Purification of moonshine with activated carbon. Correct instructions and proportions. Teeth whitening with activated charcoal. Filtration by filling coal into moonshine

Activated charcoal (Latin - Activated charcoal) is a herbal medicine, charcoal that has been processed. Coal is an adsorbent for toxic compounds (poisons of plant and bacterial origin), sulfonamides. Partially, the drug adsorbs acids, alkalis. Activated charcoal - instructions for use states that this drug should be used for inflammation of the mucous membranes, diarrhea, poisoning with stale food in order to cleanse the body of harmful substances.

Application of activated carbon

Taking the drug in prophylactic and medicinal purposes very common. Due to the low cost, positive reviews and fast action, the drug is the main tool that can adsorb harmful substances in the body. Activated charcoal is used for food poisoning, alcohol and drug intoxication. With severe pain in the abdomen, gas formation, activated charcoal is used - the general instructions for using the drug say that this medicine helps with many types of poisoning.

The main function of Activated charcoal is to bind and remove substances that are potentially harmful to the body (poisons, toxins, salts of heavy metals, metabolites of potent drugs). The drug acts only in the gastrointestinal tract, without penetrating the intestinal wall, so it does not cause any toxic effects on the liver, kidneys, central and peripheral nervous system.

Composition of activated carbon

The composition of the drug depends primarily on the form of its release, as well as on the manufacturer. The content of additional components, fragrances, flavoring additives is regulated by the company producing the medicine. The classic composition of black activated charcoal tablets:

Release form

Activated carbon is produced in two forms:

  • black tablets without a shell, packed in a paper or plastic blister of 10 pieces;
  • fine powder, packed in portions paper bags 2 grams.

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics

The drug acts locally in the gastrointestinal tract, it is not absorbed into the bloodstream when taken orally. The drug does not form metabolites, is excreted from the body with feces without changing the structure. The transit time through the gastrointestinal tract is about 24-26 hours. The drug has an adsorbing effect (binds gases, metabolites), reduces the absorption in the small intestine of liquids, potassium and magnesium, vitamins. Promotes the elimination of toxins in case of any poisoning, both exogenous and endogenous.

Indications for use

The drug is taken for flatulence, dyspepsia, excessive secretion of mucus and gastric juice, to stop the processes of fermentation and decay of food masses in the gastrointestinal tract. Activated charcoal - instructions for use indicate that the drug is effective for:

  • glycoside poisoning;
  • barbiturate poisoning;
  • alkaloid poisoning;
  • acute poisoning heavy metals;
  • treatment of drug intoxication;
  • to reduce gas formation during flatulence;
  • any poisoning food products;
  • treatment of intoxication with poisons;
  • diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of a non-infectious nature;
  • stomach ulcers.

Activated charcoal is used for gastric lavage with alcohol poisoning, food intoxications. Woody Activated charcoal quickly cleanses the body, reduces the absorption of harmful substances into the blood. This enterosorbent agent is able to remove toxins in a short time and prevent the negative effects of toxic substances on the central nervous system.

How to take activated charcoal

For food poisoning, it is prescribed orally: for adults, one tablet per 10 kg of body weight, for children from 7 years old, half a tablet per 10 kg of body weight, for newborns and children younger age- 1/3 tablet. It should be taken after a meal, it is recommended to drink coal with clean drinking water. The medication is taken both in courses (for example, for the treatment of allergies), and one-time (to reduce the concentration of toxins, poisons).

How long does it take for activated charcoal to work?

The drug in the form of tablets begins to act 10-60 minutes after ingestion. The onset of action depends on the acidity of the gastric juice, the amount of food taken, the age of the person, and his main diet. According to clinical studies, the powder form promotes a more rapid action of the drug on poisons and metabolites in the intestine.

special instructions

Take with caution with other drugs - Activated charcoal adsorbs them and significantly reduces the effect on tissues, organs, systems. High concentrations of the sorbent provoke diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. It is not recommended to cleanse the body to reduce weight - this can provoke erosion of the gastrointestinal mucosa.

During pregnancy

The action of activated carbon occurs locally, a suspension of active substances is not absorbed into the bloodstream, so the sorbent does not directly affect the fetus. However, it should be remembered that an excess of a substance helps to reduce the absorption of vitamins and minerals, this can lead to hypovitaminosis, hypocalcemia, which are dangerous for the fetus in early pregnancy. An overdose of coal is also dangerous in that it can cause uncontrolled vomiting and dehydration.

In childhood

Reception of a sorbent for children of early and older age does not pose a danger. In addition, Activated charcoal is one of the few drugs approved for use in children under the age of one year with symptoms of poisoning. For children under five years old, the active sorbent should only be given in the form of activated charcoal powder, as a child may choke on a tablet or capsule.

Interaction with alcohol

The use of Activated charcoal simultaneously with alcohol reduces the concentration of ethanol in the intestine, which leads to a decrease in the absorption of alcohol in the gastrointestinal tract, its metabolites and toxins into the bloodstream. The adsorbent helps to avoid severe intoxication, helps to reduce the effects of alcohol intoxication, cleanses the body of poisons and metabolites of ethanol.

drug interaction

When prescribing an adsorbent with other drugs, it weakens their effect on the body and reduces their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. With caution, Activated charcoal should be taken simultaneously with drugs of a similar effect: excessive adsorption can have an extremely negative effect on the state of the intestinal wall and microflora.

Contraindications to the use of activated carbon

Before using the medication, you should consult with a specialist for contraindications to drug therapy with activated charcoal. The main contraindications for use:

  • hypersensitivity to the drug;
  • allergic diseases;
  • ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract (including exacerbation of gastric and duodenal ulcers, ulcerative colitis);
  • bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract;
  • dysbacteriosis;
  • atony of the small intestine;
  • simultaneous appointment of antitoxic substances, the effect of which develops after absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.

Side effects and overdose

Prolonged and uncontrolled use of Activated charcoal preparations can lead to acute hypovitaminosis, impaired absorption of nutrients from the small intestine. In addition, an overdose of the sorbent can provoke diarrhea, constipation, and uncontrolled vomiting. When conducting hemoperfusion with coal, hemorrhage, hypothermia, thromboembolism, hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, and a decrease in pressure are sometimes observed. A medication containing a large amount of sorbent can provoke a violation of the intestinal microflora and dysbacteriosis.

Terms of sale and storage

Activated charcoal on the territory of Russia is freely available, it is dispensed from pharmacies without a doctor's prescription in unlimited quantities. Store the medication in a dark, dry place out of the reach of small children and pets.

Analogues

Medicines with a similar effect are widely represented on the pharmaceutical market. However, their common drawback is the relatively high cost, a wide list of contraindications and, according to reviews, an unexpressed effect. The main analogues of Activated charcoal:

  • Filtrum;
  • Polyphepan;
  • Polysorb;
  • Enterosgel.

Activated carbon price

The cost of the drug depends on the degree of purification of the main active substance, the presence of flavoring and aromatic additives. In addition, the price of a drug in pharmacies depends on the manufacturer, the city in which the drug is sold. When ordering online, the price of the drug can be significantly lower. The drug can be ordered with delivery in some online pharmacies.

Video

Hi all! We continue to fight for the quality of our drinks. The topic of my today's post is cleaning moonshine with activated carbon. This method is very effective and is able to rid the distillate of 86% of the fusel oils contained in it and of 92% of the esters.

But with improper use of coal in moonshine, toxic substances.

Get comfortable, I'll tell you about everything in detail.

How coal cleans moonshine

The surface of charcoal has a very large number of pores, which makes it an excellent adsorbent. It absorbs and retains harmful impurities(sivuhu) contained in moonshine.

Fusel oils are hydrophobic substances - they are poorly soluble in water, but they do it perfectly in alcohol. Therefore, in order for the cleaning process to take place more fully, moonshine must be diluted with water to a strength of 15-20%. Then the fuselage ceases to dissolve in alcohol and the coal readily absorbs it.

With the right approach, a very high degree of product purification can be achieved. Below is an excerpt from the book “Production of alcoholic beverages” (A.K. Dorosh, V.S. Lysenko)

Not bad, right? By the way, due to such high efficiency, it is not recommended to charcoal moonshine from fruit and berry mash or mash for jam. Otherwise, you risk losing the taste of such a drink. But for sugar mash this is what you need.

Harmful properties

This cleaning method also has a negative side. With prolonged contact of coal and alcohol, the latter is oxidized with the formation of harmful substances - aldehydes.

Again I quote from Dorosh-Lysenko's book:

It follows from this that the process must be limited in time - a maximum of 20 minutes.

We summarize the above: for maximum purification of moonshine from harmful impurities, it must be diluted to 15% of the fortress and carbonized for 20 minutes.

Update from 04/14/2019: Now, after several years since the writing of this article, I would like to add something. Do not strictly adhere to the cleaning time limit of 20 minutes. It's okay if it takes, say, an hour. Coal filters well from fusel alcohols, including isoamylol, which, as is known, are intermediate impurities, which are not so easy to get rid of in the distillation process. And cut off the extra heads at the next distillation. The main message of the article is that coal for sugar moonshine is very good. It is necessary to carb dilute to 15% SS, but not for days, as many advise.

Yes, I almost forgot. After cleaning, a decrease in strength by about 2 degrees is possible.

Varieties of coal

In this section I will list the types that are used with more or less popularity by moonshiners to clean their drinks.

  1. Birch activated carbon(BAU)

Very popular with moonshiners. Sold in shops for winemakers, as well as in specialized stores, such as "Russian Chemist".

  1. Coconut (KAU)

As it is not difficult to guess from the name, it is made from coconut shells.

Also a very popular brand. That is what I recommend for use. According to many sellers, KAU has a higher cleaning power than birch. You can buy it in the same place as BAU.

  1. Pharmacy activated charcoal.

Everyone has probably seen and even tried this. You can use it, but there is one caveat. Pharmaceutical coal often contains excipients, mainly potato starch and sucrose.

I have heard from fellow winemakers that these additives make moonshine harder. To be honest, I never noticed the difference, but just in case I try to use only KAU.

  1. Charcoal for barbecue

Some distillers use this as well.

Activated carbon for alcohol purification is produced at 800-1000 °C. If the temperature is lower, then resins may remain in it in a small but sufficient amount to spoil the product for us.

  1. Household filters

You can clean moonshine by passing it through a filter jug. He does his job well. True, in some cases there is an increased loss in the fortress - about 5 degrees.

  1. Filtration plant

Coal installations specially created for distillers. Very efficient and convenient for those who operate with large volumes - throw the intake hose and drain hose into a container with distillate and the unit drives the SS through the filter in a circle until you turn it off. But the price of such systems is appropriate.

Instructions for charring moonshine

So, below are a few methods for cleaning moonshine with charcoal. As I said at the beginning of the article, before cleaning, moonshine must be diluted to 15-20% alcohol. Then distill it again to increase the strength.

The maximum effect can be achieved if clean moonshine with vegetable oil.

  • Purification of BAU or KAU
  1. Coal is taken at the rate of 10 grams (heaped tablespoon) per 1 liter of sorting.
  2. Washable with drinking water from dust.
  3. Take a regular plastic bottle. Several holes are made in the cork and the bottom is cut off. A piece of cotton wool or a cotton pad is placed under the cork and the required amount of KAU is poured in (if washed well, then cotton wool is not required). Subsequently, I recommend making a simple and convenient column for carbonization - instruction here.
  4. Well, then moonshine is poured and filtered. I run 3 times.

You can also simply pour the coal into a sorting container and shake well. In this case, it is better to double the dosage. Keep coal in moonshine for no more than 20 minutes, then filter through cotton wool or filter paper.

  • Pharmacy activated charcoal cleaning

Everything is the same as in the previous cleaning. Dosage - 45 tablets per 1 liter of moonshine. Crush tablets before use.

Laboratory analysis of cleaning quality

I give the results of a laboratory analysis of moonshine before and after charcoal cleaning.

Analyzes were conducted by a highly respected member of the Homedistiller forum under the nickname Alexander956. Here link to a forum post.

These data confirm what this article says - coal very effectively copes with fusel oils, and the quality of cleaning increases markedly with strong dilution of moonshine.

Raw alcohol from sugar mash, distilled to a temperature of 99 degrees in the cube, was subjected to analysis. almost to the water.

The amount of impurities is indicated in mg per liter of anhydrous alcohol.

Coal regeneration at home

Charcoal can be used several times, but over time it loses its adsorbing properties. In industry, it is subjected to regeneration. This can be done at home as well. Maybe not as effective, but still. How to do this is described in the same book by Dorosh-Lysenko. Instructions in the photo below:

OK it's all over Now. Now you know how to properly coal moonshine. Together with you can get a very high quality and tasty product.

In my plans, I have articles about a few more cleaning methods, so I suggest subscribing to new articles. I also encourage you to share your experience in the comments. I'm very interested.

And that's all for today.

All for now. Dorofeev Pavel.

Cleaning moonshine with charcoal is called carbonization. This method is common among both beginners and experienced moonshiners due to its simplicity, affordability and high efficiency.

Purifying properties

Coal is a wonderful natural adsorbent. Due to the porous surface, it is able to absorb and retain the molecules of the surrounding substances and chemical compounds. When it comes into contact with moonshine, more than 80% of fusel oils and more than 90% of esters are retained.

Charcoal for cleaning can be made from almost any combustible organic matter. For industrial purposes, petroleum coke, coconut shell, coastal wood are used.

Production is carried out by pyrolysis, that is, combustion at high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment. In conditions industrial production the firing temperature, depending on the type of material, is 400-1050°C. For wood and peat, for example, 250-400°C is sufficient. During pyrolysis, a degassing process takes place. Gases, resins, ethers are emitted as combustion products. The resulting pyrolysis coke can be called an environmentally friendly product.

Kinds

To clean moonshine with activated carbon at home, several varieties are used.

Birch activated (BAU).

Made from birch wood. Popular among home moonshiners due to the ease of self-production. If we turn to industrial designs, the BAU-A and BAU-LVZ markings are found on sale. These brands are intended for the food industry, and in particular for the alcoholic beverage industry.

Coconut activated (CAU)

As the name implies, the raw material for production is the shell of a coconut. commercially available coconut product can be used for smoking and hookahs. The food variety is labeled KAU-A and KAUSORB. Due to its natural properties, cleaning moonshine with coconut charcoal, in addition to removing impurities, can enrich the drink with useful substances, such as iodine. The only downside is that it is not widely available. KAU-A and KAUSORB are found mainly in specialized or online stores.

Professional distillers appreciate coconut for its economy, high efficiency, natural origin and additional useful properties.

medical activated

Familiar to every person, is directly available in any pharmacy at a budget price. Allows you to clean moonshine quickly and without prior preparation and self-production of activated carbon. A significant drawback is the composition of the drug. It is made from animal bone. Therefore, the pores of such coal are numerous, but very small in diameter. Impurity molecules are often much larger in size, so they are not retained. The second point is the addition of binders to the medical product. They are usually talc and starch. According to a number of moonshiners, cleaning moonshine with activated charcoal tablets makes the taste tougher.

For a large number alcohol will require an impressive batch of this drug. The weight of one tablet is only 0.25 grams. To get a noticeable result, you need about 100 packs per couple of liters.

Wood for barbecues

It differs from the first type not so much in raw materials as in manufacturing technology. The material is also birch. Roasting is carried out at lower temperatures than in the production of activated. Pore ​​activation is not carried out. In addition, for better ignition in the barbecue, wood can be additionally treated with chemicals. If you are sure that coal does not contain toxic impurities, you need to re-burn it, clean the pores and use it for moonshine.

Household filters

Carbon adsorbent is found in most household filters. In this way, water is filtered in household jugs. Another example would be a gas mask. These filters can be used under one condition - they must not be in use. The filter, which served to purify water and, especially, air, contains all the impurities that it collected during previous work. Accordingly, they can get into your product. A used filter can spoil moonshine more than clean it.

Making at home

For supporters of everything homemade and homemade, we offer a way to make activated carbon with your own hands. Birch wood is most suitable for these purposes. The log must be cut into small chips up to 3 cm thick, up to 10-12 cm long.

To independently carry out pyrolysis, you will need a tin container (for example, a tin can) and a fire. Make 15-20 holes at the bottom of the container with an awl or nail. Then put the chips inside, close tightly on top and put on fire. During combustion, tar-containing gases will be released through the holes. When gas formation stops, the container can be removed and cooled.

Charcoal must be activated before use. This will require a tall pot. Inside, we fill half the water and put it on fire. When the water boils, we hang a gauze bag with the resulting charred firebrands to the center of the lid and close the pan with a lid. We check that the bag of water does not touch, but is close enough and steamed from all sides. This expands the pores and increases their ability to entrap. Such carbon can be considered activated. The cleansing effect depends on how many open pores have formed.

Cleaning process

There are 2 ways to make an activated carbon filter. The first option is persistence. The second is flow filtration. Whichever of the methods described below you choose, you must first grind. This increases the contact area of ​​the adsorbent with the liquid to be purified, and increases the efficiency. The resulting coal crumb must be blown off excess dust and rinsed under running water. If this is not done, you can color the filtered moonshine with charcoal in a dark color.

Infusion of moonshine

Proper cleaning of moonshine involves preliminary dilution of moonshine to 40-50 °. This is done in order to reduce the strength of molecular bonds. Fusel oils are poorly soluble in water, but wonderful in strong moonshine. After dilution, it will be easier to extract impurities.

In a container with moonshine, you need to fill in activated carbon for cleaning. The amount depends on the substance chosen. For 1 liter of diluted moonshine you will need:

  • 10 grams of coconut charcoal;
  • 50 grams of wood;
  • 100-150 medical pharmacy tablets.

Mix thoroughly and wait a while. There is an opinion that in a day the pores can open and release impurities back. How true this is is hard to judge. But the maximum effect is created in the first 2-3 hours. It's just pointless to take more. Shake the container every half an hour.

Cleaning moonshine is a very important matter, the quality of the final raw materials that you and your loved ones will use depends on it, you should be extremely careful when choosing a cleaning method. One of the most common and simple is the use of coal, its absorbent qualities will allow it to draw in all the impurities and unnecessary substances, leaving our drink perfectly clean.

Note! Cleaning must be carried out strictly according to the instructions and only food charcoal without impurities.

After cleaning our moonshine, it is necessary to think about the future of the coal mass that remains. Of course, you can throw it away, but ideally, you can restore it using the simple manipulations described in the article and use it again, which will save on the purchase of coal.

Cleaning moonshine using coconut charcoal

Pharmaceutical activated carbon is made from wood and, in principle, is suitable for purifying homemade alcohol, but it contains additional substances, such as talc and starch, which can harm the taste of moonshine, give it bitterness.

One of the most popular and effective is coconut charcoal. It is made from coconut shell and surpasses wood in the ability to absorb harmful impurities due to the presence of smaller pores. This allows you to quickly and efficiently get rid of unwanted impurities.

To rid moonshine of additional impurities, using coconut absorbent, you must:

  • pour the absorbent into the moonshine in the proportion of 2 tbsp. spoons per 1 liter of drink;
  • mix the resulting mixture well;
  • leave for a week to infuse;
  • shake the container from time to time to improve the effect;
  • strain ready drink through the filter.

Benefits of Coconut Charcoal

The main advantages of coconut charcoal over wood, medical and other cleaning methods are as follows:

  • economical use of coal (10 grams of coconut versus 40-50 grams of wood per liter);
  • high efficiency - small multiple pores allow you to capture and hold both large and small particles;
  • the natural properties of coconut make it possible to enrich filtered moonshine with iodine and iron;
  • naturalness and environmental friendliness - unlike other types of coal, it does not contain additives or impurities.

alcoplace.ru

activated coconut charcoal

Coconut activated charcoal is a 100% natural highly effective product made from the shell of a coconut drupe, designed to purify the resulting distillate from fusel oils, eliminate foreign unpleasant tastes and odors, and impart a vodka aroma and taste to the finished product.

Due to the large pore surface area (1150 - 1350 m2/g), coconut charcoal has the highest sorption capacity.

Activated carbon is poured directly into a container with distillate, based on the ratio of 10 g per 1 liter. To clean the water-alcohol solution from coal particles, it is poured through filter paper or cotton wool.

After distillation

After distillation of moonshine, even if you used fractional distillation with cutting off heads and tails, foreign substances or, if you like, fusel oils remain in the resulting water-alcohol mixture.

They not only impair the taste of the drink and its smell, Coconut charcoal for cleaning moonshine recipe and adversely affect your health.

  • The simplest and accessible way purification of moonshine from fusel oil has always been and will be coconut charcoal, adsorbing harmful impurities.
  • This article will shed light on this area of ​​home brewing, and you will learn how to clean moonshine with charcoal at home.
  • Coconut charcoal is very porous and therefore has a large specific surface area per unit mass, which makes it an adsorbent.
  • The pores adsorb molecules of a certain size, so it is very important to choose the "right" carbon.

Coconut charcoal removes excess fusel oils from moonshine, while improving its taste and making the drink more noble. A drink passed through activated charcoal is drunk softer, while the use of activated charcoal is absolutely harmless to the body, which cannot be said about chemical methods for cleaning moonshine.

samogon-reception.ru

We clean moonshine with activated carbon

Activated carbon has a high absorbent effect. This is ensured by the presence of micropores on the surface. Depending on the size of these pores, it is able to purify the liquid from various impurities.

  • Previously activated absorbent was produced from animal bones.
  • A product of this origin has very small pores that are not able to absorb rather large molecules of fusel oils.
  • Therefore, when choosing coal, it is necessary to pay attention to what it is obtained from.
  • To purify homemade alcohol, an absorbent is needed, obtained by pyrolysis of wood.
  • This process is achieved by burning its fine particles in industrial furnaces at high temperature and in the absence of oxygen.

Pharmaceutical activated charcoal can also be used to purify alcohol. Crush it into a powder and apply the method described in the section on coconut charcoal. You can also make a homemade filter from such coal and pass alcohol through it.

What charcoal can be used for cleaning

Not all grades of coal are suitable for filtering your moonshine with them. For example, you should not buy pills from a pharmacy, since the effect described above will not be fully achieved. The pores of the tablets are too small and not suitable for absorbing large molecules of fusel oils.

Therefore, it is advisable to clean moonshine with activated carbon at home:

  • With the help of BAU-A (birch activated carbon). You can buy it in specialized shops for distillers or make it yourself.
  • Using KAU-A (coconut charcoal). We give preference to this particular adsorbent, considering its cleaning ability to be the highest.

Fans who are just starting to delve into the intricacies of home brewing often wonder if it is possible to clean moonshine with charcoal for barbecue. It's actually not recommended to do this. To filter moonshine, you need to use only an activated adsorbent, which, of course, is not ordinary charcoal for barbecue.

Its activation occurs at a temperature of 1000 degrees. If the conditions are not met, a lot of harmful substances and carcinogens remain in the product, and it is simply dangerous to eat moonshine, which was used to clean ordinary charcoal. Therefore, even cleaning moonshine with activated charcoal in tablets, and not with specialized birch charcoal or coconut charcoal, will be much more effective.

  • The mentioned brands BAU-A, KAU-A are already initially made for use in the alcoholic beverage industry.
  • Also note that the "A" in the name means the highest degree of activity of the material.
  • If you purchase grades BAU-B or BAU-V, then please note that they are actually rejected coals in terms of activity during the production of BAU-A.
  • The same should be taken into account when purchasing KAU, when it is planned to clean the moonshine with coconut charcoal.

How to make your own activated charcoal

We will describe how to make activated charcoal with our own hands, using wood raw materials for this, which will be a birch log peeled from bark and finely chopped (into chips about 3 cm long). Charcoal must be prepared with minimal access to oxygen, for this:

  1. Prepare a flat jar in which you will cook birch charcoal
  2. Punch about 20 holes in it, place raw materials in it and close it tightly
  3. Put the jar on the fire, where organic gases will come out through the holes from the hot coal and immediately burn
  4. When the degassing stops, remove the jar from the heat and let it cool.
  1. Activated charcoal is wrapped in gauze and placed over a large saucepan half filled with water.
  2. Place the container on the stove, where the resulting water vapor will activate our filter material
  3. Next, transfer the wet charcoal to tin can with holes, which was previously used for degassing, put it on fire to remove moisture

After you prepare the activated adsorbent for moonshine with your own hands, store it only in a dry, tightly closed jar without air access. Otherwise, coal will begin to absorb various organic molecules from it, losing its properties.

Nevertheless, it must be understood that such a method of preparation is significantly inferior to the industrial one, where the material is calcined at a temperature of 1100-1200 degrees and processed not with simple saturated, but with superheated steam at a pressure of about 2.5 atm. Naturally, its activity is an order of magnitude higher than that of coal prepared at home for cleaning moonshine.

Our advice to you, do not save and do not waste your precious time, but just buy high-quality coal, it is not at all expensive.

Why filtering is necessary

A lot of side substances are formed in the distillate, which worsen not only the taste of the drink, but also make its use dangerous. These are fusel oils, all kinds of aldehydes, esters, etc. Not all harmful impurities are removed by activated charcoal, but the use of the latter is still necessary. Filtering allows you to remove:

  • up to 86% fusel oils
  • up to 92% esters

Purification of moonshine with coal gives such an effect due to the presence of pores on its surface, which determine the excellent adsorbing properties of this material.

Cleaning moonshine using charcoal

There are different grades of charcoal. To purify moonshine, it is better to use birch charcoal, it can be purchased at a regular store. It is important that the product does not contain additional impurities that can dissolve in alcohol. This information can be found on the packaging.

  • Wood absorbent is easy to make at home.
  • To do this, it is enough to burn birch wood on a fire. The pyrolysis process is simulated in a non-flammable container with a tight lid that will not let oxygen in.
  • Purification of alcohol with charcoal is identical to the method using coconut charcoal. Before use, it is necessary to grind it as much as possible, to increase efficiency.
  • Another simple way to get rid of harmful substances from moonshine is to pass the drink through a regular filter purchased at a store or made by yourself.

A home-made filter is called a coal column for cleaning moonshine. To do this, take a funnel and put a couple of cotton balls or several layers of gauze into it. Pour birch charcoal on top. When using a home filter, the procedure must be repeated several times to obtain an acceptable result. Before each repetition, the raw materials in the homemade filter must be replaced.

Cleaning moonshine at home occurs in four stages:

  1. filtration from large impurities through a household filter;
  2. infusion of distillate using birch activated absorbent;
  3. upholding;
  4. straining through a carbon column.


Cleaning methods

Infusion

The first stage of the process involves the infusion of moonshine. To do this, strong moonshine must first be diluted to 40 ° -50 ° or even lower if there is a second distillation. Doing this is a must. The higher the strength of the drink, the stronger the molecular bonds and, accordingly, the more difficult it is to extract impurities.

Coal also needs to be prepared. If it is formed into briquettes, they should be broken up as finely as possible. We need to maximize the area of ​​​​contact of the surface of coal and moonshine. For 1 liter of liquid with a strength of 40 °, 10 grams (2-3 tablespoons) of coal will be required. They put more, but it will not give a better result.

Crushed coal must be separated from dust and washed. This will allow not to color the moonshine so much. Then the prepared coal is placed in a container with moonshine and mixed thoroughly.

  • Regarding the duration of infusion, there are several points of view. It is recommended to insist from one day to a week. Practical experiments show that two to three hours is quite enough. Increasing this period most often does not change the result.
  • Some sources claim that with prolonged aging, moonshine not only does not improve, but, on the contrary, worsens. After some time, the coal pores open and release all the collected compounds back.
  • One way or another, it is better not to exceed the threshold of 3 hours. Every 20-30 minutes the container must be stirred.

After this time, the second stage begins - filtration. First, using a cotton pad or gauze folded into several layers. This will separate large particles and dust suspension. At the exit, we have moonshine with a slight charcoal tint. From the point of view of the presence of impurities, it is certainly pure. But drinking such moonshine is not entirely pleasant. It needs to be brightened up. For this purpose, a filter for a coffee maker, a filter for water purification, an ashless filter are suitable. It is better to feed moonshine into the filter in a thin stream or drops. This is easily accomplished with a conventional variable flow dripper.

Filtration

The second cleaning method is a simplified version of the previous one. In this case, moonshine must be cleaned immediately through the filter. It can be designed in different ways.

  • You can make a kind of coal column. This will require two containers, usually a bottle and a can. Since plastic is not recommended for operations with alcohol, it is better to take glass or ceramics.
  • At the bottle, you need to cut off the bottom (for example, with a glass cutter) and install the jar upside down in the neck. Pour coconut charcoal into the bottle to clean moonshine at the rate of 12-15 grams per liter.
  • The neck of the bottle is lined with cotton pads to prevent coal from spilling into the jar. Moonshine through the filter should be spilled at low speed.
  • In a lightweight version, it is proposed to make a filter in the funnel itself, alternating layers of cotton pads or gauze and coal. For the best performance of such cleaning, it is worth repeating it several times, while changing the coal.

How safe is charcoal cleaning?

Activated carbon is the most environmentally friendly product to use in the cleaning process. Wood absorbent is used in water filters, gas masks, aquarium filters, etc. You can use this raw material. In the case of such a choice, it is necessary to treat a number of sources with caution.

Carbon in water filters includes additional impurities that make it possible to soften the water. For moonshine, this is not a critical parameter and will not drastically affect the taste, but experienced winemakers are not inclined to use such a filter.

If you use raw materials from a gas mask, you need to make sure that it has not been used before, as it could absorb harmful substances that can dissolve in alcohol and spoil the drink not only in terms of taste, but also make it simply dangerous to drink.

Coal educational program

  • The process of purifying alcohol with charcoal is called carbonization. Coal is a wonderful natural sorbent, that is, it absorbs other substances.
  • To be even more precise, it refers to adsorbents: it attracts and holds the molecules of these substances on its surface. In this it differs from absorbents, which react and convert the original substances into new compounds.
  • Several types of coal can be used in distilling. The most affordable is activated medical. The next type is woody. The brands BAU-A and BAU-LVZ are intended for the alcohol industry. And the third type - on a coconut basis.
  • Produced under the name KAUSORB or KAU-A. The name is worth paying attention to, since coconut coals are produced not only for food purposes, but also for hookahs, barbecues. In this case, they may contain aromatic additives or flammable compounds.


Coconut charcoal is produced by pyrolysis - exposure to high temperatures in an airless environment. On sale it is present in crushed form or in small briquettes. A significant drawback, you will not usually find it in the wide sale. You need to order online or look in specialized stores. Can sometimes be found in liquor stores.

Flow Filtration

The first recipe will require some improvised materials, for example, a jug for filtering water, where you will need to fill the adsorbent. The filter can also be made independently, for example, from a plastic bottle. For this, the bottom is cut off for this, holes are made in the cork, and the neck is laid with cotton wool.

The filter material should be laid out in the proportion:

  • homemade coal requires about 50 g per liter of filtered solution;
  • BAU-A should be put about 12 g per liter of moonshine.

Moonshine can be passed through the filter element up to several times, but the result will be worse each time, so it is better to change the coal after each filtered batch. The amount of filter material required for the process is recommended to be washed with water to remove coal dust, which will subsequently also have to be removed from the filtrate.

Filtration by filling coal into moonshine

If moonshine is cleaned with coal in the second way, that is, by pouring it into alcohol, then the filter element is taken with the calculation of 50 g per 1 liter of distillate. Drink manufacturers with many years of experience often recommend infusing the resulting mixture for 1-2 weeks to filter moonshine at home, shaking it periodically. Then the drink settles for another 5-7 days and is filtered through a dense cotton filter.

However, such an approach to the purification of an alcoholic beverage is contrary to scientific facts, indicating that only during the first 15-20 minutes of such processing, the content of aldehydes hazardous to health decreases, reaching a minimum value by the 20th minute.

Therefore, it is better to use coal for half an hour, then you need to remove it or, if necessary, repeat the procedure with a fresh portion of the adsorbent.

Coal dust removal

Next, we will consider how to clean moonshine from coal dust in order to make the distillate clouded after filtration as transparent as possible. We note right away that this procedure is not mandatory, since the mentioned dust is not harmful to health and in no way affects the taste of the drink. However, to improve the appearance of an alcoholic beverage, a good ashless filter can be used.

These elements are made from 95% pure cellulose and are filter paper cut in the shape of circles. For example, a "White Ribbon" filter can be used, which has a high filtration rate and a good ability to screen out coarse particles in solution like coal dust.

Filter reuse

Those who are just beginning to learn the intricacies of making a homemade alcoholic drink often do not know if the same cleaning element can be used to filter different batches, and also how many times this is allowed.

In fact, this should not be done, if only because when the pores of coal are saturated with harmful substances, it loses activity. Moreover, with further use, the adsorbent begins to give these substances back, that is, after its use, you will no longer receive a filtrate, but a solution saturated with aldehydes and fusel oils.

But if you already use used coal, then before cleaning moonshine, the material must be reactivated. To do this, it is treated with a 2% hydrochloric acid solution, washed thoroughly with water, dried and re-calcined. However, for high-quality filtration, it is still desirable to use fresh, manufactured in industrial conditions.

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Oil cleaning

This method is based on the effect of dissolving fusel oils in other oils. Whereas alcohol itself, when abundantly diluted with water, does not dissolve in it. In order to get rid of aldehydes in the distillate in one procedure, it is recommended to add alkali to alcohol before cleaning with oil - this will allow the aldehydes to become soluble.

At home, refined vegetable oil is used. This is necessary in order to protect moonshine from odor changes after cleaning. The only disadvantage of this choice may be the need for a second distillation of raw materials.

The sequence of cleaning homemade alcohol with oil:

  • make sure that the oil is odorless and suitable for cleaning moonshine;
  • dilute raw alcohol to 15-30 degrees with water;
  • pour oil into a container with alcohol in a proportion of 20 ml per 1 liter of drink;
  • close the container with a tight lid and shake continuously for 1 minute, let it stand and repeat the shaking procedure after 3-5 minutes;
  • leave the drink at rest for a day in a dark, cool room, the recommended air temperature is 5-16 degrees, the lower threshold will be more useful;
  • in a day, a film of oil that has absorbed harmful impurities will appear on the surface of the moonshine. Without damaging it, it is necessary to drain the moonshine. This happens with the help of a tube, on the surface of the film we make a funnel and drain the moonshine through it;
  • drained moonshine is recommended to be additionally filtered, for this you can use a charcoal filter.

After such cleaning with oil, moonshine is ready for the second distillation.

In addition to the above methods of cleaning moonshine, there are many more options. All of them are aimed at cleansing moonshine from fusel oils and aldehydes. Purification of moonshine with oil or activated charcoal is the most environmentally friendly, since in fact it is not chemical cleaning, all based on physical properties substances. That is why these methods are considered the safest and simplest.

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Why is cleaning necessary?

After the primary distillation, despite the selection of the tail and head fractions, the distillate still contains impurities that are very dangerous and harmful to human health, such as, for example, acetic and formic acids, acetaldehyde, amyl and methyl alcohols. Their common name is fusel oils.

They give alcohol a disgusting smell and can do people more harm than good.

  • Therefore, the primary distillate must be purified.
  • Fusel oils contained in crude moonshine are harmful to health
  • Fusel oils remain on the walls of the steamer of the moonshine still.
  • For this reason, it is recommended that you always rinse the steamer after distillation.
  • In the alcohol industry, these oils are not thrown away, but are used to make an excellent solvent for the dairy and confectionery industry: amyl alcohol.

First of all, purification is needed in order to get rid of isoamyl alcohol (C5H4OH).

This component of fusel oils is the most dangerous, and it accounts for most (up to 60%) of the total amount of impurities removed. C5H4OH is dangerous because when it comes into contact with the skin, it causes blisters from burns, and when interacting with the respiratory system, it causes suffocation and severe coughing. For more information on cleaning with a carbon filter, see this video:

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Step by step procedure

Activated charcoal, which is sold in almost every pharmacy, is prepared using wood. This option is quite acceptable for cleaning moonshine at home, however, the substances present in this product(starch, talc), are able to spoil the taste of moonshine at the exit, giving it a bitter aftertaste.

The most, at the moment, in demand and effective method moonshine cleaning is cleaning with coconut charcoal.

It is made from coconut shells. It is superior to wood-type coal in terms of absorbing harmful impurities, because it is much smaller in size. Coconut charcoal makes it possible to quickly and efficiently remove the entire set of unacceptable impurities from the product.

To remove auxiliary impurities from moonshine with the help of a coconut absorbent, you will need:

  1. Contribute to alcoholic drink absorbent subject to the following proportion: two tablespoons per liter of alcoholic beverage;
  2. Carefully mix the mass that you received as a result of the procedure;
  3. After that, the resulting product must be infused throughout the week;
  4. Periodically, the manufacturer must shake the contents of the container in order to obtain a greater effect.
  5. Using a filter, you must strain the moonshine.


What is the difference

Activated carbon has an increased absorbent effect. This feature is explained by the fact that this type of coal is covered with micropores on the surface itself. It all depends on the size of the pores: the ability to remove harmful impurities is expressed to a greater or lesser extent.

  • Activated charcoal, as an absorbent, was once made from animal bone tissue. The product produced in this way has tiny pores that are not able to absorb too large molecules of fusel oils.
  • For this reason, when you decide which coal to use, it is worth asking about the method of obtaining it.
  • To purify homemade alcohol using charcoal, the absorbent must be obtained through wood pyrolysis.

This procedure is implemented in this way: its small particles are fired in industrial-type furnaces using a high temperature regime and without the presence of oxygen.

Moonshine cleaning is carried out with activated charcoal, which is sold in a pharmacy. Further, the coal is pushed apart, turning into a fine powder.

After the whole procedure is carried out in exactly the same way as when cleaning with charcoal from coconut. All actions are almost identical. It can also be used to create a filter through which the drink itself will be passed.


Security level

Cleaning the product with coal is one of the most environmentally friendly procedures. Coconut and wood charcoal is used not only in home brewing. Absorbent meth is present in any water filter, gas mask, and also in an aquarium filter. When choosing coal for the manufacture of a product, it must be remembered that impurities of varying degrees of harmfulness may be present in this ingredient.

Related videos

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About receiving

  • Birch charcoal for cleaning an alcoholic drink from fusel oils is done like this. Completely dried birch firewood is burned (at high temperature) in a metal container or pit with a lack of oxygen. This is called pyrolysis.
  • Coal for filtering moonshine can also be obtained from coal coke in this way. And even from the shell of coconut and walnuts, peat coke, etc.
  • You can also take ready-made coals, for example, for barbecue. The latter is the same tree, but it comes from different tree species. It is better to choose birch. Coconut charcoal is even better.

About cleaning

How to properly clean moonshine? It is necessary to take the appropriate activated material and build a filter. This substance is found in cans of gas masks, aquarium and water purification filters, and special coal for winemaking is also sold.

The same one that is offered in pharmacies contains impurities. And in the water purification filters there is an ion-exchange resin for water softening. The gas mask must be clean. That is, it is necessary to take an unused device.

About different cleaning methods

  • Cleaning moonshine with coal at home is possible in two ways. The first one is filtering. And the second is the placement of activated carbon directly into the moonshine. What do you need to take to make a filter?
  • It is made from a cut plastic bottle or a ready-made watering can is taken. Cotton wool wrapped in gauze is stuffed into its neck (you can also take a ready-made tampon). And on top of it is placed in layers of activated carbon. Cleansing occurs by filtering the drink.
  • The process is quite lengthy, but effective. You can support the funnel with your hands. Or fix it over a container where the purified alcoholic drink will pour in any way.
  • How to clean without using a filter? The carbonization of moonshine by immersing a cleaning agent in it occurs in compliance with correct proportions. 50 g of activated substance is consumed per liter of drink.

The mixture is infused for up to two weeks with shaking from time to time. Then moonshine is filtered. This can be done through cotton wool or calcined river sand.

About the coconut shell

Coconut charcoal has smaller pores than wood charcoal. Its properties are excellent. Yes, and it is consumed less per liter of alcohol liquid. It is difficult to make a carbon filter from coconut shells, because coconuts do not grow in Russia. But you can buy a ready-made activated substance from an exotic palm fruit. The technology for cleaning moonshine is the same as described above.

About column

Coal filter column with pump

  • You can buy a carbon filter and ready. It's inexpensive.
  • Sold in the form of a steel column. The reagent is placed in it.
  • Cleaning any alcoholic drink with such a column is effective because it is easy to use. In an hour, a liter of liquid passes through it.
  • The column will last for many years, as it is made of stainless steel. And how to clean moonshine with coal, this was said above.

The simplest device

If there is birch charcoal for cleaning, then the manufacture of the simplest filtering device begins with crushing, if the pieces are large. This can be done in a saucepan. Then a funnel is prepared from a plastic bottle. Holes are pierced in its cork. Cotton wool is tightly clogged in the neck.

  • The activated material is poured into the funnel.
  • When filtering, it will start to emerge, it is necessary to prevent this. It is easiest to press a mass of coal from above with a metal mesh.
  • The bottle is placed on a glass jar upside down (it is cut off in advance). And moonshine is poured on top. And the purified liquid will pour from below.
  • You can repeat the process by changing the coal. The moonshine filter is used once.

Finally

The adsorption of harmful fusel oils from moonshine with an activated substance must be used without fail. Eliminating fusel oils makes homemade rubbing alcohol safer. In combination with a double distillation, this will become even better.

Refinement of moonshine activated and different ways obtained substance is possible at home, it is not expensive financially. The main thing is that the drink will become safer for consumption, the health of the liver, and the whole human body, is most important. The use of coal for this is effective. Our ancestors also used a filter for cleaning alcohol.

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Varieties of coal

In this section I will list the types that are used with more or less popularity by moonshiners to clean their drinks.

  1. Birch activated carbon

Very popular with moonshiners. Sold in shops for winemakers, as well as in specialized stores, such as "Russian Chemist".

  1. Coconut (KAU)

As it is not difficult to guess from the name, it is made from coconut shells.

Also a very popular brand. That is what I recommend for use. According to many sellers, KAU has a higher cleaning power than birch. You can buy it in the same place as BAU.

  1. Pharmacy activated charcoal.

Everyone has probably seen and even tried this. You can use it, but there is one caveat. Pharmaceutical coal often contains excipients, mainly potato starch and sucrose.

I have heard from fellow winemakers that these additives make moonshine harder. To be honest, I never noticed the difference, but just in case I try to use only KAU.

  1. Charcoal for barbecue

Some distillers use this as well.

  • I do not recommend doing this. It is not known from what material it is made. Most likely, such coal is not regulated by GOSTs, and therefore it is not known by what technology it was obtained.
  • Activated carbon for alcohol purification is produced at 800-1000 °C. If the temperature is lower, then resins may remain in it in a small but sufficient amount to spoil the product for us.
  1. Household filters

You can clean moonshine by passing it through a filter jug. He does his job well. True, in some cases there is an increased loss in the fortress - about 5 degrees.

Instructions for charcoal

So, below are a few methods for cleaning moonshine with charcoal. As I said at the beginning of the article, before cleaning, moonshine must be diluted to 15-20% alcohol. Then distill it again to increase the strength.

The maximum effect can be achieved if clean moonshine with vegetable oil.

  • Purification of BAU or KAU
  1. Coal is taken at the rate of 10 grams (heaped tablespoon) per 1 liter of sorting.
  2. Washable with drinking water from dust.
  3. Take a regular plastic bottle. Several holes are made in the cork and the bottom is cut off. A piece of cotton wool or a cotton pad is placed under the cork and the required amount of CAU is poured.
  4. Well, then moonshine is poured and filtered. I run 3 times.

You can also simply pour the coal into a sorting container and shake well. In this case, it is better to double the dosage. Keep coal in moonshine for no more than 20 minutes, then filter through cotton wool or filter paper.

  • Pharmacy activated charcoal cleaning

Everything is the same as in the previous cleaning. Dosage - 45 tablets per 1 liter of moonshine. Crush tablets before use.

Laboratory analysis of cleaning quality

I give the results of a laboratory analysis of moonshine before and after charcoal cleaning.

  • Analyzes were conducted by a highly respected member of the Homedistiller forum under the nickname Alexander956. Here is a link to a forum post.
  • These data confirm what this article says - coal very effectively copes with fusel oils, and the quality of cleaning increases markedly with strong dilution of moonshine.
  • Raw alcohol from sugar mash, distilled to a temperature of 99 degrees in the cube, was subjected to analysis. almost to the water.
  • The amount of impurities is indicated in mg per liter of anhydrous alcohol.

Coal regeneration at home

Charcoal can be used several times, but over time it loses its adsorbing properties. In industry, it is subjected to regeneration.

  • This can be done at home as well. Maybe not as effective, but still. How to do this is described in the same book by Dorosh-Lysenko. Instructions in the photo below:
  • OK it's all over Now. Now you know how to properly coal moonshine. In a compartment with double fractional distillation, you can get a very high-quality and tasty product.
  • In my plans, I have articles about a few more cleaning methods, so I suggest subscribing to new articles. I also encourage you to share your experience in the comments. I'm very interested.

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How to make activated charcoal

Making high-quality activated carbon with your own hands for cleaning moonshine is quite difficult. The technology of how to activate charcoal to clean moonshine uses the effect of pyrolysis - burning wood in conditions of oxygen deficiency.

To make your own activated charcoal, follow these steps:

  • take birch firewood and let it burn completely in an open fire;
  • when only smoldering coals remain, place them in a container with a tight-fitting lid;
  • after the coals go out and cool, the filter medium will be ready.

If you correctly follow these steps, the resulting coal will actually not be inferior in quality to that offered in the store.

How to make charcoal

You can prepare charcoal for cleaning moonshine with your own hands using two options:

  1. By burning wood in conditions of oxygen deficiency.

After burning the firewood to the state of coals, place them in an airtight container that does not allow air to enter.

  1. By calcining firewood without air access.

The simplest implementation of this method would be to place firewood under a metal basin and build a large fire on it.

In fact, the steps above are also a way to activate charcoal to clean moonshine. It is thanks to this treatment that coal acquires increased ability to absorb harmful substances.

How to restore activated carbon after cleaning moonshine

Reusing activated charcoal to clean moonshine is not recommended. Since during use, the coal is saturated with harmful impurities contained in the product, it is much easier to replace the cleaning element instead of restoring it.

Some of the cost-saving tips for purifying alcohol can be hazardous to your health. These include tips to rinse activated charcoal after cleaning moonshine.

It is worth knowing that substances absorbed by the structure of coal cannot be washed out under a stream of water.

  • And in the case of reuse of such a filter material, all the impurities absorbed by it can return to the drink.
  • There are recommendations to restore coal after use by treating it with a 2% hydrochloric acid solution, then rinse with water, dry, ignite on fire in a closed container and reuse.
  • Given the danger of harmful compounds remaining in activated carbon getting into the drink being purified, this method should not be used.

BAU-A coal is used to clean moonshine during the second distillation. With its help, it is possible to rid the liquid of most harmful impurities.

This absorbent has all the necessary qualities for the purification of moonshine. Unlike other coals, it does not contain impurities, for example, starch is included in the composition of pharmacy coal in tablets, ionic additives may be present in coal from water filters, etc.

How moonshine is cleaned with BAU-A coal

There are several methods for cleaning moonshine with BAU-A coal. There are two main technologies for cleaning moonshine with this absorbent, which can be conditionally called an active and a passive method. The first method is the mixing of coal and moonshine, followed by filtration. The second is the filtration of moonshine liquid through an absorbent of this type.

In order to obtain the purest alcoholic beverage, several methods can be combined with subsequent re-distillation.

An active way to purify moonshine with BAU-A coal

The simplest method is to place BAU-A coal in a container with the liquid obtained after the first distillation. The proportion for filling is in this combination 50 g of absorbent per 1 liter of liquid. The mixture is left in a cool dark place for a week. Periodically moonshine should be shaken at least once a day. When a characteristic precipitate appears, the liquid is filtered. At home, for this, a funnel is used, which is installed on a jar. Gauze or filter paper is placed in the funnel, then BAU-A charcoal is poured.

Passive way to purify moonshine with BAU-A coal

It is also possible to install a special column with BAU-A coal to distill moonshine. Thus, the liquid will be filtered right after leaving the moonshine.

After 2 runs of moonshine through a column filled with such coal, the quality of the product improves significantly. However, the final purification with BAU-A coal is carried out after fractional distillation.

The carbon filter greatly facilitates the work of cleaning moonshine. Such devices are mass-produced and home-made.

The filter for cleansing moonshine must be thoroughly washed after use. Keep it hermetically sealed, preventing air from entering the device.

Water treatment for the manufacture of moonshine

In addition, it is better to use high quality water for making moonshine. Carbon filters are also used for water treatment. Using BAU-A charcoal, you can make a soft strong drink without an unpleasant odor.