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To prepare high-quality moonshine from Jerusalem artichoke at home, you will have to try. The technology for preparing the drink requires care, strict adherence to proportions and a lot of time. But the resulting unique taste will make you forget about past difficulties.
The second name for Jerusalem artichoke is earthen pear. This root vegetable is extremely unpretentious to grow and almost always produces an impressive harvest. Making homemade moonshine will solve the problem with Jerusalem artichoke residues, because to prepare 1 liter of drink you will need about 10 kg of the plant.
Secrets of making moonshine from Jerusalem artichoke
The finished drink has a refined apple aroma with notes of celery. Properly cooked, it will be soft, without harsh impurities. The fruits differ in size, juiciness, and richness. All these indicators must be taken into account in the process of preparing an alcoholic drink.
The ingredients and their correct ratio are of great importance. Citric acid is added to stabilize acidity. Sugar is optional, but is often used to produce more of the drink.
To obtain moonshine from Jerusalem artichoke with high organoleptic characteristics, high-quality moonshine stills are used.To distill mash, it is recommended to take a closer look at models with a distillation column or a steamer.
When all the necessary ingredients have been collected, you can start cooking. There are several recipes. The most successful moonshine is obtained when using the classic recipe. To achieve a more refined taste, the root vegetable is fermented.
How to make moonshine from Jerusalem artichoke using yeast
The amount of ingredients needed depends on the juiciness of the Jerusalem artichoke roots. This indicator is taken into account when calculating sugar and water for mash.
Ingredients:
- Jerusalem artichoke root – 10 kg;
- water – 5-10 l;
- citric acid – 5 g per liter of water;
- dry yeast - 25 g or 100 g pressed;
- sugar – 1-2 kg.
Making mash:
- The Jerusalem artichoke is cleared of soil, washed, and crushed using a grater.
- Pour the pulp into a large saucepan and add 3-5 liters of water. The result is a liquid, fleshy mass.
- Place the pan on the fire and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and cook for 60-80 minutes. Stir the mass periodically, thoroughly kneading the lumps. A sign of readiness will be the thick consistency of the brew with a pleasant aroma of baked apples.
- After this, the mixture is allowed to cool to 30 degrees and poured into a fermentation container. Add water - 2-3 liters, citric acid - 5 g for each liter of prepared liquid and sugar if desired. Be sure to leave 25% free volume in the container for gases and foam.
- After this, the yeast is prepared. The powder is dissolved in warm water and sugar is added. After foam appears on the surface, they can be used. If compressed yeast is used, it is also dissolved.Leave for 15 minutes in a warm place, after which you can add it to the mash. More detailed information is provided on the packaging.
- Mix the whole mixture.
- Now install a water seal or instead put a medical glove on the neck of the container with mash. A small hole must be made in it on the finger to allow gases to escape.
This Jerusalem artichoke mash is infused at home for 3-10 days in a dark room with a temperature of 18-27 degrees. The signal for the start of the next stage is the absence of gases released from the water seal.
Filtration and distillation procedure:
- The mash is filtered through cheesecloth. It is better to fold the gauze several times to catch the pulp as much as possible.
- Liquid mash is poured into the distillation cube. The process is carried out without separation into fractions. As soon as the strength of the resulting drink drops below 30%, the selection is stopped.
- The total strength of the drink is measured and the volume of absolute alcohol is calculated. To do this, the percentage of strength is multiplied by the volume and the resulting value is divided by 100.
- Then the liquid is diluted to 18-20% and the mash is re-distilled, but with division into fractions.
- The first 15% of absolute alcohol is collected in a separate container. This liquid is prohibited from being consumed as food; it is used exclusively for technical needs.
- The main product is collected in prepared containers. At this time, the strength of the drink is monitored and after it drops below 45% in the stream, the collection is stopped.
- At the final stage, the moonshine is diluted with water to a strength of 40-45 degrees and sent to a dark place to brew.
It is better not to use the product immediately. After a few days, its taste will noticeably improve. If you do not plan to consume moonshine in the coming days, it needs to be provided with storage conditions.
Country recipe for moonshine from Jerusalem artichoke
To prepare such moonshine, the root vegetable undergoes preliminary fermentation. The taste of the prepared drink is very similar to tequila, so it can even be served on a festive table.
Ingredients:
- Jerusalem artichoke fruits – 10 kg;
- root tops - about 50 stems;
- water – 15 l;
- dry yeast – 10 g;
- sugar – 2 kg.
Fruit preparation:
- Dig a hole 70 cm deep and 1 m in diameter.
- Then lay bricks or large stones on the bottom.
- Firewood is placed on stones and bricks. They should be enough for 5-6 hours of burning. During this time, the heating base will reach the desired temperature.
- After the firewood has burned out, lay out the Jerusalem artichoke tops in a dense layer - 30-40 cm.
- Cooked tubers are evenly laid out on top of the greens.
- Be sure to cover the top of the Jerusalem artichoke with a layer of tops of 30-40 cm.
- In this state, the root crop and tops are kept for a day and allowed to cool.
Jerusalem artichoke has a smoky flavor and a golden crust. After this, the main part of preparing moonshine begins.
Making mash:
- Jerusalem artichoke is crushed and filled with water.
- Then heated to 50 degrees. Exceeding the temperature is unacceptable due to the chemical composition of the plant.
- The liquid with Jerusalem artichoke is simmered over medium heat for 2-3 hours.
- After the specified time, the mash is cooled naturally.
- After this, the mixture is filtered through cheesecloth and sugar and yeast are added.
- Homemade Jerusalem artichoke baked over a fire arrives in 1-2 days. If you keep it for more than the specified time, it will peroxidize.
High-quality moonshine will be released only after 2 stages of distillation.It is important to let the prepared moonshine brew for 3-4 days, during which time it will reach the desired concentration and will delight you with its extraordinary taste.
How to store moonshine from Jerusalem artichoke
The prepared Jerusalem artichoke drink is stored in plastic, glass and even wooden containers. The shelf life will depend on the material chosen. The containers are placed in a place protected from sunlight. Temperature changes are also not recommended. Bottles can be placed in the refrigerator, basement or closet.
To give moonshine additional woody notes, it is placed in oak barrels. This method is not only troublesome, but also unreliable. It is important to properly prepare the barrel and select its volume. If you use a keg without special preparation, the taste of the prepared liquid will change dramatically.
Moonshine is often bottled in clean plastic bottles. To do this, choose those containers with PET and PEHD/HDPE markings on the bottom. This is a high quality plastic that does not react with liquids. The storage period should not exceed 4-6 months.
Glass containers remain the most reliable. In it, moonshine from Jerusalem artichoke retains its taste, aroma and does not change even for years. Tightly closing lids are important. The liquid should not come into contact with air. Otherwise, the alcohol will evaporate, and the drink will lose its strength and even change its taste. Ideally, the prepared moonshine will be consumed within a year after the spill.
Conclusion
Moonshine from Jerusalem artichoke at home is a drink worthy of the attention of urban and rural residents.The recipes listed above will not only solve the problem of leftover root vegetables, but will also help create a drink that is unique in its taste and even healing properties.
