Homemade mulberry liqueur. Do-it-yourself mulberry moonshine or mulberry vodka. Mulberry moonshine

Many people have probably heard about mulberry, the national drink of Karabakh. This original mulberry with an unusually refined taste, as many testify, has truly unique medicinal characteristics. Almost everyone who has already tried it puts mulberry vodka on the same level as the best Armenian cognacs, and sometimes even higher.

"Liquid Karabakh silk"

This is what “Artsakh” is called today - vodka made from delicious mulberry, which grows mainly in the Transcaucasus. In general, the “silk” brand is firmly attached to the Greek drink “Metaxa”. However, today many experts find that the Armenian vodka “Artsakh”, which, in fact, is more of a fruit distillate - brandy, is more worthy of this title. It is made only from mulberry berries, without adding sugar or water, only with wild yeast.

Armenian traditions

Mulberry vodka is made in some Caucasian regions, but it was the residents of Karabakh who managed to secure its status as a truly national drink. Here this mulberry brandy is obtained in almost every yard.

The industrial production of mulberries is also well established in Armenia. The most famous “Artsakh” is vodka, which is produced in two versions: regular and aged in mulberry wood barrels.

History of the creation of mulberry

When and by whom mulberry brandy was invented is not known for certain. The history of the drink, which today is sold as “Artsakh” - vodka made from mulberry fruits, goes back more than one century. Residents of Karabakh still adhere to simple ancient technologies: when the mulberry berries are finally ripe, after shaving them on a laying cloth, they are poured into a special clay container - karas, then crushed, leaving to ferment naturally, without adding water or sugar.

Usage

In general, “Artsakh” is not just traditional vodka, but judging by the reviews, even mystical. In Armenia, mulberry is used not so much for entertainment as for medicinal purposes. Here they drink it against colds, make compresses and rubs with it, and use it for disinfection. But the most important thing is that this vodka has long been considered a powerful remedy for treating stomach diseases.

Many Armenians sincerely believe that it is this drink that is responsible for the long life span for which the residents of Karabakh are famous. They say that in the old days the usual breakfast of an Artsakh resident consisted of fifty grams of homemade mulberries and one boiled egg. Allegedly, after this, people could work until lunchtime without feeling the least bit tired. However, many here believe that alcohol in small doses is not only not harmful, but even beneficial.

"Artsakh" - vodka with a special recipe

The traditional ingredients of mulberries are quite small, and the technology is simple, but the quality of vodka primarily depends on the variety of berries and their degree of ripeness. The ideal mulberry from which Artsakh vodka is made should be pink. This sweet and aromatic variety does not grow everywhere. Manufacturers use pink mulberries to make the Artsakh drink. Vodka, the price of which is quite high, is essentially produced from a certain variety and using ancient technology.

The mash is tasted at all stages and its taste is adjusted. In fact, the very process of producing this Armenian mash is similar to the cooking process. It is fermented only with wild yeast.

Price

Vodka "Artsakh" is one of the most original alcoholic drinks on the modern market. Being an integral attribute of the Armenian national culture, this brand combines several varieties of fruit vodka. It belongs to the famous alcoholic beverage company of the same name, which has been on the market since 1998.

Today the company produces and supplies its vodka both to the domestic market of Armenia and exports abroad. This brand, immediately after its famous Artsakh product came off the assembly line, received a gold medal at the ProdExpo competition in Moscow. Vodka today is sold not only in Armenia and Russia, but also in Ukraine and Latvia, Germany and Belarus, Lithuania and other countries.

The fact that this is a truly high-quality product is also evidenced by its price. For example, a fifty-gram bottle of Artsakh vodka with 45 proof is sold for an average of two hundred and thirty rubles. Another option is “Golden”, with a large volume (035 l), costs about a thousand.

Vodka "Artsakh" from dogwood - features

The company deservedly boasts of its rich assortment of fruit alcoholic drinks. Its catalog includes not only mulberry, but also apricot, peach, pear and other varieties of strong brandy. Armenian vodka “Artsakh” dogwood has also gained considerable popularity among Russians. It is distinguished not only by its amazing taste, but also by its consistently high quality characteristics.

Artsakh vodka, made from dogwood, like its mulberry counterpart, is considered not only a tasty drink, but also a most valuable natural gift, which, as the Armenians themselves testify, has the ability to “restore health to the sick and youth to the old.” She heals wounds and strengthens the spirit, but most importantly, she cheers the heart.

This fruit vodka contains only purified spring water from the mountains. Made from wild dogwood berries, fermented and double distilled, it rests for about two or three months in special barrels before bottling. It is thanks to this that vodka has a soft and harmonious taste. “Artsakh Dogwood” is distinguished by a pleasant aroma, which combines not only bright fruity tones, but also light floral nuances. Vodka has a clear composition and a slightly oily texture. It is better to serve it with a rich and satisfying meal, as it tends to stimulate digestion.

Mulberry is a product that is obtained after fermentation of mulberry fruits. I would like to note that this is quite strong alcoholic drink, not inferior in strength to vodka. There are varieties that need to be aged in special barrels for several years to achieve a sharp taste.

History of mulberry

For mountainous Karabakh, mulberry vodka is considered a traditional drink, just like moonshine or vodka for Russians. Interestingly, mulberries are produced not only in factories, but also prepared at home.

The history of mulberry vodka begins several centuries earlier; at least in the 19th century, production turnover fell, since after entering Russian Empire Transcaucasia began to consume standard Russian vodka.

Despite this, Armenia and Azerbaijan still consider mulberry their traditional drink and, apparently, have no plans to stop production. It is not surprising that locals in these areas began to attribute healing properties to it.

It is strange that mulberry vodka appears only in the history of Azerbaijan and Armenia, because its production covered much larger territories.

Mulberry recipe

Vodka contains ingredients such as sugar, mulberries, and, of course, water.

To prepare you will need:

  • 10 kg mulberries
  • 10 liters of water
  • 3 kg sugar

However, it is not necessary to add sugar, since in season, mulberries can provide about 2 kilograms of sugar, which means that you can overdo it.

In general, this amount of mulberry will allow you to get high-quality 40-degree moonshine, however, it is better to choose the proportions for yourself, because the strength of the drink depends on the amount of sugar.


Mulberry at home

  1. Mulberries, which should never be washed, should be crushed in any way. Some yeast may appear on the surface, but you cannot wash it off, otherwise it will only spoil the vodka. You will have to make sourdough, which is not entirely natural.
  2. Pour the resulting mass into a fermentation container and pour boiled water, no more than 30 degrees.
  3. Now is the time to install a water seal on the neck and move the container to a warm place; the desired temperature in this place should fluctuate between 18–24 degrees.
  4. Stir the resulting mass once a day, each time knocking off the accumulated cap from the surface.
  5. As soon as sediment appears at the bottom and the mash takes on a bitter taste, you can start distilling.
  6. We take a container with mash and pour it through a colander into a special distillation apparatus. It is important to ensure that the pulp does not get into this device, since during the preparation process it can spoil the taste of the drink.
  7. During distillation, the first 200 milliliters must be collected in a separate container; they are harmful to health, as they contain many different impurities, including acetone.
  8. Before using mulberries, you need to leave them in a cool place for at least 3 days.

If you want to try real mulberries, I advise you to leave them in mulberry barrels for about 10 months. Then the mulberry moonshine will turn out so good that it will be difficult to distinguish it from store-bought alcohol.

This strong alcoholic drink has several names. In addition to mulberry, it is known as mulberry vodka, Artsakh or Armenian brandy. Whatever name you hear, it will be about the same thing.

The historical homeland of mulberry vodka is considered to be Armenia, or as it used to be called the country of stones. However, not everyone agrees with this statement. Thus, residents of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh consider Artsakh to be their own invention.

Mulberry is a distillate produced from mulberries, the second name of which is mulberry. The strength of this drink can vary significantly from 40 to 78 degrees.

How to cook artsakh at home?

The recipe for Armenian mulberry vodka is quite simple.

To prepare mulberry you will need the following ingredients:

  • mulberries – 6 kg;
  • clean water – 6 l;
  • sugar – 1.8 kg.

It should be understood that traditionally mulberry is prepared without adding sugar. This is due to the fact that mulberries already have a sugar content of about 17%. However, when using sugar we can significantly (1.5-2.5 times) increase the yield of moonshine. Just remember that when using such a recipe, the amazing aroma of Artsakh will be somewhat lost. So, everyone must answer the question: “Should I add sugar to mulberries or not?”

The correct sequence of actions when making mulberry vodka.

Crush the mulberries to release their juice. It's better to do this with clean hands. Remember, you can’t wash the berries! This is due to the fact that their skin contains natural tremors necessary for the fermentation process.

Without filtering, pour the wort prepared in this way into a fermentation container. Fill it with water at room temperature and stir thoroughly.

Place a water seal on the neck of the container and place it in a dark room with a temperature of 19-25 degrees Celsius. Every day you need to stir the mulberry juice once and knock off the foamy cap from the pulp.

After about 2-3 weeks, the drink will become lighter in color, sediment will be visible at the bottom of the container, and fermentation will stop. This will be a signal for us that our Artsakh is ready for distillation.

At this stage we will naturally need alembic. Our mash should be poured into it through a sieve. Such filtration is mandatory because if the pulp gets into the cube, it will most likely burn and the taste of Armenian brandy will be spoiled. However, if you plan to distill the mulberries through a steam generator, then the pulp does not need to be filtered.

During distillation, heads and tails should be selected. They contain acetone and other harmful impurities and should not be drunk. The heads will be the first 100-170 ml of mulberries. The tails will appear after the strength of the drink drops below 40 degrees.

Here we are entering the home stretch. However, there is no need to rush; Artsakh is not ready yet. To complete the process, the alcoholic drink must be left for 48-72 hours in a dark, cool room.

After this, you can proceed to tasting. However, if you want your mulberry to be completely traditional, it needs to be aged for six months to a year in a barrel of mulberry wood.

If we are guided by the geographical principle, then one of the closest relatives of this Caucasian alcohol is Ossetian araka.

How should you drink it?

Mulberry is good for the digestive system. This circumstance turns it into a wonderful aperitif and digestif. In other words, it’s good to drink a glass of mulberry vodka before lunch for appetite or after for digestion.

Artsakh can also be consumed in its pure form. Crushed ice can be used.

If you plan to treat relatives and friends with mulberries during the holiday, then you can prepare and serve a meat or fish dish for an appetizer. It also goes well with smoked meats, as well as salted and pickled snacks.

Connoisseurs deservedly classify good mulberries as premium. It is in no way inferior to the most famous and honored brands of cognac, whiskey, tequila, vodka or rum.

Good day, dear readers! Today we present to your attention an alcoholic drink that is completely unique in its qualities - mulberry, especially popular in the Transcaucasus (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Karabakh). The strength of mulberries can range from 40 to 80%! It is made from mulberry berries (otherwise known as mulberries) - hence the name. The taste of this warming drink is buttery, rich in woody, mulberry and herbal notes. Mulberry is also called Artsakh or mulberry vodka.

How is mulberry produced?

The first mulberry vodka was prepared a long time ago; it is believed that it has existed for several thousand years. In the countries of Transcaucasia, there is a mulberry tree in literally every garden, and each owner carefully preserves his own special recipe for a strong drink made from its fruits.
An important stage in the production of mulberries is the preparation of the container: first, a special fired barrel is made - this is where the strong drink will be kept. The main secret of the uniqueness of the mulberry lies precisely in the fact that the barrel is made from mulberry wood, using old mulberries that no longer produce a harvest. When you have a barrel, you can start preparing the drink.

In general, the mulberry production process is similar to the process of making whiskey or cognac, and it consists of the following:
1. Berry picking. Mulberry fruits are harvested in early summer (June), when their sugar content is at least 16%.
2. Processing of berries. The collected berries are pressed and the juice is squeezed out of them.
3. Fermentation. The juice obtained from mulberries is poured into special tanks for fermentation.
4. Distillation. The fermented juice is distilled into alcohol, the strength of which is approximately 70%.
5. Exposure. The alcohol obtained from fermented mulberry juice is poured into charred mulberry barrels and kept in them for 1-3 years. It is thanks to aging that the finished drink acquires a yellowish-greenish tint and a characteristic pleasant taste.
6. Blending. When the exposure time is considered sufficient, purified, soft water is added to the alcohol.
7. Cleaning. The mixture of mulberry alcohol and water is cooled and purified using special filters.
Of course, homemade recipes differ from the described production process.

How to use mulberry

Mulberry is an excellent digestif and is often served after a hearty lunch or dinner. Mulberry vodka is good neat and with ice, and it is also used for making cocktails. By the way, it is believed that after mulberries there is no headache or hangover, since mulberries grow only in ecologically clean areas, which means that the drink made from the fruits of this tree does not contain harmful impurities. Of course, when drinking such strong alcohol, you need to know when to stop; besides, drinking too much mulberry means showing disrespect for this drink. If you serve Artsakh during a feast, then many meat, fish, smoked, as well as salted and marinated dishes are suitable as appetizers.

How to prepare mulberry using a homemade moonshine still

In order to make pure mulberry vodka yourself, you need to collect mulberry fruits. Ideally, picking berries for a drink is done in a completely simple and, at the same time, cunning way - they lay some kind of blanket under the tree and wait for the berries to attack it themselves. Shaking mulberries to make vodka is not recommended.

The berries that have fallen on the blanket are poured into clean wooden barrels and poured with boiling water. No sugar or any other ingredients need to be added. The resulting mixture is left for 10 days and then distilled twice into moonshine still over low heat (before the second run, the apparatus should be rinsed). The resulting drink is bottled. If desired, the finished mulberry can be aged in a barrel.
Recipe for making mulberry tincture with sugar:
- 5 kg mulberries;
- 5 kg of sugar.
The berries need to be mashed, the resulting mass combined with sugar and placed in a vessel for fermentation. Then build a water seal and place the entire structure in the basement for several weeks. After the fermentation process is completed, the resulting liquid is distilled and poured into oak barrel, seal and leave for a year.
When drinking the finished drink, remember that mulberry requires respect!

The mulberry-based alcoholic drink is the favorite drink of Transcaucasia, which is why many consider it the hallmark of this area. It is quite difficult to purchase it in a store, and besides, the cost is incredibly high, absolutely not inferior in size good cognac or whiskey. Those who have mulberries at their disposal, or can purchase them, prepare mulberries at home. The recipe for mulberry moonshine is quite simple.

What is mulberry?

Tutovka is a moonshine with a strength of 40–80%, which is produced in Karabakh, Armenia, and Azerbaijan based on fermented mulberries. After aging in barrels, which are also made from mulberry wood, the drink acquires a greenish-yellow color and a fairly persistent herbal aroma. Mulberry is used as a dessert drink; it is served like cognac, pure or with the addition of ice cubes.

Fish, meat, marinated or smoked dishes can be served as an appetizer for mulberry.


To prepare mulberries at home, take red and white mulberries. They try to select sweet varieties of berries. To get such sweet berries, they spread a film under the mulberries and wait until the sweet berries themselves attack the covered oilcloth.

Unfortunately, after harvesting mulberries, they should be used immediately, since the berries are three days are starting to deteriorate. It is ideal to process the berries immediately after picking.

Recipe for mash made from mulberry

Components

  • 10 kg mulberries;
  • 10 liters of water;.
  • 3 kg (less possible) sugar.

The preparation of real mulberries is based on the use of sugar, because the berry itself is sugary and contains up to 18%. From this it turns out that using 10 kg of mulberry, you can get 2 liters of high-quality moonshine. Adding an additional portion of sugar leads to an increase in the yield of moonshine (approximately doubling), but the aroma is somewhat lost. In this regard, everyone decides what is more important for him: a larger amount of moonshine or a smaller amount with a strong and pleasant aroma.

Technological process

  1. The mulberries are not washed, but immediately crushed with your hands. There is wild yeast on the surface of the berries, so you cannot wash the berries. Wild yeast allows the fermentation process to proceed as normal. If the amount of wild yeast is not enough, then a starter is made to prevent the death of the wort.
  2. The crushed mulberries are placed in a container, sugar is poured into it and poured warm water about 25 - 30 degrees, stir everything.
  3. A water seal is installed on the neck of the container, and the container is transferred to a dark room with a maintained temperature of 18 - 24 degrees. Every day the wort must be stirred to knock down the rising “cap” of pulp. After 25 days, the mash becomes significantly lighter, it has a bitter taste, sediment is visible at the bottom, and the foam disappears.
  4. The mash is carefully removed from the sediment and poured into the distillation cube. Mulberry pulp should not get into it, because as a result of heating it will begin to burn and spoil the taste.
  5. During the distillation process, fractions must be separated. The first 150 ml are collected in a separate container; such moonshine cannot be consumed, it can only be used for technical purposes. The next doses of moonshine are collected until its strength drops to 40 degrees. The resulting moonshine is left to stand for three days in a room with low temperature and without light.
  6. To obtain not just moonshine from mulberry, but real mulberry, it is aged for at least six months, or better yet a year, in barrels made of mulberry wood (in extreme cases, in barrels made of another tree, but with the addition of mulberry wood inside).

Video of making moonshine-tutovka in Azerbaijani style

If there is even the slightest opportunity to use the mulberry recipe and make mulberry moonshine, then this should definitely be done in order to feel how unique and interesting such a drink is.

Mulberries are a sweet, aromatic berry that can be used to make delicious alcohol. Mulberry moonshine, the recipe for which is quite simple at home, is called mulberry. This is a traditional drink of Karabakh, which has not only excellent taste, but also beneficial properties (if consumed in moderation!). To make moonshine from mulberries, first of all you need to figure out which variety of mulberry berries is suitable for this purpose.

Cooking features

Mulberries exist in different varieties, and the degree of sugar content of the berry depends on the variety. The pink berry is considered ideal for making moonshine from mulberries, but it is not available to everyone, since it is common in certain regions. Therefore, when preparing alcohol from mulberries, you cannot do without adding granulated sugar.

Sugar, which is added to the mulberry wort, is taken in the proportion of 1 kilogram per 10 kilograms of berries. If the berry is too sour, then you will have to add water to the mash (the proportion is 1 liter of water per 1 liter of wort).

As for the choice of yeast, you can choose wine yeast for making mulberry moonshine. They are less sensitive to fermentation temperature, and the alcohol itself, prepared in wine yeast, has a pronounced taste of the base component (in our case, it is mulberry).

Mulberry mash can also ferment due to wild yeasts that are present on unwashed berries. But in this case, the fermentation period will be long - at least a month. At the same time, the moonshine will have a pronounced mulberry taste.

Recipe

Mulberry moonshine is prepared according to the following rules:

  1. If the mash will ferment with wild yeast, then you need to take a whole dry mulberry and wipe it with a soft cloth to remove dust. If the berries were picked after rain, then there will be little wild yeast on it, so you won’t be able to do without wine yeast. If you plan to add yeast to the wort, the berries should be washed thoroughly.
  2. Mulberries, sugar and activated yeast are placed in a fermentation container and everything is thoroughly mixed. Braga ferments with wine yeast for 5-7 days, and with wild yeast for almost a month. During the first days of fermentation, it is recommended to knock off the “cap” of foam from the wort.
  3. If the wort is not sweet enough, you can add sugar to it, and the taste of too sour mash can be neutralized by adding water.
  4. When the wort of the required taste is obtained, you can install a water seal on the fermentation tank and place it in a warm, dark place.

The readiness of mulberry mash will be indicated by such signs as the cessation of carbon dioxide release, the appearance of sediment at the bottom of the container, and the alcoholic smell of the mash. Such raw materials can be safely filtered from sediment using cotton wool and gauze, and then poured into the distillation cube of a moonshine still.

Mulberry mash needs double distillation. The first time the mash is distilled into raw alcohol with a connected steamer, which will collect unnecessary impurities, such as “heads” and “tails” (fusel oils). The first time the mash is distilled until the strength of the moonshine in the stream drops to a level of 30 degrees.

After the initial distillation, the moonshine is left to settle for a week, after which it is diluted to the desired strength. After this, you can begin the second distillation of alcohol. During the second distillation, 100 milliliters of liquid are cut off, which will be the “heads” (this is the case if 10 kilograms of mulberries were taken).

As for the core, it is taken until it drops to 65 degrees (checked with an alcohol meter), after which they begin to distill off the “tails”.

After distillation, the mulberry should be prepared for use. The drink will be aromatic if you infuse it with mulberry chips for a week after distillation. Wood chips are obtained from dry large or medium-sized branches of the mulberry tree. Such chips are sawn, boiled for 10 minutes in water, then dried and heated in the oven over medium heat.

For 1 liter of moonshine take 1-2 slivers of mulberry tree. Moonshine infuses on such wood quite quickly - in just 3-4 days, but no more. If the drink is aged for too long, it will become bitter.

Mulberries are a sweet, aromatic berry that can be used to make delicious alcohol. from mulberry, the recipe for which is quite simple at home, is called mulberry. This is a traditional drink of Karabakh, which has not only excellent taste, but also beneficial properties (if consumed in moderation!). To cook from mulberries, you first need to figure out which variety of mulberries is suitable for this purpose.

Cooking features

Mulberries exist in different varieties, and the degree of sugar content of the berry depends on the variety. The pink berry is considered ideal for making moonshine from mulberries, but it is not available to everyone, since it is common in certain regions. Therefore, when preparing alcohol from mulberries, you cannot do without adding granulated sugar.

Mulberry - mulberry

Sugar, which is added to the mulberry wort, is taken in the proportion of 1 kilogram per 10 kilograms of berries. If the berry is too sour, then you will have to add water to the mash (the proportion is 1 liter of water per 1 liter of wort).

As for the choice of yeast, you can choose wine yeast for making mulberry moonshine. They are less sensitive to fermentation temperature, and the alcohol itself, prepared with wine yeast, has a pronounced taste of the base component (in our case, mulberry).

Mulberries can also ferment due to wild yeasts that are present on unwashed berries. But in this case, the fermentation period will be long - at least a month. At the same time, the moonshine will have a pronounced mulberry taste.

Mulberry moonshine is prepared according to the following rules:

  • If it ferments with wild yeast, then you need to take a whole dry mulberry and wipe it with a soft cloth to remove dust. If the berries were picked after rain, then there will be little wild yeast on it, so you won’t be able to do without wine yeast. If you plan to add yeast to the wort, the berries should be washed thoroughly.
  • Mulberries, sugar and activated yeast are placed in a fermentation container and everything is thoroughly mixed. It ferments with wine yeast for 5-7 days, and with wild yeast for almost a month. During the first days of fermentation, it is recommended to knock off the “cap” of foam from the wort.
  • If the wort is not sweet enough, you can add sugar to it, and the taste of too sour mash can be neutralized by adding water.
  • When the wort of the required taste is obtained, you can install a water seal on the fermentation tank and place it in a warm, dark place.

The readiness of mulberry mash will be indicated by such signs as the cessation of carbon dioxide release, the appearance of sediment at the bottom of the container, and the alcoholic smell of the mash. Such raw materials can be safely filtered from sediment using cotton wool and gauze, and then poured into the distillation cube of a moonshine still.

Mulberry mash requires double distillation. The first time the mash is distilled into raw alcohol with a connected steamer, which will collect unnecessary impurities, such as “heads” and “tails” (fusel oils). The first time the mash is distilled until the strength of the moonshine in the stream drops to a level of 30 degrees.

After the initial distillation, the moonshine is left to settle for a week, after which it is diluted to the desired strength. After this, you can begin the second distillation of alcohol. During the second distillation, 100 milliliters of liquid are cut off, which will be the “heads” (this is the case if 10 kilograms of mulberries were taken).

As for the core, it is taken until it drops to 65 degrees (checked with an alcohol meter), after which they begin to distill off the “tails”.

After distillation, the mulberry should be prepared for use. The drink will be aromatic if you infuse it with mulberry chips for a week after distillation. Wood chips are obtained from dry large or medium-sized branches of the mulberry tree. Such chips are sawn, boiled for 10 minutes in water, then dried and heated in the oven over medium heat.

For 1 liter of moonshine take 1-2 slivers of mulberry tree. Moonshine infuses on such wood quite quickly - in just 3-4 days, but no more. If the drink is aged for too long, it will become bitter.

The culture of making mulberry vodka belongs to the peoples of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabakh, where it is made from mash according to the recipe below, and then certainly aged in special barrels made of mulberry wood.

The transparent, straw-colored drink has such high taste that residents of Transcaucasia nicknamed this gastronomic masterpiece “liquid silk.” Please yourself and your loved ones with this unsurpassed berry distillate, especially since, according to reviews from gardeners, making mash for it is not at all difficult.

Selection and preparation of ingredients

In order for this drink to be of high quality, with a pleasant aroma and taste, as it is popularly called, it is necessary to meet several conditions. First of all, you need to have a fairly large number of ripe, fleshy berries. It is not so much the variety of mulberry that is important, but its ripeness. The riper and sweeter the berry, the richer the taste of the drink will be, the more refined its aroma will be.

It is believed that white mulberry varieties have more sugar content than red and black ones. Although true connoisseurs of “silk” vodka consider red mulberry to be the most suitable for making “mulberry”. Black mulberry, in their opinion, has too much sourness, and white mulberry is too sweet. Red mulberry is the perfect compromise of taste, harmony of sweetness and acidity.

It is necessary to wait until the level of maturity of black, red or white mulberry varieties when the berries themselves fall from the tree, covering the entire ground around it with a fragrant carpet. Cover the surface of the ground under the fruit tree with plastic film, approximately equal to the diameter of the crown, and thus harvest for mulberry mash in dry, hot weather. Let the berries ripen, and then the mash will turn out to be of the highest quality. The only drawback to harvesting mulberries is the fact that this berry has a very delicate skin, therefore, the fruits quickly deteriorate.

Did you know? Wild yeast found on the surface of the mulberries ferments the mixture. And although fermentation with wild yeast will take a little longer (about 30 days) than with conventional yeast, the resulting mash and mulberry vodka will have a pleasant berry-herbal smell and delicate taste.

Recipe No. 1

Mulberry mash recipe


2 l 15–45 days

Steps

3 ingredients

    drinking water

    12 l

    Ripe mulberries

    10 kg

    Granulated sugar

    3 kg (optional)

Nutritional value per 100 g:

Calories

Carbohydrates


Braga is ready for distillation. The suggested amount of sugar-free ingredients is designed to prepare 2 liters of 40% homemade mulberry vodka. The amount of moonshine at the exit can be increased by adding sugar at the first stage of preparing the mash, i.e. when you mix the mulberry pulp with water. On average, 1 kg of sugar increases the yield of moonshine by 1 liter. But the more sugar you add, the worse the taste of the drink will be, and you also risk losing the unique herbal aroma of mulberry vodka.

Application

The main and, perhaps, the only use of mulberry mash is to obtain environmentally friendly, high-quality homemade vodka. When the mash is prepared correctly, without sugar and additional yeast, the distillate produces such an exquisite taste and aroma that it can compete with cognacs from the world's leading manufacturers.

Important! You need to be able to correctly determine the degree of readiness of the mash for distillation. If the mash has become light and the fermentation process is not visually visible (no foam or hissing, sediment has formed), then it’s time to distill.

The main advantage of mulberry vodka in comparison with other types is its exceptional softness. By making this excellent homemade vodka yourself, you will be confident in its naturalness, the absence of chemical elements and the purity of the product.

Mulberry vodka is not only a suitable drink for festive table, it has a huge number of useful properties and, when used correctly, has a healing effect on the human body:

  1. Mulberry distillate is successfully used for colds and to strengthen the immune system. It increases metabolism and overall tone human body, treats stomach diseases, and is also an ideal base for making tinctures.
  2. Due to its high antiseptic and wound-healing properties, vodka is used as compresses and rubs, as well as for treating wounds to disinfect them.
  3. The unique composition of mulberry moonshine successfully treats rheumatism and arthritis of the extremities.

The peoples of Transcaucasia believe that their longevity and physical endurance arose precisely thanks to the regular consumption of small doses of vitamin-rich mulberry vodka. Try making this healing drink at home using the recipe above.