Anyone who brews moonshine at home knows that a steam generator for a moonshine still, made with your own hands at home, is a necessary element of the installation. It allows you to avoid filtering the home brew.
1
Many years ago, housewives from all over the world began to prepare various types of moonshine on their own. Moreover, the variety of this drink differs significantly depending on the region where it is prepared. For example, in the West they prefer infusions made from nuts and various grains. But in the east, on the contrary, they use exclusively plant substances. Well, the Slavs have long used yeast to make mash.
Therefore, the devices with which these drinks can be made are also significantly different. For example, the familiar moonshine stills, which we remember from our childhood, have gained popularity in almost every country of the post-Soviet space. But there are still some fans of this strong drink who do not know how to make a moonshine still with a steam generator with their own hands. Although in fact, this process is quite simple and does not require much effort. Enough to know correct scheme and skillfully implement it in practice.
Making a device for brewing moonshine
Of course, almost everyone who decides to independently make a device for brewing moonshine is interested in the same question: is this device safe? Of course, it will not be possible to hear a definite answer. If you do everything according to the instructions and taking into account the requirements set out in the document, then yes, it is safe. Well, if you neglect the advice of a specialist, then as a result such a device can bring a lot of trouble.
Let's start with the fact that everyone knows that mash, which is prepared on the basis of grain, can be distilled using high-temperature steam. In addition, in this way it will be possible to prevent the liquid from burning, so as not to ultimately spoil the resulting product. A steam generator for this purpose can be purchased at any specialized store. But you can do it with your own hands. As a result, the resulting moonshine will have an unusually pure taste and smell.
Moreover, parts for the device can be found in any home. Instead of a tank, you can use a home steamer, but a regular bellows will serve as an excellent alternative to a store-bought bubbler. We must not forget about the presence of a safety valve. These things can be bought at any plumbing store or any other shopping center with a similar range of products.
2
You need to understand that the final design should look like this: pressure cooker-bubbler-steamer-coil-jar. It is thanks to this structure that during the brewing of the mash, steam under high pressure will turn into a concentrated liquid and come out of the coil. The main thing is to control the temperature so that the liquid does not boil too much and all the steam does not escape.
In this process, it is very important to prevent steam from escaping through the lid. Therefore, you should attach it to the steamer with special care. For this purpose, special fittings and liners are used, which are screwed into the steamer itself. Well, besides everything, you need to let the moonshine boil for the correct period of time. In this process, it is very important to follow the safety rules and instructions for moonshine equally well. Then the end result will surprise you with the extraordinary strength of the drink and its taste.
Steam generator from a double boiler
You need to remember that there are several types of construction with which moonshine is brewed. For example, if you use a device with a steam generator, then the need to filter the mash is eliminated. Which makes the cooking process much easier and faster.
Many moonshine lovers are interested in the exact diagram of how to make a steam generator with their own hands. Below are instructions on how to make such a device at home.
3
First you need to take a metal bellows with a flexible coupling. Then you need to take an electric steamer, if you don’t have one, then you need to build a heated heating element into a tank of water.
But if you don’t have a siphon, no need to worry. You can take an ordinary metal tube and use a hacksaw to make small cuts in it, the distance between which should be 1 cm. These holes can also be made using a drill. It must be remembered that the length of such a pipe should be 20-40 cm. It is through this device that steam will flow into the mash.
Making a steam generator with your own hands
After the bubbler is ready, it must be hermetically inserted into the container where the mash is located. For these purposes we use a tube with a diameter of 15-22 mm.
The process of making moonshine is quite simple. The mash, brought to a boiling point of 100°C, will begin to heat up. Accordingly, steam is formed, which enters the bubbler through the tube. As a result, it is in this container that the ready-made moonshine. If, for example, you do not have a double boiler at home, then you can use a regular beer keg or any other airtight container.
And, of course, in the end we need to talk about the usefulness of such a product. Moonshine, if consumed in small quantities, can have medicinal properties. Namely:
- For a cold.
- In inflammatory processes.
- In case of hypothermia.
- Used as a disinfectant and much more.
Cook at home yourself alcoholic drink very useful, especially if you correctly follow the technology of moonshine brewing and making a moonshine still.
Moreover, as they say, everything made with your own hands is much tastier and healthier than what you buy. And it is clear that moonshine in this case is not an exception to the rule, but rather, on the contrary, completely confirms it.
And a little about secrets...
Russian scientists from the Department of Biotechnology have created a drug that can help treat alcoholism in just 1 month.
The main difference of the drug is ITS 100% NATURAL, which means it is effective and safe for life:
- eliminates psychological cravings
- eliminates breakdowns and depression
- protects liver cells from damage
- eliminates heavy drinking in 24 HOURS
- COMPLETE RIDGE from alcoholism, regardless of stage
- very affordable price.. only 990 rubles
A course of treatment in just 30 DAYS provides a comprehensive SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL.
The unique ALCOBARRIER complex is by far the most effective in the fight against alcohol addiction.
Follow the link and find out all the benefits of the alcohol barrier
Creating a steam generator for a moonshine still is not that difficult. It is worth keeping in mind that this device can be purchased in a store, but if you want to save money and create something with your own hands, then you can start making a steam generator at home.
The simplest recipe for moonshine includes only water, sugar and yeast. This is not to say that such a product is bad. But you can significantly improve the taste of the drink and its other characteristics if you add not only yeast and sugar to the mash, but also cereals, berries or fruits. This mash will be thick and may burn during the distillation process.
Steam generator for moonshine still
Since the base for moonshine is in a closed container - a distillation cube - it cannot be stirred. To prevent the mash from burning, it is filtered, but filtering several liters of the fragrant base is not so easy.
For this reason, many who like to make moonshine at home make their own steam generator or buy it in a store.
The moonshine brewing process takes place in several stages. The mash is poured into a distillation cube, where it boils and slowly turns into alcohol, smoothly moving from the distillation cube to the steamer, and then to the coil.
But when making alcohol from thick mash, you can run into a problem. During the boiling process, the mash will begin to burn, this will be indicated by a specific smell. In this case, the moonshine production process will have to be stopped and the mash should be poured out, since it will definitely not be possible to make high-quality alcohol from it.
If the mash is burnt, then the moonshine will have a peculiar burning smell, and it will be impossible to drink it. But don’t despair, because everything can be fixed. Correct the situation and kick out the drink good quality From the next portion of mash, a simple device will help - a steam generator. If you upgrade your moonshine still with this device, you can achieve the following results:
- The mash will not burn.
- The quality of alcohol will improve.
- The moonshine will acquire a pleasant taste and smell.
- There will be no need to filter the thick base for making alcohol.
These are the main advantages of the additional module. But before it starts working, you have to do a little work. The steam generator does not have a complicated design; at its core, it will help regulate the pressure and boiling process of the mash, but despite such a simple function, do not underestimate this device.
What will be needed for production?
Moonshine still with a steam generator it will not have a cumbersome design, since the device itself for adjusting the pressure is very compact.
So, what do you need to make a module:
- Pressure cooker or steamer (if there are no such devices in the house, then you can get by with an ordinary saucepan with a tight lid.) The saucepan will have to be modified to ensure the tightness of the connections. They also use skittles to transport beer, but it will have to be slightly modernized. Pressure cookers and steamers have sealed lids - for this reason they are preferable to use for making a steam generator. In addition, they are made of stainless steel; it is this metal that is preferred in the manufacture of devices for brewing moonshine at home.
- Hose for connecting domestic gas (bellows with flexible coupling). If you don’t have such a hose at home, you can buy it in a store or make it yourself using a drill and other tools. To do this, you need to take a pipe from 20 to 40 centimeters long and make characteristic cuts in it, with a gap of 1 centimeter.
- You will also need a fitting; it is screwed into the lid of the pressure cooker, thereby strengthening the tightness of the device.
However, the list of necessary materials does not end there. If we talk about the cost of an additional module, the most expensive on the list is a pressure cooker; its price can range from 1.5 to 3 thousand or more rubles. You will have to pay from 200 to 400 rubles for the hose. The total amount can include the price of the fitting and various materials for sealing (glue, sealant, etc.).
In any case, it will be cheaper than buying a ready-made device in a store, but do not forget that you will have to spend not only money but also time on the production of the module.
How to assemble a steam generator?
If you make a generator correctly, you will get a very good moonshine still, which can be used to distill thick mash infused with berries, fruits and grains.
So, what is the algorithm of actions:
- We take a pressure cooker or double boiler and a gas hose, it will play the role of a bubbler. The bubbler must be mounted in the container where the mash is located. To make the structure airtight, use a tube with a diameter of 15 to 22 millimeters.
- A fitting is screwed into the lid of the pressure cooker or steamer, and a silicone hose is connected to it.
- Then we mount the structure using connecting tubes in such a way that the result is a chain that consists of the following links: a pressure cooker connected to a bubbler; it, in turn, is attached to the distillation cube, which is connected to the steam chamber and the cooling system. The chain ends with a container into which moonshine, ready for use, slowly drips.
- High-pressure steam from the pressure cooker passes through the hose into the cube, where it helps to separate the boiling mash vapor into several fractions. Bypassing the dry steam tank, where harmful substances settle fusel oils, the vapors move towards the refrigerator. There they pass through a coil, where they are cooled by the movement of water, turn into condensate and come out in the form of a finished product - that is, moonshine.
For those to whom this scheme seems complicated and incomprehensible, it is worth familiarizing yourself in more detail with the functional features of certain parts of the moonshine still:
- The first element in the design will be a pressure cooker, a double boiler or a banal saucepan. The water will boil in the container, turning into steam. The steam passes through the hose into the distillation cube.
- There is mash in the distillation cube, it also boils. The cube will be connected to the pressure cooker using the same hose (bubbler).
- The distillation cube is connected to a steam tank, in which fusel oils settle; it is used as a sump. It is not connected directly to the steam generator.
- From the steamer, the steam passes into the refrigerator, where it will move along the coil. It is the coil that separates water vapor and alcohol vapor. As a result of cooling, alcohol-containing vapors condense and flow into a container for collecting moonshine. The refrigerator is not connected to the steam generator, but it is part of the moonshine still.
If everything is done correctly and the chain has the above-mentioned links and connections, then the device will work perfectly, there is no doubt about it.
There are several nuances that you need to know, as they can affect the quality of the alcohol.
Little tricks:
- The main thing in a steam generator is that it should not leak steam. For this reason, it is worth monitoring the tightness of the structure. Since pressure cookers and steamers are characterized by a tight connection with the lid, they are used most often.
- A bubbler, or gas hose, simply must have a flexible coupling, and it must also be made of a material that does not come into contact with alcohols and other substances. Since metal ions may enter the mash during the oxidation process, they will change the taste of the drink.
- If a pressure cooker, saucepan or other container for a steam generator does not have the option of connecting to the electrical network, it will have to be equipped with heating elements. The heating elements are screwed on both sides, which will help control the process of boiling water.
- It is worth regulating the pressure in the steam generator by releasing it using valves. The pressure cooker is equipped with such valves.
- The bubbler will have to be slightly modernized. Notches or one hole are made on it, then the hose is laid on the bottom of the cube. This means that the steam will not flow in a direct stream, but gradually, bypassing the hose.
If you do everything correctly, the thick mash will no longer burn, and you won’t have to pour out the alcohol.
What will be needed for production?
1. First of all, a steam generator needs a container with a capacity of 5 liters (for a distillation cube up to 20 liters). It could be:
- or a steamer that will require minimal modification. This is almost an ideal option, since the lid is sealed and already has a safety valve;
- , which will have to be reworked more thoroughly;
- . You will also have to work hard on it;
- . A container suitable only if there are no other options. Here, in addition to installing valves, you will have to come up with a reliable option for sealing the lid with the pan.
2. Bubbler. This can be a plumbing bellows from a store or one made by hand from a tube with a cross-section of 15–22 mm and a length of 20–40 cm. Cuts are made in the tube every centimeter or holes are drilled.
This is necessary so that steam can escape from these cracks and heat the mash evenly along the entire perimeter of the tank. The tube is twisted into a half ring, placing the open end approximately in the middle of the cube at a height of 4-5 cm from the bottom.
The pressure cooker has two valves, one of which must be left untouched to prevent an emergency. Dismantle the second one, widen the hole to 15-22 mm (depending on the thickness of the bubbler) and install a fitting with a check valve.
To build a steam generator with your own hands, you will need a pressure cooker or other container of 20-25 liters (depending on the volume of the distillation cube) or more with a sealed lid. As a steam generator, you can use an aluminum or stainless steel milk can, an enamel pan, or a stainless steel tank. The main condition is that it must be hermetically sealed.
The internal structure of the steam generator is similar to an electric kettle - a built-in heating element with the ability to adjust the heating is installed near the bottom and comes into contact with the water poured into the vessel, directly transferring heat to the liquid. This achieves maximum efficiency in using the heater power.
The design must be supplemented with a safety valve in the lid of the vessel, a fitting for steam release and a tube for visual monitoring of the water level. It is also advisable to install the thermometer at the level of the lid. Although water always boils at 100 C, knowing how much time is left before the process of maximum steam release is necessary for timely adjustment of the heater power.
It is necessary to make a valve for the reason that the wort and the coil, located in the path of the steam, create decent hydrodynamic resistance and the pressure inside the steam generator can increase quite quickly, if not rapidly. This threatens serious troubles in the form of a torn off lid, a torn pipeline or an explosion of the evaporator. The presence of a valve turns a DIY steam generator for a moonshine still into a completely safe device.
The valve can be purchased on the same specialized websites or in hardware stores. It should be designed for a pressure 30 percent higher than atmospheric pressure. Excess pressure of 0.3 atm. quite sufficient for the distillation of any type of wort.
The valve is mounted in the lid of the steam generator and sealed with fum tape or silicone gaskets, depending on the design of the fitting. Another fitting is installed next to it - for connecting the steam line. It must be equipped with a threaded connection for screwing on the connecting hose leading to the distillation tank. There are two options for installing the steam line fitting - in the lid and in the upper part of the wall, 2-3 cm below the cut. The only condition is that it must always be above the level of water poured into the evaporator.
It is necessary to provide a valve and fitting in the lid
The best steam line for a DIY steam generator is a metal corrugated hose for connecting gas. But you can also use a stainless or copper tube, flexible reinforced hoses of hydraulic machines (HH). The last option is acceptable, but before direct use they need to be steamed at idle speed to eliminate the smell of rubber, and you can only use new hoses, never use them. But this is a backup option; a gas metal hose is the best choice.
The distillation cube is also subject to re-equipment. A threaded fitting must be installed below, at a distance of 2 cm from the bottom. On the outside, a steam line will be connected to it, and on the inside, a perforated tube twisted in a spiral for steam to escape. Two or three turns of the spiral is quite enough.
The outer turn runs along the perimeter of the vessel, the inner one closer to the center. Perforation is performed only in the upper part of the tube in the form of drilled holes with a diameter of 1-2 mm or slits, as is more convenient. The distance between the holes is 1-2 cm. The steam coming out of them should capture as much liquid (wort) as possible. The internal steam line (bubbler) is made from the same gas hose, copper or stainless steel tube with a diameter of 10-20 mm. It is not advisable to use aluminum here.
How does this work
By connecting a steam generator for a moonshine still, made by yourself, using a steam line with alembic, fill in working fluids. Into the steam generator clean water, into the cube - semi-liquid wort. We seal both vessels, install the refrigerator and steamer, and connect running water to the refrigerator. We turn on the heating element of the steam generator at maximum power.
You can heat the steam generator without a heating element - on a gas stove, hob, etc. It is important that the water boils. The resulting steam, entering the cube, heats the wort, bubbles it and displaces alcohol vapors into the steam line leading to the steamer and refrigerator. There are processes similar to a conventional distiller.
When working with a steam generator it is important:
- When the water temperature in the steam generator reaches 85-90 C, we reduce the heating to medium or lower so that the steam is released slowly. This way the mash (wort) warms up better and alcohol release occurs evenly.
- The main distillation occurs at T = 95 C - too much boiling can cause the safety valve to trip.
- After selecting the required amount of alcohol, turn off the steam generator, but dismantle the device after 25-30 minutes, when it has cooled down somewhat.
- It is necessary to constantly monitor the liquid level in the steam generator - if it decreases to 25% of the initial supply, the heating should be reduced. When dry, heating elements burn out very quickly.
Working with a steam generator is somewhat slower than normal distillation, but you can get absolutely amazing drinks, even develop own recipes. This type of moonshine still is easy to use and safe, subject to correct technique distillation. It is not difficult to make a steam generator and modify an existing apparatus in the house.
If you are not afraid of difficulties, appreciate the steam generator that Yuri Ivanovich made.
Most lovers of steam baths are accustomed to the need to heat the sauna and pour water on the stones to obtain steam. But modern technologies make it possible to speed up the production of steam using steam generators. A steam generator is a container filled with water for the purpose of evaporating it. Such devices are used mainly in baths, and also in car washes. Steam generators have a number of advantages:
- compactness;
- mobility;
- ease of operation.
In addition, such a device can be made with your own hands, since it has a simple design.
The use of steam generators in baths will cost much less than the construction of a furnace and its further operation. If the device runs on electricity, then you only need to install it in the right place and connect it to the network.
There are steam generators that run on solid fuel. In this case, the water tank is located directly above the firebox. But in both options, additional pumps are not needed to operate the device. The steam has high pressure and will come out on its own.
The equipment of the device may be different, depending on the functions that are assigned to it. These functions include:
- room aromatization;
- pressure regulation;
- steam temperature adjustment;
- steam control and many others.
But the main components necessary for the operation of the simplest design are:
- channel for water supply;
- working chamber in which water is boiled;
- evaporation module.
Ready-made devices are sold, but their cost is very high, and therefore if you have hands that know how to hold tools, it is better to make a steam generator with your own hands. Cost and characteristics of some steam generators
Cost of some steam generator models
Types of steam generators
Steam generators are divided into two types:
- automatic, which are connected to the water supply;
- autonomous. Water must be added to such devices manually. Autonomous devices are much more dangerous to operate, as they can simply burn out in the absence of water. Sometimes they are equipped with control devices and fuses, but this design is more complex and will require certain skills during manufacture.
When creating a homemade device, special attention should be paid to power. For home use devices with a power of 4-12 kW are suitable. They operate from a 220 V network. The choice of power is directly related to the volume of the room in which the steam generator will be installed.
| Room volume, cubic meters m. | Power, kW |
| 4-6 | 3-5 |
| 10-12 | 6-10 |
| 13-18 | 12 |
There are also industrial steam generators that have great power, but it is not practical to use them in everyday life. In addition, they operate from a three-phase 380 V network.
The principle of manufacturing a steam generator
It is best to make a steam generator from a container with a hermetically sealed lid. A pressure cooker would be an ideal option, since the steam generation function is built into the design from the very beginning.
The size of the water heating container will directly depend on the volume of steam you want to receive. Otherwise, the device will have to work continuously, which will negatively affect its service life.
