What makes moonshine so strong?

What makes moonshine so strong?

When made properly, it is simply very strong alcohol with a very hard taste, or “kick,” because it hasn’t been aged. It is usually very potent, as high as 150 proof, which is about 75 percent alcohol.

Can you put too much yeast in moonshine mash?

The “100 grams of dry yeast per 5 gallons” rule only applies to a pure sugar mash where you aim to turn it into vodka or as a base spirit for liquors. Fermenting a wort with more than 4 grams of yeast per gallon will effect undesirable sulfur flavors that can be difficult to get rid of.

Can you use cracked corn for moonshine?

What Type of Corn Should I use in my Moonshine? Our favorite type of corn to be used in moonshine is cracked, dry yellow corn. This type of corn is considered field corn and it needs to be clean and food-grade. It is recommended to use air dried corn rather than gas dried.

What is a good proof for moonshine?

On average, a proof moonshine could range somewhere between 100 to 150 proof. When you convert that alcohol by volume, 150 proof is equivalent to 75\% alcohol by volume. Now that’s high!

How do you increase the alcohol content of moonshine?

Starting alcohol as high as 20\% can be achieved if a ton of sugar is used in combination with turbo yeast. However, recipes with a starting alcohol in the 5 – 8\% range will actually produce a much better tasting final product than recipes with 10\% or higher starting alcohol content.

What happens if you put too much sugar in your mash?

There’s too much sugar for the yeast strain you’re using. So it’s easy to assume that more sugar = more alcohol. However, too much sugar in your mash can actually hinder your yeast’s ability to make alcohol, and most people want to get as high an alcohol content as possible when making moonshine.

What kind of water do you use to cut moonshine?

One of the most important tips I can give to moonshiners is to always use distilled water for making moonshine wash. It’s no secret that tap water contains a plethora of chemicals, some of which includes chlorine, chlorate, bromate and fluoride.

How much Heads do you throw out?

Always discard the foreshots — they make up around 5\% or less of the product collected during a run. Throw out the first 30 ml on a 1 gallon run, the first 150 ml on a 5 gallon run, or the first 300 ml on a 10 gallon run. Heads come off of the still directly after the foreshots. Simply put, they taste and smell bad.