesting taste. You can also add honey, various aromatic herbs, orange and lemon peels, cinnamon sticks and the like to alcohol. This will not require much expense or effort from you, and you can easily surprise your friends with an exquisite drink. And only you will know what it was made of.

Alcohol purification

It is no secret that low-quality alcohol causes many illnesses and even deaths of people. But alcohol is quite often used for medicinal purposes, including oral administration in the form of pepper and various tinctures. In addition, alcohol is used for external use (disinfection of wounds, cauterization, etc.), thus harmful substances contained in low-quality alcohol can penetrate the human body through the skin

Therefore, it is very important that the alcohol used is free of toxic substances and harmful impurities.

However, despite all the measures taken to purify the alcohol during production (during the preparation of the mash, during fermentation and during distillation), it is still impossible to obtain a pure product. This also applies to wine.

To purify alcoholic beverages, it is recommended to use filters containing activated carbon. It not only cleans the drink, but also eliminates unpleasant odors and improves taste. In addition, the wine brightens, getting rid of color absorbed from outside.

In Russian distillation, coal for filtration began to be used a long time ago. In 1785, the St. Petersburg pharmacist T. E. Lovitz, who later became an academician, was the first to discover the purifying ability of coal during the distillation of alcohol. In his experiments, Lovitz distilled alcohol over coal powder and at the same time obtained a purer product than with conventional distillation. The same scientist discovered that simply shaking wine without heating or rectification improves the taste and color of the drink and eliminates unpleasant odors.

In addition, the following discovery was made: filtration through carbon can be effectively carried out by first diluting the alcohol with cold boiled water to 40% or after the first distillation, when the proportion of alcohol contained does not exceed 45%. Good results are justified by the fact that the higher the concentration of alcohol, the stronger it retains impurities and, accordingly, the more difficult it is to purify

During this process, it is important to keep the temperature of the alcohol as low as possible. Soon this discovery began to be used in wineries

As a result, the quality of the wines has improved significantly.

As mentioned above, you can make an activated carbon filter yourself. In this case, you can use either activated carbon, purchased directly from a pharmacy, or homemade carbon, made from wood.

In the latter case, by selecting certain tree species, it is possible to obtain alcohol with different taste qualities that are not available from any other manufacturer.

To make a filter at home, you need to take a pan of a suitable size with a hole made in the bottom. Place a thin layer of cotton wool and a piece of gauze on the bottom of the pan. Activated carbon is poured on top of the gauze at the rate of 50 g per 1 liter of alcohol intended for filtration. The coal is covered with the edges of gauze so that it does not float to the surface. After this, you can pour alcohol into the prepared container.

It should be remembered that different types of wood have different adsorbing properties, that is, the composition of the substances they absorb varies to some extent. This is the reason for the taste and quality differences between wines purified with different filters.

To clean the alcohol as best as possible, it is recommended to pass it through a similar filter 2-3 times. The finer the powder, the denser the filter will be, and the filtration process itself will be slower, but the alcohol passed through the filter will be better purified.

Another way to purify alcohol is to pour activated carbon into a container with alcohol at the rate of 50 g per 1 liter and shake the resulting mixture well. It is recommended to do this shaking several times during the day. After this, the alcohol, together with activated carbon, is infused for about a week, after which it is filtered through gauze or filter paper.

Purifying alcohol at home gives very good results.

Useful tips

If activated carbon is not available, birch carbon will do. Pound it and pour it into a container. For 1 liter of drink you will need 50 g of coal. Vodka should be infused for 1 week and then filtered. To improve the result, repeat this process several times. In this case, change the coal every time for a new one.

When cleaning, the alcohol should be at room temperature. Harmful substances and fusel oils are reluctant to leave the hot solution.

After reading our article, you can decide on an inexpensive and accessible way to clean alcohol yourself. Purified drinks will be the best decoration for any table. Moreover, they were made with their own hands.

Why salt and soda?

It is known that soda and salt are natural antiseptics that can be used without any fear to cleanse many liquids from harmful impurities. As for soda, it neutralizes acids, namely acetic acid, which, even in minimal quantities, is present in moonshine. Salt is a natural antiseptic that neutralizes the effects of toxic substances present in moonshine. That is, by purifying alcohol with soda taken together with salt, you can achieve an excellent effect in removing toxic impurities.

First, it should be noted that moonshine can be cleaned with soda alone, that is, without combining it with salt.

1. First, the strength of the moonshine should be reduced to 40-50 degrees.
2. For a liter of moonshine, you need to take 10 grams of soda, having previously dissolved it in 100 milliliters of purified water.
3. The alkaline solution is poured into a container with moonshine. Then the can with the drink is sealed and shaken thoroughly. After this, the moonshine needs to sit for 50 minutes.
4. After the specified time has passed, the bottle of moonshine is shaken again, after which it is left to settle for 14 hours. After this, the moonshine is filtered through cotton wool, folded in half. To enhance the filtration effect, you can put powdered activated carbon on cotton wool.

You can also use soda together with potassium permanganate, since this cleaning method will remove acid impurities in alcohol, as well as fusel oils. How to use this method:

• First of all, you should take potassium permanganate and dilute it in a glass of water. For a glass of liquid you should take 1.5 grams of potassium permanganate; this portion of the cleanser is enough for a liter of moonshine.
• After this, you should begin making a soda solution, and this should be done as indicated in the previous recipe.
• First, pour a solution of baking soda into the bottle of moonshine, and then a solution of potassium permanganate.
• Moonshine with soda and potassium permanganate should be left for 40 minutes.
• At this stage, you should take caustic soda and dilute it with water in equal proportions, but so that for every liter of moonshine there are 2 grams of caustic soda.
• After this, the moonshine should be closed with a lid and placed in a dark place for 12-14 hours. Once this period of time has passed, a sediment will form at the bottom of the jar.
• The purification of moonshine should be completed by filtering it through cotton wool and crushed coal.

Fermentation of feedstock

The substances that make up the mash can be divided into 2 main groups: soluble

and
insoluble e
. Insoluble substances include suspensions of various types (pits, husks, etc.).

We are interested in the group of soluble substances

, namely
volatile compounds
. During distillation, these substances are transformed into raw alcohol and the finished product. These include: water, alcohols, organic acids, esters, aldehydes, fusel oil, etc. In total, there are up to 100 volatile substances that make up the mash.

Let's look at the main ones, diving a little into chemistry.

Methods for purifying moonshine at home

Home winemakers claim that purifying moonshine or vodka using charcoal and activated carbon is the fastest and most reliable. Coal perfectly absorbs unpleasant odors and absorbs harmful impurities.

Vodka purification. You will need activated carbon, Enterogel or birch charcoal (it gives the best results). Pour into a saucepan, finely crush and add alcohol at the rate of 50 grams per 1 liter.

This mixture is infused for 7 days and needs to be stirred periodically. The drink is then filtered. To improve the result, this procedure can be carried out several times, replacing the coal with fresh one.

Two ways to clean moonshine:

1. During the first distillation of moonshine, a funnel is used to drain the moonshine into a jar. You need to place a cotton pad in layers, small fractions of coal, then larger ones and cover with several cotton pads.
2. Pour coal into a container with moonshine at the rate of 50 grams per 1 liter of liquid and let stand for 7-14 days, then strain through cheesecloth and cotton wool.

These two methods are excellent options for cleaning moonshine before re-distilling.

How to properly purify vodka or moonshine with potassium permanganate

The well-known potassium permanganate quickly and efficiently purifies both moonshine and vodka. You need to take 3 grams of potassium permanganate and dilute it in 300 grams of warm water to make the solution homogeneous.

Next, add a spoonful of baking soda and a spoonful of salt to the solution. Then the mixture is poured into 3 liters of alcohol and left for 12 hours. The drink should lighten and give sediment. The settled moonshine or alcohol must be filtered through a layer of cotton wool.

How can unrefined vodka be dangerous?

Consumption of burnt vodka with a high concentration of fusel oils causes serious damage to health. The risk of complications is especially high if the drink contains methyl alcohol, propyl and amyl alcohols, as well as acetaldehyde. Consumption of such alcohol can cause the development of severe intoxication, accompanied by headache, dizziness, vomiting, bowel dysfunction and other symptoms of poisoning.

If such drinks are consumed regularly, the development of more serious complications cannot be excluded, such as ulcerative gastritis, renal failure, disruption of the central nervous system and dysfunction of metabolic processes. Often the result of drinking low-quality booze is death.

Advantages and benefits of cleaning moonshine with soda

Soda is a safe substance that not only cleans moonshine from fusel oils, but also makes it softer and improves drinking properties. The substance reacts with acids contained in homemade alcohol, causing harmful substances to precipitate.

Of course, sodium bicarbonate cannot make homemade alcohol similar in properties to medical alcohol, but the benefits of alcohol increase several times compared to raw alcohol.

Safety

When choosing a method for purifying moonshine from harmful impurities, health safety is taken into account. Sodium bicarbonate is considered just such a substance. The fact is that it is added in small quantities that will not cause harm to the body.

Sodium bicarbonate does not remain in the moonshine, it all ends up in sediment. This is what makes it possible to improve raw alcohol and add beneficial properties to it.

Availability

All the ingredients necessary to remove harmful substances from moonshine are affordable and are always available in stores or pharmacies. So, getting a healthy alcoholic drink for moonshiners is cheap. But the result is obvious: alcohol is purified from harmful impurities and unpleasant odors.

Compatibility

Baking soda can be used as the main means for cleaning raw alcohol. It is also used in combination with the following ingredients:

• table salt;
• citric acid;
• potassium permanganate;
• soda ash.

Preservation of color, taste and strength

After purification with bicarbonate, the raw alcohol will be transparent, the properties and strength of the drink will not change. If desired, you can tint homemade alcohol to make it tastier and more aromatic:

• when adding tea or pine nuts, the purified drink is difficult to distinguish from cognac;
• adding parsley and mint leaves, you get moonshine with a greenish tint;
• A lemon peel will give homemade alcohol a yellow color;
• adding orange peel or walnut partitions, you can get an orange drink;
• if you need moonshine with a bluish tint, just add yarrow flowers.

Minimum time spent

It should be noted that the main time costs are incurred in obtaining raw alcohol. Filtration of moonshine with soda occurs quickly, since the soda does all the work itself. A person spends time filtering and pouring the drink into bottles.

What is raw alcohol

Moonshine, which is the result of the first distillation and contains, in addition to ethyl alcohol, a set of dangerous impurities formed as a result of the activity of yeast products, is called raw alcohol.

Ethyl alcohol is obtained from mash by fractional distillation. The basis of this process is the evaporation of liquid, accompanied by condensation of steam. This is achieved in two main ways:

• Distillation, which in Latin means “drop by drop,” this method involves distilling a liquid to purify it;
• Rectification, which means straightening in Latin, is a more thorough method of purification by dividing liquid into fractions.

Most often in moonshine, “distillation” and “distillation” are equivalent terms. They characterize the phenomenon during which raw alcohol is formed as the final product. One of the goals of the fractional distillation method is to reduce negative elements as much as possible. Rectification is a more thorough purification of raw alcohol from harmful components, accompanied by the production of a rectified product.

Raw alcohol is the main product that plays a role in subsequent manipulations with alcohol.

Ethers

They have various pleasant aromas and are often used in perfumery and confectionery production. They are divided into simple and complex.

Ethers

These include: diethyl ether and acetals. Acetals are formed by the reaction between aldehydes and alcohols. For example, acetaldehyde + ethyl alcohol => diethylacetal.

Esters

Formed by the interaction of alcohols and organic acids (esterification reaction). For example, ethyl alcohol + acetic acid => ethyl acetate, has a pleasant fruity aroma. In addition to being formed during fermentation and distillation, esters can be added with the feedstock. For example, fruit and berry raw materials are very rich in esters.

Berry liqueurs

Most often, liqueurs are infused with berries. For this purpose, almost any seasonal crops are used:

Raspberries. Good for both strong drinks and sweeter and lighter ones (ladies). This berry gives the vodka an intense ruby ​​color, giving it a rich aroma and interesting flavor notes. Raspberries collected in the forest are ideal for this purpose; they are smaller than cultivated ones, but have a unique smell. Used for mono tinctures or in combination with other components. Cherry

It is important to choose the right variety. It is best to select berries for infusions that are fleshy, juicy, have a bright color and have a sweet and sour taste.

Before infusing vodka with cherries, it is recommended to freeze the berries, this way they will release more juice, which means the final product will be more tasty. To give the tincture an unusual caramel flavor, the berries are slightly dried in the oven. Gooseberry. Choose ripe or slightly greenish berries; if you take overripe ones, mold may appear in the drink or the taste of the drink will simply deteriorate. Since gooseberries can hardly be called juicy, they require special preparation. The berries are passed through a meat grinder and the mixture is allowed to settle for a day or two in the refrigerator. It is advisable to choose a red or yellow variety for this purpose. Rowan. To prevent rowan from giving off an unpleasant bitterness in the drink, it must be frozen before adding to vodka. The chokeberry variety is sweeter. They both pair beautifully with red and black currants. The juice of these berries goes well in cocktails with mountain ash.

Please note that berry juice will dilute the vodka and reduce its strength. If you want to get exactly the classic version with 40% alcohol content, you should make the base a little stronger. Liqueurs that are too sweet are difficult to drink, and they also tend to produce heavy and sudden intoxication.