Content
- 1 The benefits and harms of birch sap brew
- 2 How to make mash from birch sap
- 2.1 Recipe for mash with birch sap and raisins
- 2.2 Recipe for mash with birch sap without yeast
- 2.3 Recipe for mash with wheat and birch sap
- 2.4 Birch sap mash with dried fruits
- 2.5 Braga made with barley and birch sap
- 2.6 Recipe for mash made from fermented birch sap
- 2.7 Is it possible to drink mash from birch sap?
- 3 How to make moonshine from birch sap
- 4 Is it possible to dilute moonshine with birch sap?
- 5 Conclusion
Birch sap brew has a long history. The ancient ancestors of the Slavic peoples prepared it from spontaneously fermented nectar of birch or maple for the purpose of healing, giving strength to the body and strengthening strength and spirit.
Since the right mash from birch sap, prepared at home, includes only natural ingredients and does not have a high strength, it practically does not cause harm to health. The alcohol concentration in the brew varies from 3 to 8% and today such a drink is not used in its pure form, but is used to make stronger formulations. Further distillation, subject to compliance with the technological process, allows you to obtain homemade vodka or moonshine of high quality.
Birch drink is tasty and healthy, but even experienced nectar collectors sometimes allow birch sap to turn sour. Such flaws can be hidden by making mash - the raw material for making moonshine.
The benefits and harms of birch sap brew
The mixture intended for fermentation must include plant components. All the healing properties of birch sap, dried fruits, and yeast are preserved in full. By consuming mash in moderation, you can get a storehouse of vitamins and minerals.
If you prepare mash with birch nectar with the addition of honey, you get a drink with powerful antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. Adding yeast will have a positive effect on the condition of the skin.
With all the advantages, it is necessary to remember the disadvantages of the product. Braga can provoke individual immunity and cause allergies. The drink has a maximum strength of 9 degrees, and if consumed excessively, it will make you drunk. Patients with alcoholism should not use this composition even in small doses.
Pregnant women and during lactation should not get carried away with mash made from birch concentrate. Due to the unpredictable effect of the drink on the body, you should not quench your thirst with an intoxicating composition before getting behind the wheel.
How to make mash from birch sap
Birch drink is an excellent ingredient for making mash. It is not typical for him to become sour. If this happens, it means that the cooking technology or recipe was violated. In order to get a high-quality product, you should choose proven recipes. Whichever of the proposed options is used, the result is a low-alcohol drink with the following characteristics:
- pleasant aroma;
- natural taste;
- no signs of intoxication after reasonable use.
To make mash with birch sap and achieve the desired result, you need to use high quality ingredients. Juice from store shelves is not the best solution for use in a recipe. It should be natural, collected in the spring. In this case, pay attention to the following nuances:
- the most valuable sap is concentrated at the top of the tree;
- The birch tree for collecting sap must be without signs of disease.
Nectar collected in the spring from the treetops is especially sweet due to the accumulated trace elements and glucose, and this has a positive effect on the taste of the finished mash.
In order for the mash with birch concentrate to be successful, in addition to the correctly chosen recipe, the following requirements should be taken into account and fulfilled:
- when choosing a container, preference is given to glass, since other materials can react with fermentation products - the formation of toxic compounds that is harmful to health;
- In order to enjoy consuming mash, you should pay attention to the correctness of the yeast - in specialized stores they offer to try a product intended for wine production;
- a water seal is a mandatory attribute for making mash using birch drink; by means of a plug you can control the duration of fermentation and stop the access of air from the external environment;
- it is important to maintain the optimal temperature for yeast - 24 - 28 degrees, and if you go beyond the permissible limits, the necessary bacteria may die;
- the selection of products for preparation is based on achieving the ideal taste, not the strength of the drink;
- all ingredients must be of exceptional quality and without signs of spoilage.
In the process of making mash with birch sap, people make their own adjustments to the classic recipe, taking into account possibilities and taste preferences, but they do not allow a fundamental deviation from the production technology. When preparing mash, the proportions of sugar and yeast depend on the sweetness of the birch sap and the temperature.
Recipe for mash with birch sap and raisins
Cooking utensils are selected taking into account the fact that the mash will grow during the process. Therefore, when filling, a third of the container should remain empty.
To prepare you will need:
- birch sap - 15 l;
- raisins -150 g;
- kefir - 0.5 tbsp. l.
Preparing mash with birch sap includes several stages:
- Pour raisins into a separate container, pour in 1.5 liters of juice and keep at 25 - 28 degrees in a warm place without access to light.
- The remaining birch sap is placed on moderate heat and boiled until 5 - 6 liters remain.
- In a container prepared for fermentation, the juice is combined with the starter.
- To make the mash form less foam and not be too cloudy, kefir is added.
- Leave to ferment for several weeks. It is necessary to ensure a temperature of 25 - 28 degrees. If there is no process after 2 days, it is worth adding a little pressed (150 g) or dry (30 g) yeast.
- The readiness of the product is determined by the cessation of gas evolution.
After completing all stages, the grounds should be removed from the mash. It can be consumed as is, or can be used for distillation.
Recipe for mash with birch sap without yeast
No yeast is used in the preparation of this recipe.Fermentation in this case is caused by glucose, which is most abundant in the juice collected from the tops of trees.
For preparation take:
- birch sap - 15 l;
- milk - 0.5 tbsp. l.;
Algorithm of actions:
- 1.5 liters of nectar are taken. Without subjecting it to heat treatment, they create all the conditions for the active life of wild yeast.
- The remaining juice is heated and evaporated until the volume is reduced by half - cooled to 25 degrees.
- Combine the starter with the evaporated juice, add milk, and leave to ferment. The container is sealed with a water seal to effectively release the formed gas and stop the flow of air from outside.
- The finished mash is separated from the sediment.
Recipe for mash with wheat and birch sap
For lovers of the classic taste of moonshine, it is recommended to add sprouted wheat to the ingredients. Thus, the mash made with birch sap acquires a pleasant aftertaste and special softness. Subsequently, wheat can be used as a filter to clean moonshine from fusel oils.
Birch sap mash with dried fruits
If you add dried fruits to the mash made from birch extract, the drink will acquire a piquant taste. The technological process is no different from the previous ones, only when preparing the starter it is recommended to add 100 g of your preferred dried fruits (raisins, prunes, dried apricots).
Braga made with barley and birch sap
It’s worth trying at least once a mash made with birch sap with the addition of toasted barley. The grains fermented in the juice give the drink a special taste.In addition, this brew is more saturated with nutrients and quenches thirst well. The algorithm of actions is the same as when preparing the classic recipe, but with the addition of 100 g of roasted barley grains. Even if you strain the finished moonshine based on birch sap through a barley filter, this will have a positive effect on the taste.
Recipe for mash made from fermented birch sap
It is not fundamentally important what freshness the birch nectar is used to make mash. Braga made from soured birch sap is also suitable for distillation. It is worth noting that fresh juice is deliberately subjected to fermentation, preserving the valuable product for a long time.
Is it possible to drink mash from birch sap?
Mash for consumption is prepared in different ways: with or without yeast, with sugar or dried fruits. The classic recipe includes juice, sugar and yeast. The drink, which is consumed without distillation, is recommended to be prepared with dry yeast, which has a positive effect on the taste. Home brew from birch sap is prepared in compliance with all proportions - this results in a pleasant-tasting drink.
Birch sap mash is prepared and kept without light in a warm place.
It is worth noting that complete ripening of the mash with birch sap occurs in a week or two, but the result is a bitter, strong composition. Fans of light alcoholic drinks should wait until the drink reaches 8 degrees. It is this kind of mash that has a pleasant, sweetish taste.
How to make moonshine from birch sap
Moonshine made with birch sap, according to reviews and results, differs significantly in taste from industrially produced vodka. It is easy to drink and does not cause a hangover.
To prepare you will need:
- granulated sugar - 3 kg;
- birch sap - 10 l.;
- milk - 1 tbsp. l.;
- dry yeast - 40 g.
Algorithm of actions:
- The juice is mixed with granulated sugar and heated to 30 degrees.
- The yeast is dissolved in warm water, as stated on the label.
- Syrup and yeast are poured into the fermentation bottle. The container should be no more than 2/3 full.
- To reduce the formation of foam, milk is added to the total mass.
- The bottle is placed in a warm place without access to light and closed with a water seal.
- The process of active fermentation is completed after a decade.
This amount of raw materials will be enough to prepare 3 liters of moonshine with a strength of 45 degrees. It is not recommended to dilute moonshine with birch sap for the second distillation, as the drink will turn out cloudy and aesthetically unattractive.
Moonshine from birch sap: recipe without yeast
To make moonshine without sugar and yeast, it is important to activate the activity of natural yeast. Braga is prepared from natural juice, which contains a high concentration of glucose. There is especially a lot of natural yeast in raisins.
Moonshine recipe without sugar and yeast
Preparing moonshine based on mash from grape juice with the addition of honey or dried berries and fruits requires the addition of kefir or milk in small quantities. During fermentation, the drink turns out less bubbling and more transparent.
To prepare moonshine without sugar and yeast you will need:
- birch nectar - 30 l;
- kefir - 1 tbsp. l.
Algorithm of actions:
- Some of the juice is left to ferment in its natural environment. To enhance the fermentation process, you can add a handful of raisins.
- The remaining birch sap is placed on moderate heat and simmered to evaporate excess water. A third of the liquid should remain.
- The cooled composition is mixed with the fermented product. Kefir is added to tame the foam and make the drink clear.
- Close with a water seal and keep in a warm place without access to light.
After gas formation ceases, the pure product is separated from the sediment and primary distillation is carried out. Pervak and liquid with fusel oils are taken away - they are not suitable for consumption, as they can provoke intoxication. The rest is subjected to purification and coloring, enhancing taste.
Distillation process
Before distilling the drink, the mash made with birch nectar is removed and prepared, following the production technology of classic moonshine:
- During the first distillation, a portion of the pervak is drained, since it is not suitable for consumption. The “body” or alcohol is carefully collected in containers. Since fusel oils predominate in the residual liquid, they are also not mixed with a quality product.
- To purify the collected alcohol, activated carbon or wheat grains are used.
- Secondary distillation is carried out in the same way as primary distillation.
- An important step is diluting the resulting alcohol to the required concentration. It should be diluted only with purified water to obtain a mirror-clear drink.
- The finished product is set aside to saturate the taste and age.
This is not the entire process and it is not recommended to consume homemade vodka in this form. To achieve high quality, it is worth carrying out an additional filtering step.
Cleaning, infusion
To effectively clean moonshine from birch sap from fusel oils, you can use one of the chemical methods:
- 1 liter of moonshine is poured into a bucket; it is important to always have an alcohol meter on hand.
- 3 g of potassium permanganate is diluted in a jar with hot water (300 ml).
- Combine the moonshine with the solution.
- After 20 minutes, add 1 tbsp. l. soda and 1 tbsp. l salt (without iodine).
- Filter after a couple of hours (ideally after 24 hours).
You can also use homemade or pharmacy charcoal to purify the drink. An excellent way to precipitate oils is coagulation before re-distillation. To do this, pour in milk or beaten egg white. There is no doubt that all harmful substances will curl and settle to the bottom.
The more the finished drink is infused, the more pleasant its smell will be, therefore, it is worth holding off on tasting.
Is it possible to dilute moonshine with birch sap?
You should not try to improve the taste of the finished moonshine from mash with birch sap using the birch sap left on the farm, since reviews of the results are mostly negative. Experienced moonshiners, through trial and error, came to the conclusion that such dilution leads to cloudiness of the product with subsequent formation of mucus on the surface. To dilute moonshine, you can only use purified water.
Conclusion
Home brew made with birch sap can be used as an independent drink with a relaxing effect and a positive effect on the psycho-emotional state, as well as as a raw material for the preparation of stronger drinks. Moonshine made from birch sap at home cannot be compared with store-bought vodka, is a more budget-friendly product and does not leave you feeling groggy and hungover the next day.With a little effort, you can get a healthy and natural drink of high quality.