The inverted sugar braga is true. Inverting mash sugar: proportions. The recipe for the correct inversion of sugar

Distillers often wonder how to make inverted sugar mash syrup and what kind of alcoholic product will be the result. There is no single answer to this question. The recipe for making syrup is not particularly difficult, but it is important to understand for what purpose the product will be used, and what effect it will have on.

Inverted sugar mash syrup

Inverted syrup is used to make cocktails, it can be used to refine home-made distillate or significantly improve its quality. Inversion makes the sugar look like honey and breaks it down into monosaccharides. But this process has both disadvantages and advantages.

Sugar in syrup: disadvantages and advantages

For moonshine, compliance with the recipe is considered an important aspect in the manufacturing process - this will help to increase the quality of the product and will affect its taste and aroma.

Inverting the sugar for the mash helps to speed up the fermentation process significantly, since the yeast doesn't have to break down the sugar. The fact is that, despite the type of yeast and their amount in the brew, microorganisms will not be able to completely break down and process sugar.

Sugar inversion is used to help the yeast. I calculate the proportions depending on the type of wort, as well as on the volume of mash that is planned to be produced.

So, the main advantages of inversion are:

from inverted sugar ferments faster.
The product obtained on its basis has a good taste.
To some extent, sugar will remove the unpleasant aroma, which is considered the hallmark of home distillate.
Promotes the death of pathogenic microflora, which can affect the fermentation process.

Despite all the benefits, it is not so easy to invert sugar for mash.

In addition, the process has several disadvantages:

The yield of moonshine on syrup will be slightly less.
You will have to spend some time making sugar syrup, however, the costs will be fully justified.
During the production process, a harmful aldehyde is released, its release occurs if certain free saccharides are present in the product.

Furfural is a toxic liquid that smells like rye bread or almonds. It is this toxin that is released when sugar is processed into syrup. It is worth noting that furfural is found in jam, but the largest amount of this toxin is found in fruits that are covered with caramel.

But do not forget that by inverting the sugar for making mash or cocktail, the quality of alcohol improves. This is due to the fact that the amount of impurities in the distillate is reduced.

Cooking sugar syrup for mash

Inverted sugar is a very interesting product, but in order to get it, you need to learn how to prepare syrup, that is, to carry out that very inversion.

How to make a syrup from water and sugar:

sugar - 3 kg;
1.5 liters of water (you can use spring or well water, as well as the one that is sold in bottles marked "for children");
citric acid (can be replaced with lemon juice, but not desirable).

If everything is done correctly, strictly observing the recipe, in the end it will be possible to obtain a product that will significantly improve the taste of the distillate and its quality.

Initially, it is worth pouring water into the pan. It is advisable to give preference to those dishes that have a thick bottom - this will help to avoid burning. If the product burns, it will have to be discarded and the process started over.

We heat the water in a saucepan to 70-80 degrees, then slowly pour sugar into the container, stir constantly so as not to spoil the product. Then we increase the temperature and bring the mixture to a boil, it will take about 10 minutes to boil. Remove the foam during the boil. The syrup should be smooth, when this happens, move on to the next step.

Reduce the temperature to a minimum and start adding citric acid a little. In the process of adding this ingredient, active foam formation will begin, for this reason, the acid is added slowly so that the syrup does not completely end up on the stove. In the process of adding acid, the mass is constantly mixed.

Then close the pan with a lid and continue to prepare the syrup. Next, we increase the temperature to 80 degrees and continue to cook the product for about 60 minutes.

Then the syrup will have to be cooled to 30 degrees, after which it can be sent to the mash together with other components. Mix everything thoroughly using a spoon or wood spatula.

A product made according to this scheme can be used without fear, it will significantly improve the quality of the future moonshine and affect its taste, which is important.

However, syrup is used not only to create a mash, it can be used to turn an unattractive drink into an elite drink: cognac, whiskey, rum, etc.

How to properly cook mash with syrup?

A simple recipe that will help you create a good quality brew at home.

What components will be required:

25 grams of citric acid;
18 liters of pre-purified water;
6 kilograms of sugar;
100 grams of dry yeast or 500 grams of pressed yeast (preferably using alcoholic yeast).

We invert the sugar according to the previously indicated recipe, only we take other proportions. Then pour water into the fermentation container, send the syrup to the water and mix everything thoroughly.

We dilute the yeast in a small amount of water, following the instructions on the package - this will help to activate the work of microorganisms and revive them. Then we send the yeast into a container and mix everything thoroughly using a spoon or spatula.

After that, cover the mash with a lid and send it to a room with a stable temperature. After about 5-10 days, the product will be ready for distillation.

It can be supplemented with various components: spices, herbs and flavors - this will significantly improve the quality of the product and give the drink a peculiar aroma.

Why use sugar in home brewing?

The role of glucose, fructose and molasses in home brewing is enormous. It is difficult to underestimate the caramel, which is made from sugar, turning only two components into a product that can change alcohol beyond recognition.

So, the role of sugar in home brewing:

It helps to give the drink a peculiar aroma, fills it with notes of chocolate and caramel.
Changes the color of the distillate, which is necessary for the production of cognac, whiskey or any other beverage.
Together with other ingredients, it changes the taste of moonshine.

Often, glucose and sugar are used in order to soften the taste of the drink, to make it more delicate and pleasant. The sweetness helps to remove unpleasant notes and ennoble the moonshine.

Caramel is part of a large number of drinks, but sugar syrup is used less often, despite the fact that in terms of characteristics it is not much inferior to caramel.

But caramel is also different, it all depends on the degree of its processing. An example is burnt oil: it is not always appropriate to use it, because it has a too bright aroma and taste.

Sugar should not be underestimated, its role in home brewing is quite impressive. When used correctly, this component can improve the quality of the distillate and affect its flavor profile.

Quick jump to article

No one will argue that self-made alcohol is safer than store alcohol. And if it has a pleasant aroma and color, then it is also pleasant to drink. But the taste can also be made much more pleasant. And all that is needed is to add the syrup to the moonshine.

Almost all lovers of making alcoholic beverages at home and based on it are faced with sugar syrup. Those who are not versed in its preparation can say that it's all extremely simple. But in reality, everything is not as it seems at first glance. And if you prepare the sugar syrup incorrectly, then it will not ennoble the taste of the drink, but spoil it completely.

Therefore, before you start cooking, you need to figure it out properly. Namely:

what varieties it is;
how to make sugar syrup at home;
how to make invert syrup;
how to make caramel-flavored cocktail and tincture syrup.

How to make basic syrup

It is not customary to use granulated sugar in the preparation of cocktails with alcohol. Its crystals may not

Sugar syrup

only spoil the texture of the drink, but also the taste. This is why bartenders replace sugar with sugar syrup.

To cook the main, or it is also called simple, sugar syrup is quite simple. For this you will need:

100 g granulated sugar;
100 ml hot water.

The ingredients must be mixed until they are completely dissolved. After cooling, the mixture must be drained.

Inverting sugar for mash makes it possible to change the process of home brewing by modifying the raw material. This processing is optional and is considered solely as an alternative to the standard process.

As a result of inversion occurs earlier than usual, the unpleasant smell of the mass is reduced, and the resulting distillate better conveys the taste and aromatic properties of the raw material. The technology is quite simple and inexpensive, but it requires adherence to a number of rules, which must be familiarized with for effective application in practice.

Inverting mash sugar is an auxiliary treatment to make it easier for yeast bacteria to process. The essence of the process is in the artificial splitting of sucrose molecules obtained from beets or cane into glucose and fructose molecules.

To invert sugar for mash, citric acid is added to it, which catalyzes the decomposition process, and their aqueous solution is exposed to high temperatures, which, like acid, promotes decomposition.

As a result of the processing of the disaccharide - sucrose - the nutrient medium is improved, as a result, the yeast quickly assimilates the substances necessary for growth and the preparation time of the mash is reduced.

Inverting is not the only —method to speed up the fermentation of sugar mash—.

What affects

The transformation of raw materials affects many aspects, to positive consequencescan be attributed:

Reduction of the characteristic mash odor during maturation.

Throughout the entire period of fermentation, yeast secretes substances - waste products that have an unpleasant aroma, which is why they try to keep the container in a separate room. Inverting sugar leads to an almost complete elimination of this phenomenon.

Acceleration of fermentation.

This is the main advantage and the main consequence of the decomposition of sucrose - disaccharide - into compound monosaccharides: glucose and fructose. Since the hydrolysis was carried out artificially using a catalyst, the time spent on inverting is less than what the yeast needs to naturally decompose sucrose.

In specific figures, sugar mash becomes ready for distillation 2-3 days after laying, which is on average 2-3 days faster than under normal conditions.

Less distortion of the flavoring qualities of raw materials.

The smell and taste of moonshine made from grain or “fruit mash” is much closer to the original raw material than moonshine made from non-inverted sugar, in addition, an additional honey flavor appears, which is why the use of inversion is most important for fruit or starchy raw materials.

Disinfection.

Under prolonged exposure to high temperatures in sugar, all microorganisms present in it die.

Increased distillate yield.

When using inverted raw materials, less fusel oils and impurities are formed, which are a by-product of the yeast. As a consequence, the volume of cut-off tails is reduced and the product yield is increased.

This indicator is of great importance for standard moonshine stills without a “rectification column”, which eliminates the difference in the amount of impurities.

In addition to the positive aspects, inversion has its disadvantages:

For hydrolysis of raw materials will have to spend time and effort.

The increased content of furfural.

During the inversion of raw materials, in addition to the decomposition of sucrose, the transformation of another substance also contained in sugar, hemicellulose, occurs.

As a result, one of the newly formed substances is furfural, a toxic substance that can irritate the mucous membranes of the body. However, there are different opinions on this matter.

The fact is that furfural is also formed during the manufacture of ordinary jam, from which no one has yet suffered. Perhaps this is due to the fact that its content in the body cannot reach critical levels when using such products in normal quantities.

How to make inverted sugar mash syrup

The process for processing sugar is actually very simple.

In the first brewing, it is better to stick to the borrowed recipe, but later on, many distillers experiment with the amount of ingredients, trying to get the most optimal solution and create "their own recipe", where without creativity.

To spend inverting sugar for mash, you will need such components in proportion to 1 kg of sugar: half a liter of water and 5 g of citric acid. In addition, you will need a suitable container for cooking on a hotplate.

When citric acid is added, violent foaming will begin, so the solution should not fill the container to the brim, this also needs to be taken into account and a container should be chosen with a margin of about 1/3.

Important! Aluminum cookware should not be used for inverting due to the susceptibility of metal to darkening from contact with citric acid.

The water is heated to a state close to boiling, the optimal temperature is 93 C degrees. If you want to perform a perfect inversion, you will need a thermometer wired into a capsule and dipped in liquid.
The solution is kneaded until a homogeneous consistency and left over medium heat for about 10 minutes, while it is necessary to prevent the liquid from boiling and remove the resulting foam.
After a set time, citric acid is added to the liquid, this must be done carefully and slowly. Pouring in the powder too quickly will result in an overly violent foamy reaction and the contents of the container overflowing.
Next, the saucepan is covered with a lid, and the fire is screwed to such a level that the syrup does not boil. The maximum allowable temperature is 95 C degrees.
The syrup is boiled for about 60 minutes, but it is worth starting to check its readiness after 30-40. To check, you need to drop a few drops into the water. If threads are formed, the product is ready.
At the end of the process, the container is removed from the heat and left to cool.

There is much debate about the need to neutralize citric acid after cooking with alkali.

To understand the essence of the question, you first need to find out which - acidity of mash - is optimal... For yeast, you need moderately acidic medium from 3.7 to 5.8 pH. But for specifics home brewing requires a medium of no more than 4.2 pH, otherwise the lactic acid bacteria will not be suppressed and — the spine will stop fermenting — ahead of time.

If we take into account that during fermentation the medium becomes more acidic by default, and citric acid will make it more acidic even at the start, then this can lead to undesirable consequences, which means it is better to neutralize it. To do this, for each added gram of citric acid, 1.25 g of baking soda is added, the solution of which is slowly poured into the inverted syrup. For some time, foam will form on the surface, after the end of the process, the solution is ready for distillation.

Short summary

It is difficult to evaluate all the processes that take place when sugar is inverted, but the fact that furfural is formed in quantities that are not hazardous to health is clear from the fact that jam has not yet been prohibited, on which no less sugar, boiled with fruits or berries, is spent.

Otherwise, inversion brings several significant advantages: it accelerates fermentation, simplifies distillation for devices without a rectification column, reduces unpleasant odor from the fermentation process and makes the taste of the distillate cleaner and more expressive.

Of course, this requires time and effort, but otherwise the costs do not increase, which makes the technique extremely attractive.

Inventive craftsmen can make moonshine from almost any sugary product. The liquid will have a vodka strength, almost complete transparency, but it will not be possible to completely avoid the appearance of a taste and a specific smell. The best moonshine comes from pure sugar. It is important to note that without first inverting the sugar for the mash, it is difficult to quickly get a good drink.

Home brewing

The essence of inversion

Sugar in everyday life is called the disaccharide sucrose. In an acidic aqueous solution, it splits into two components:

glucose;
fructose.

Sucrose structure

Only glucose is subject to fermentation under the influence of enzymes of alcoholic yeast. If whole sucrose is introduced into the enzymatic reaction, then it will take some time to break down. Preliminary acid hydrolysis - inverting the sugar will speed up the preparation of the mash solution.

Hydrolysis of sucrose

The reaction for the cleavage of sucrose received a specific name in connection with the change in the optical properties (inversion) of the initial disaccharide and the resulting mixture of monosaccharides. Optical characteristics do not affect the quality of moonshine.

The benefits of inverting

Pre-inverting sugar allows you to reduce the preparation time for the main component for mash; promotes the active work of yeast, if the proportion of the acidic agent and the carbohydrate is correctly maintained. In addition, the fructose formed in the mixture sweetens the alcoholic product and gives it a pleasant aftertaste.

Inverting sugar when preparing a solution for mash has not only benefits, but also some harm and inconvenience.

it takes time, extra effort;
sweetened moonshine is not always popular with hard drink lovers.

It is widely believed that furfural is formed as a result of inversion.

The usual inversion of sugar for mash goes without the formation of furfural.

A harmful product can be obtained when using special fermentation with special enzymes. In home practice, such yeast is not found and is not used.

Inverting the sugar, then using the syrup for the usual fermentation of the mash will not do any harm. Furfural will be present in moonshine in a small concentration as a component of fusel oils. They are obtained anyway. Thorough distillation of impurities is a mandatory stage in the purification of all moonshine products from any raw material.

The main task of the first distillation is to remove insoluble impurities

Methodology

Sucrose readily decomposes into monosaccharides even when the solution is kept in daylight. The guaranteed complete inversion of sugar for mash is best done according to the recipe.

Ingredients to Invert Sugar for Mash

You need to prepare a scale and a measuring container for water in advance.
Add 1 kg of sugar to a half-liter portion of water, heated to almost boil.
After that, it is required to boil the solution with stirring for 15 minutes.
Then slowly add 5 g of citric acid powder to the mixture.

Inverting sugar

The mass is gently mixed again, the foam is collected from the surface, and not allowed to splash.
The resulting syrup is slowly boiled for another half hour.
Inverting sugar to obtain mash can be carried out in a multicooker. In this case, the time is calculated as for cooking compotes.
At the end of the cleavage reaction, the syrup should cool to room temperature.

The solution is constantly stirring, skimming off the foam

Inverting sugar with citric acid allows you to get a high-quality, harmless mash solution. The use of other food acids can spoil the taste of the alcoholic product, deteriorate its quality. When working, it is important to carefully observe the proportions, it is especially important not to add an excess amount of citric acid.

Some home alcoholic masters carry out the inversion of sucrose for mash without boiling. This method is quite legitimate, only the solution must be mixed in advance, kept warm for at least a couple of days. Careful adherence to the recommendations will lead to success.

Popular and original recipes for pepper ...

Experienced moonshiners have been arguing for a long time about the question of inverting sugar for mash. Someone considers the hydrolysis procedure undesirable, while others talk about positive properties. It is worth taking a closer look at this process, considering the advantages and disadvantages, and learning how to properly prepare an inverted syrup.

Many believe that yeast is responsible for converting sugar into alcohol. In fact, this opinion is wrong. The fact is that granulated sugar is split into two components: fructose and glucose. This process is called hydrolysis.

Inverting sugar with citric acid helps the yeast speed up this process and improves the taste of the alcoholic product. For a chemical procedure you need ingredients:

granulated sugar;
lemon acid.

granulated sugar;

a small amount of water for making syrup;

lemon acid.

It is the last component that is the catalyst for hydrolysis. Lemon starts a process in which a complex sucrose molecule is converted into two simple ones - glucose and, accordingly, fructose. The whole process of inverting sugar for mash is carried out under the influence of a very high temperature, which can exceed 80 degrees.

As for the proportions, they are standard, as in other traditional mash recipes. For a kilogram of granulated sugar, alcohol yeast is taken in the amount of 100 g, or pressed - 120 g. If dry, then they will need 4 grams. Also, 4 liters of pure water are added to the composition, and the liquid should not be boiled or distilled, since there is no oxygen in it, which is necessary for the inverted solution to begin fermentation.

Every experienced moonshiner knows: high-quality moonshine is obtained on condition that the wort is prepared in sugar syrup. But not everyone knows how to properly invert sugar for mash in order to get the most benefit.

First you need to prepare the necessary ingredients. Their list includes:

clean water - 3 liters;

granulated sugar - 6 kg;

citric acid - 10 g.

After you have prepared the products, you can proceed to the main stage. Syrup manufacturing technology as follows:

Prepare a clean and dry metal container (you can use a regular saucepan). In addition, it must be borne in mind that the solution should only fill the container by 2/3 of the total volume. Otherwise, the mash will spill out, since foam is formed when cooking in large quantities.

Pour water into the prepared container and put on fire. Once the liquid is hot, add sugar.

Boil the sugar solution for 10 minutes, and be sure to remove the foam that forms during the cooking process.

Reduce heat to the minimum value, and as soon as the liquid stops boiling, add citric acid to it.

Cover the container with a lid and boil (without adding heat) for another 50-60 minutes.

To understand that the syrup is ready, you need to scoop up a little liquid and lift it up. If a stringy thread forms that does not break, then you can remove the pan.

Actually, in such a simple way, you can prepare inverted sugar syrup for mash. As you can see, there is nothing difficult in the process. The main condition is not to fill in the lemon quickly, but add it gradually, otherwise the foam will form rapidly and the liquid will pour out onto the hob. It should be noted that before mixing with the syrup, the home brew should cool to a temperature of 30 degrees.

Inexperienced manufacturers of moonshine do not know why hydrolysis is needed. To answer this question, it's worth looking at the pros of inverted alcohol. In fact, in addition to the fact that this procedure ensures a faster maturation of the mash, and also improves and softens the taste, there are other positive aspects:

A simple sugar solution contains pathogenic microorganisms, including fungi, and when inverted, all these harmful bacteria simply die, so the alcoholic drink becomes safe. In addition, there is no risk that it will deteriorate, as is often the case with home brew prepared with non-compliance with the technology.

The procedure greatly facilitates the work of the yeast, which speeds up the fermentation process, which means that much less harmful substances will accumulate in the mash.

If additional components are added to the wort in the form of fresh berries and fruits containing a large amount of starch, then the syrup helps to eliminate the pungent and unpleasant odor. That is why experts recommend making sure to do inverting when making moonshine, which includes fruit ingredients.

It is worth noting that hydrolysis affects the quality of alcohol, makes it soft and eliminates the unpleasant aroma of bread. But if a distillation column is used in home brewing, and not simple distillation, then this procedure can be skipped.

The main disadvantage of hydrolysis is the harmful furfural, which is formed in the process of making moonshine. This is one of the main arguments against the use of inverted sugar for making mash.

Determining that homemade moonshine contains this substance is quite simple, since the drink acquires a specific aroma that resembles almonds or the smell of black Borodino bread. If there are no bread components in the composition, then we can confidently assert that furfural is present in the drink.

But it is found in a number of other foods as well. There is much more of it in coffee than in moonshine. In addition, the substance can be found in factory-made cognac and even in jam, so drinking moonshine in moderation will not do any harm.

Acid neutralization

To get a quality drink, you must follow the proportions indicated in the recipe. Inverting the sugar for the mash involves a process of neutralizing the acid, so for every gram of citric acid you need 1.25 grams of baking soda, which means you need to prepare about 1 teaspoon of powder for this recipe.

If the distillation cube is made of aluminum, then instead of soda, ordinary chalk is used in the amount of 2 small spoons, only it must first be crushed to a powdery state, since the alloy is too sensitive to sodium bicarbonate.

Further actions are performed according to the following scheme:

the baking soda is diluted in a small volume of liquid;

after the crystals are completely dissolved, the mixture is poured into a pre-made syrup;

everything is thoroughly mixed until foam forms.

All this provides the solution with a moderately acidic environment, which is considered the most favorable for the normal functioning of the yeast. In addition, ready-made moonshine in this case acquires pleasant aromatic notes.