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Getting whiskey at home. Whiskey from vodka at home: recipes

How to make whiskey mash at home, and will the final product even remotely resemble a classic Scottish drink?

Strong malt alcohol, no matter how exalted by manufacturers, is nothing more than ordinary grain moonshine, which has undergone multi-level purification and has been ripening for several years in oak barrels.

After such refinement, the drink acquires its characteristic sunny, amber color and excellent aroma, thanks to which it is highly valued among lovers of high-quality strong alcohol.

It is quite difficult to reproduce the conditions of Scottish distilleries without special equipment, however, it is quite possible to make a drink that will warm you on cold winter evenings, reminding you of the past summer with its aroma, just make a little effort, and they will definitely pay off handsomely.

The history of the origin of whiskey

The first reliable references to malt distillate date back to the beginning of the 15th century and are associated with Irish monks. Studying such records, the researchers determined that a century later, the technology of making whiskey became known in Scotland, although the methods for obtaining strong alcohol were known in Europe at least 200 - 300 years before that moment and were probably transferred to the representatives of the Old World from the inhabitants of the ancient Persia, Babylon and Egypt.

The history of whiskey has at least 200-300 years

Given the available information regarding alcohol production technologies in the Middle Ages, it can be safely assumed that strong drinks, which are the predecessors of whiskey, were relatively low (up to 30 - 35%) ethyl alcohol, low level of purification and were used mainly for medical purposes ─ obtaining medicinal herbal infusions and extracts.

Later, with the active development of distillation technology, it was possible to gradually improve the quality of the product.

The monks involved in the preparation of whiskey poured it into barrels from the only wood suitable for this ─ oak, which, in addition to purely practical properties, has the ability to prevent the development of mold fungi and bacteria. In addition, tannins actively color the drink in amber color and give it a special taste. Whiskey in oak barrels could be stored for several years, while the drink not only did not deteriorate, but every year it became tastier and more aromatic, which was one of the reasons for its popularity.

The cold and fairly humid climate of Scotland did not allow for the drying of malt under normal conditions, because from harvest to the first cold weather, the monks had to germinate the grain, ferment it and prepare it for distillation. In order to somehow speed up the process, distillery workers began to use hot smoke, which was supplied from stoves with smoldering peat, which was mined in sufficient quantities in the vicinity.

Thanks to this recipe, malt drinks made in Scotland have received an additional difference in the form of a slightly smoky taste.

In contrast, Irish producers opted for smokeless drying and began to add not only barley, but also rye to the initial grain mixture. This combination of technology and special components made it possible to obtain a soft, light, slightly sweet drink. This difference has persisted to this day.

Scotch whiskey has a smoky taste

In the 18th century, representatives of the American continent joined the vast camp of grain distillate producers: given the small distribution of barley in new colonies, local distilleries were forced to master the source material, unconventional for Europe - corn, as a result of which the world-famous bourbon appeared.

Why is whiskey made from barley malt? The fact is that barley is one of the few grain crops that can produce a high yield even in the cold and humid climate that the regions of foggy Albion are famous for.

In addition, barley is characterized by a high content of starch, which, when fermented during saccharification, turns into fermentable carbohydrates.

The low content of gluten, which complicates the process of grain cooking, is also important.

The choice of barley for grain mash

Barley, being the main component of the amber drink, determines the taste of whiskey with its quality, so the choice of grain should be treated with special attention. Any classic recipe involves the use of not barley itself, but its germinated grains ─ malt, a material rich in enzymes that can break down starch into simple carbohydrates ─ maltose, sucrose and glucose.

Barley needs to be sprouted

You can buy barley in agricultural markets and in stores selling seeds and fertilizers. It is important to pay attention to the fact that barley was not intended for the production of feed ─ the so-called fodder varieties of grain undergo heat treatment to ensure long-term storage and become unsuitable for home brewing.

How to determine quality grain? The easiest way is to crack open one or more seeds and look at the resulting cut: fresh, germinable and saccharified barley will have a white, highly starchy interior, while forage has an almost completely glazed core.

What components for mash are better for a beginner moonshiner to use? Given some of the difficulties of working with natural malt, special requirements for equipment and observing temperature pauses, it is recommended to start acquaintance with whiskey with enzymes ─ such a technology is easier to control, and the result is practically the same as a classic drink.

From a financial point of view, a recipe for purely grain whiskey, prepared according to classical technology. At the same time, it is not at all a mandatory step to purchase malt, because such source material can be prepared independently in just a few days. In addition, the production of grain distillate is quite an interesting hobby, which allows you to learn a lot about the process and see how a few kg of ordinary grain gradually turn into a fragrant amber drink.

Enzymes or malt?

To save time, you can not germinate barley yourself, but buy ready-made malt, however, given its high cost and inaccessibility, this method is not suitable for everyone. In addition, the modern chemical industry offers ready-made artificial enzymes that speed up the process of starch breakdown.

Don't be afraid to use enzymes for whiskey

Despite all possible prejudices, such enzymes are completely safe, relatively affordable and easy to use. In home moonshine brewing, only 2 types of enzymes are most often used:

amylosubtilin ─ helps to break down starch chains into simple components, as a result of which the grain mash becomes liquid and is more efficiently processed further;
glucavamorin is designed to convert starch into fermentable carbohydrates.

In addition, in industrial conditions, mixtures of enzymes such as cellulase and xylanase are often used, which are designed to process complex vegetable carbohydrates, but their use is not justified for home-brewing.

Germination of malt

Preparation of malt for mash does not require special efforts, because a healthy grain can quickly give the desired result. About 750 - 800 g of malt comes out of 1 kg of barley, which must be taken into account in the recipe of the future drink. For more information about the process, see this video:

The acquired grain remains suitable for germination for 2-3 years, however top scores shows fresh material collected a few months before the preparation of the mash.

Grain soaking

The required amount of barley is soaked for several hours in water, in which 1-2 g of potassium permanganate must first be dissolved.

Water must completely cover the grain, not giving access to air, because otherwise the growth processes of wild yeast cultures and pathogenic bacteria come into force, which can completely destroy the valuable material.

All foreign debris, weed seeds and grains floating to the surface are completely removed from the total mass, after which the water is drained and replaced with a fresh portion of the liquid. It is most convenient to leave the container with future malt overnight, and in the morning continue the germination process.

After soaking, the barley will noticeably increase in volume, and individual grains will become soft and will be easily squeezed by your fingers. The material is placed in flat baking sheets, leveling with a layer of 4-5 cm, after which it is covered with a clean natural cloth.

As the fermentation processes take place in the seeds, the overall temperature of the entire layer increases by several degrees, which is easy to verify with a household thermometer.

To avoid undesirable consequences, the malt is carefully turned over every 3-4 hours with a kitchen spatula or a rectangular metal trowel, trying not to damage individual grains.

Every 3-4 hours the malt is stirred

After about a day, small sprouts will begin to peck at one of the tips of each grain, which will look like white dots. By carefully observing the process, you can see that the embryos of future plants increase literally before our eyes, and by the second or third day they reach a length of 4-5 mm.

It is important not to miss the moment when the second sprout appears, which subsequently develops into leaves: the formation of green mass takes a significant amount of useful substances, therefore, germination is stopped when the leaves reach 2-3 mm.

The readiness of malt is determined by the appearance of a special smell, reminiscent of the aroma fresh cucumbers, and sweet taste. In addition, the following method can be used as a reliable guide: if you try to lift one grain from the pan, and it turns out that it has grown together with 4-5 neighboring ones, then the process can be considered complete.

Drying of raw material

The next important step is drying the malt. It should be borne in mind that the enzymes contained in the starting material are very sensitive to high temperatures, so grain dehydration is carried out in a sparing mode, gradually increasing the heat supply.

To begin with, the malt is scattered in a thin layer on flat surface in a heated, well-ventilated area.

Every 10 - 12 hours, the barley is stirred, carefully monitoring the condition of the sprouts: after a few days, the roots become dry and brittle, which is a sign of cessation of growth.

The malt is dried, scattering in a thin layer

The so-called green malt is quite suitable for home brewing without additional heat treatment, however, high-quality drying allows you to increase the yield of the final drink, improve its aroma and taste properties. In addition, dry malt can be stored for a long time without noticeable changes, which becomes an additional argument in favor of such processing.

The classic recipe for grain preparation involves its interaction with hot smoke, but at home this technology is almost impossible to recreate.

The malt is slowly dried in the oven at a temperature of about 40 - 50 ° C, after which the grain is ground in the hands, separating the roots and sprouts. Ready material can be stored in cloth bags in dark, well-ventilated areas.

Preparation of grain mash

Almost every classic whiskey recipe involves the use of not pure malt, but its mixture with barley, rye, wheat, corn and other cereals. The reason for such manipulations is that malt contains in excess all the necessary enzymes that can saccharify enough a large number of unmalted material. From this point of view, it does not make much sense to use only malt for the manufacture of mash, since 80 - 85% of active enzymes will be wasted. Read more about barley mash in this video:

Is there even a classic whiskey recipe? Given the wide geographical distribution of the drink, each manufacturer introduced something new into its recipe, so it is impossible to sum up the technology for making an amber drink under a common denominator. The most acceptable recipe for home brewing includes the following components:

crushed barley malt- 1.5 kg;
barley groats ─ 8.5 kg;
water ─ 40 l;
yeast ─ 200 g.

Barley groats are poured with water, the temperature of which is 50 - 55 ° C, while the mixture is thoroughly mixed to avoid the formation of large lumps. Gradually, the temperature is raised to 60 ° C, after which the container is left alone for 15 - 20 minutes. During this time, the starch dissolves, which subsequently facilitates its processing.

The mixture is brought to a boil, being careful not to burn the barley porridge to the bottom.

Recommended for cooking water bath or steam heating - such solutions guarantee a smooth increase in temperature without the risk of charring the lower part of the mass. When the barley becomes thick enough, the cooking is stopped, after which the container is cooled to 65 ° C.

In small portions with constant stirring, crushed malt is added to the wort. After a few minutes, it will become noticeable that the thick mass begins to liquefy, and its color becomes darker. For complete saccharification, it is necessary to wrap the brewing container with thick blankets or a cover made of dense fabric with insulation. Optimal temperature regime for the process to take place, 62 - 64 ° C is considered.

The contents should be stirred periodically, and after 4-5 hours the liquid mass is cooled and the yeast previously activated in a weak sugar solution is added to it.

The wort is poured into a fermentation tank and a water seal is installed. On average, fermentation takes from 10 to 15 days, after which the finished mash is filtered and distilled in the standard mode. If necessary, the final product is distilled again, and the drink purified in this way is insisted on oak chips, which is preliminarily slightly charred in the oven. Homemade whiskey will be ready to drink in just a few weeks, however, by increasing the ripening period, you can reveal its unique flavor and aroma notes.

Attention: This article is intended for persons over 18 years of age.

Whiskey has been warming the hearts of cowboys, billionaires and everyone for hundreds of years. From moonshine to high-quality scotch, whiskey is definitely a crowd favorite. However, before you start preparing it, you should know that it is illegal under federal law.

Under federal law, you can own your own distiller of any size, but unless you have a special license, you are not allowed to distill alcohol. State laws vary on the subject of distillation and distiller ownership, so before proceeding self-cooking whiskey, read the laws on the internet.

Steps

Part 1

Wort preparation

corn vodka recipe

Place 4.5 kilograms of corn kernels in a burlap bag. It may sound strange, but your corn needs to germinate, placing it in a bag like this will trigger the germination process. After you have done this fill the bag warm water. You can do this by placing it in a tub or a large (very large) bucket.

Put the bag in a dark and warm place. You need to keep the grain moist for about 10 days. Check your seedling corn. When the sprouts are about 6 millimeters in size, then the corn is ready for the next step in the recipe.

Take the corn out of the bag. Rinse it in the bathtub, making sure you wash away all the dirt along with the sprouts. Roots should also be removed. Transfer the washed corn to your fermenter.

Use a rocker or similar object to crush the corn. Thus, you will get a wort. Carefully crush each grain and add 19 liters of boiling water.

Mix corn mash and boiling water. When the water has cooled to 86º F (30° C) add one cup of yeast starter and mix all the ingredients together.

rye whiskey recipe

Heat 23 liters of water to 70ºF (21.1ºC). When the water reaches desired temperature, add 3 kilograms of rye, 1 kilogram of barley and half a kilogram of malt and mix all the ingredients together.

Raise the temperature while stirring. You will have to constantly stir the mixture. While stirring, raise the temperature of the wort by five degrees every two minutes until it is 160ºF (71.1ºC).

Stir the mixture for two to three hours. You will need to maintain the temperature at 160ºF (71.1ºC) in order for the starch to turn into fermented sugar and dextrin. This can only be achieved by continuous stirring for two to three hours.

Filter the water and then place the wort in the fermenter. Let it cool down to 70ºF (21.1ºC). Add three grams of yeast and stir the mixture well.

Part 2

Transfer your wort to the fermenter. You can use a funnel for this. Many homebrewers use glass bottles, which are ordinary large glass bottles. You can often buy these along with an airlock (which you will definitely need).

Seal the fermenter. Once you have added all the wort and yeast, you need to seal this apparatus with an airlock, so that absolutely no air can enter or exit the fermentation device. During the fermentation process, the sugar in your wort is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Leave the must to ferment. You will need to leave the must to ferment for a while, which will depend on the recipe chosen. This can take anywhere from a few days to a week or even longer. For corn vodka, which is described above, it will take from seven to ten days. For rye whiskey, fermentation should last for five to seven days.

Find out when the wort has finished fermenting. There are several ways to find out if your whiskey is fermentable. The best and most accurate way to tell if fermentation is complete is to use a hydrometer, although you can also tell by eye.

Using a hydrometer: Hydrometers measure the density of a liquid in comparison to the density of water. When the wort finishes fermenting, the indicator on the device should remain the same. You need to measure the gravity every day, starting three days before the expected end of fermentation date, based on your recipe. A great way to use a hydrometer is to take a sample of the must with a wine sampling pipette or kitchen douche and place it in a graduated cylinder. Dip the hydrometer into it and gently rotate it to release all the bubbles. Read the indicator directly at the liquid level. This number must be the same for three consecutive days.

Try to determine by eye. To determine the end of fermentation, it is recommended to use a hydrometer, but if you do not want to buy one, then you can make a visual inspection of the fermenter. Look at the top outer edge of the machine. Are there any bubbles in there? When you see that there is not a single bubble, let the wort stand for another day, and proceed to the distillation process.

Part 3

Know what it means to distill whiskey. The distillation process is the separation of ethanol (alcohol) from the wort created during the fermentation process. The challenge is to get 80% ethanol and 20% fragrance and water from the mixture.

Buy or build your own distiller. For safety reasons, it is in your own interest to buy a distiller (made of copper or stainless steel). There are many sites that have quality devices. However, if you still prefer to build a distiller yourself, here you can find out how to do it.

Transfer the fermented wort to the distiller. This must is also called ‘braga’. To move, you first need to filter it or strain it through cheesecloth. You need gauze so that they don’t get into the distiller big chunks from must. If you do decide to strain rather than filter, then try to leave as many solids as possible at the bottom of the fermenter.

Even if you end up with some big chunks in the distiller, it's okay, so leave them there.

Collect the rest of the distiller and heat the wort. Assemble the distiller according to the instructions. If you made it yourself and want to go back to the wikiHow instructions, click here. Once everything is collected, heat the wort. If heated too quickly, it may burn, so bring it to a boil for 30 to 60 minutes.

Take readings from the thermometer near the cooling condenser. Your distiller should have a thermometer placed in front of this condenser. When the mash is boiling, look at the indicator. When it reaches 120°F-140ºF (50°C-60°C), start cooling the water in the condenser tube. By doing this, you will begin the distillation process.

Select the "head" fraction (alcohol - "pervach"). After you have added cooling water, the condenser will start to drip. From the mash, which is 19 liters, you will need to pour out the first 50 ml (¼ cup) that comes out of the condenser. This first portion is called the "head" - this is the methanol that is released from the wort. He has no pleasant taste which you don't want to mix with the rest of your whisky.

Move on to the body. Once you have selected the "head" fraction, look at the thermometer reading. It should be 175º F-185º F (80º C-85º C). The product that is released from the distiller at this time is called the "body" - this is the evaporating ethanol. This is the liquid gold you've been waiting for. You need to collect it in a 500ml container so you can track your product.

Select tails. When the temperature has reached approximately 205º F (96º C), you need to stop collecting the distillate. The liquid that now comes out of the distiller is called "tails", it will also give your whiskey an unpleasant taste, so keep it separate from the "body".

Let the distiller cool down and then clean it thoroughly. After you have collected all the distillates, you need to let each part of the distiller cool down (be careful they are very hot) and clean them well.

Part 4

Aging and bottling

Choose a curing process. Most whiskeys are aged in oak barrels. However, if you don't have any on hand, you can add oak chips to the whiskey and pour it into another container. By aging whiskey, you will give it a pleasant taste that we all love. You can also buy tarred oak barrels and oak chips online.

If you decide to age your whiskey in a jar or other closed container, then you will need to open the container regularly to allow the alcohol vapor (also known as "angels' share") to evaporate. Open the container at least once a week.
If you decide to use a barrel, then first fill it with warm water. This will cause the wood to swell, which will effectively block any cracks, if any. This is important to avoid leaking the barrel.

Leave the whiskey to age. When making whiskey at home, the aging process takes much less time than commercial distillers because you are making a much smaller batch. Because of this, your whiskey is more in contact with the wood of the cask or the wood chips, since there is much less liquid in it. Your whiskey will be ready within a month.

Taste whiskey every few weeks. When aging whiskey at home, there is a chance that you can "overage" your liquor, so to avoid this, try it about once every three weeks.

Determine the alcohol content of the whiskey and dilute it if necessary. To determine the alcohol content of your whisky, you can use a hydrometer. But keep in mind that whiskey with an alcohol content of 70 - 80% will not be very pleasant to drink. In general, whiskey is diluted to 80 degrees alcohol or 40% alcohol. Dilute it with plain water.

To date, there are a lot of recipes for preparing whiskey, everything here depends on the manufacturer.

Therefore, when making whiskey at home, you should not worry about the fact that you can make a mistake with taste.

This article will be devoted to recipes by which you can make whiskey at home with a taste as close as possible to the original.

Whiskey at home - general principles

The most famous producing countries are Ireland and Scotland. The technology for the production of this alcoholic beverage in these countries varies significantly. For example, the Scots make this alcoholic drink with a sharper taste. According to the technology, in Scotland, during the process of drying malt, peat is used as fuel, which gives the whiskey a slight smoky flavor. As for Ireland, they do not use peat during the drying of the malt, and the distillation process is done 3 times, which gives their whiskey a mild taste.

The extract of the drink takes place in oak barrels. In general, the principle of making whiskey is very similar to moonshine, therefore, despite all the efforts of manufacturers, it is impossible to completely remove the taste of fusel oils from the drink, even many years of aging does not help. Therefore, when making whiskey at home, moonshine should be taken as the basis.

Since the recipe for the drink, which was brought to Scotland by those who arrived from Arab countries the monks, who, in turn, took it from the crusaders, did not need serious equipment, then making whiskey at home is a very real task.

Barley malt is one of the most important components in the production of most strong alcoholic beverages, including whiskey. You can buy it in specialized online stores (the average cost is $ 2-3 per 1 kg), or in large food markets in places where cereals are sold, where malt will cost a little less. In addition, barley malt can be made at home, but for this you will need to wait at least 2-3 weeks for the grains to germinate, although the procedure itself is not so complicated.

To make homemade whiskey, you need 2 kg of malt per 8 liters of drink, while the malt must be dry and finely crushed.

Oak bark or chips

With regards to oak bark, it does not take much to make whiskey, it is enough that it could cover the bottom of a can or other vessel in which the drink will be infused. By the way, instead of oak bark, you can also use thin oak planks. Before lowering to the bottom, it is recommended to burn the bark or boards, this will give the drink a pleasant smoky flavor, although this can hardly be called an alternative to peat.

But it would still be better to use wood chips rather than bark. You need to prepare it like this:

we take an oak log and crush it into chips;

wood chips are poured with water and infused throughout the day, the water needs to be changed periodically;

add soda (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water). In a solution with soda, you need to keep 6 hours.

drain the soda solution and rinse the chips with clean water;

steam the chips on an ordinary sieve for two hours over steam.

Whiskey production technology:

1) Barley grains are soaked and germinated for several days before turning into malt;

2) The malt is dried in an oven at a moderate temperature;

3) after drying, the malt is crushed to the size of cereals;

4) then the crushed malt is mixed with hot water and kept for a certain time;

5) the resulting liquid is called wort. It is separated from the crushed malt, cooled and poured into a container for fermentation;

6) yeast is added to the wort and left for a couple of days to ferment;

7) the wort turns into mash and it is poured into a still for distillation;

8) after the first distillation in an ordinary cube, the mash turns into raw alcohol, after the second distillation, the “head” and “tail” parts of the distillate must be separated;

9) the distillate obtained as a result of double distillation is poured into an oak barrel so that it finally ripens.

The fastest and easiest option is to infuse vodka or moonshine for a couple of weeks. This option is the easiest, however, you are unlikely to get moral satisfaction from such a drink as from noble whiskey.

Therefore, if you want to end up with practically original taste will have to go the longer route. Such a drink will not be a sin to sip, and festive table can be displayed for guests.

Making whiskey at home

To make homemade whiskey, we need the following ingredients:

wheat flour - 1 kg;

corn seeds - 8 kg;

barley malt - 7 kg;

yeast - 100 g;

boiled water - 30 l;

oak barrel and sawdust; sawdust;

capacity for 50 l.

So, we figured out the ingredients, we go directly to the very technology of making this noble drink:

1) first you need to grind the corn kernels to the state of very small grains (or prepare ready-made store grits);

2) in a container of 50 liters we fall asleep wheat flour and corn grits, stir, add water to the mixture and put on fire;

3) then the resulting mixture is simmered over low heat for 4.5 hours, periodically do not forget to stir;

4) after that, the mixture is removed from the fire and covered with old blankets or insulated things;

5) when the wort warms up to 30 ° C, put yeast into it, mix, and add barley malt;

6) then leave the whole mixture for 7-8 days so that it ferments. If the mash is a little bitter, do not worry, this is quite normal;

7) after the mixture has fermented, we begin to make moonshine from the resulting mash, and it is better to overtake it 2 times;

8) then a cleaning step is carried out. It must be carried out using ordinary activated charcoal from a pharmacy, crushed into very small pieces. We place it in a regular watering can in layers: gauze, cotton wool and activated charcoal. Through such a "filter" you need to carry out all the prepared moonshine;

9) if you could not find an oak barrel, oak sawdust can be used at the final stage of whiskey production. They need to be laid out at the bottom of the container, where the purified moonshine will be poured;

10) the container (or several containers) is well corked and left to insist for a year.

11) that's it, homemade whiskey is ready!

Whiskey with a "smoky" flavor

To make homemade smoky whiskey, we need the following ingredients:

good vodka - 1l;

"liquid smoke" - 2 drops;

pharmacy oak bark -50 g;

natural sherry - 30 ml;

sugar syrup- 2 tbsp. spoons;

homemade moonshine - 50 g;

saffron - 25 g;

a crust of black bread;

elecampane leaves - 20 g.

The process of making homemade smoky whiskey looks like this:

1) take a glass (200 ml), pour oak bark into it and leave it to brew for 2 hours, then filter the contents into a separate container;

2) add a couple of drops to the resulting tincture " liquid smoke” (more in any case it is impossible, it will spoil the product!). If "liquid smoke" is not available, sugar can be used as an alternative. We take a piece of sugar, set fire to it and stew it in tincture. For greater effect, the procedure should be repeated several times;

3) then pour sugar syrup into the tincture. If you are preparing Scotch whiskey, then you need to pour 1 tablespoon of syrup - if Irish - 2 tablespoons;

4) after that we add moonshine and our “sherry” here;

5) next most milestone- you need to dilute our tincture with vodka, which remains. This should be done slowly, taking a sip of the resulting drink. The point is that immediately determine right amount vodka is not always obtained, therefore, if necessary, add the required amount to the tincture.

The main part of the process is completed. It remains only to give our drink a suitable shade. To do this, we have as many as 4 options:

1) saffron (25 g), which was previously filled with a glass of vodka and aged for 2 weeks (do not forget to shake it every day);

2) a crust of black bread, which was previously dried and crushed into powder, filled with water and aged for 2-3 days in a dry, warm place;

3) elecampane leaves (20 g) are poured with vodka (200 ml), clogged, and infused in a warm place for several days;

4) food coloring.

Thus, the prepared homemade analogue of whiskey is bottled from under the "signature" drink, and only a specialist can distinguish it from the real one.

An accelerated recipe for whiskey on moonshine

However, not all people have the opportunity to wait a whole year to get high-quality whiskey. For people who want to speed up the process somewhat, but somewhat worsen the quality of the drink, there is a recipe for making whiskey from ordinary, ready-made moonshine.

There are times when whiskey needs to be prepared as soon as possible, and it is for such cases that the recipe for making this drink from moonshine was invented.

First we need an alcohol base. To do this, we need vodka or diluted alcohol, but the most suitable option would be to use moonshine.

So, in a container where whiskey will be infused (you can use a jar), pour alcohol base. Then you need to add crushed charcoal in the amount of 20 g per 1 liter of drink. How Alternative option, you can use pharmacy Activated carbon, for this we need 10 tablets.

We also need oak bark or wood chips. We take 1 tbsp. l. oak bark, as well as 6-7 pre-chopped dried apricots and prunes and add them to our homemade whiskey.

Preparations are over, then comes the infusion. The container in which our future whiskey will be infused must be selected in such a way that the drink fills it completely. The fact is that the final quality of the drink directly depends on the amount of air in the container, so try to fill it completely.

Making whiskey at home allows you not only to get a drink that is very close in its palatability to the original, made by hand, but also significantly save on its cost, since “branded” whiskey is not a cheap pleasure, and not everyone can afford it.

At the same time, there are a lot of recipes for making this drink, because today it is produced not only by the historical “parents” of the drink in Scotland and Ireland, but also in the USA, Australia and even Japan, and each manufacturer has a different taste of the product.

cook this noble drink at home and enjoy its majestic, smooth taste!

The cooking process is in many ways similar to the distillation of moonshine, but there is one important accent here - insisting the product on oak bark for at least 6 months. If the infusion period is shorter, do not expect a good result from the drink!

Those who do not want to burden themselves with unnecessary troubles, but want to hastily make a delicious drink next recipe: dilute alcohol to 40-50 percent strength and let it brew for a week on oak sawdust. Alcohol can be replaced with vodka or moonshine.

To make the drink look like a Scotch whiskey. It takes a little effort, but believe me, the result is worth it! You will need: barley malt - 8 kg, water - 32 liters, 300 grams of pressed or dry yeast.

Barley malt produces a high quality single malt whisky. Also drinks can be two and three malt. To do this, it is enough to mix several types of malt. For example, barley, corn, wheat or rye are suitable. The overall proportion of products remains unchanged.

Malt is germinated independently or purchased in a specialized store. Its place of origin does not affect the quality of the finished raw material. Also, utmost attention should be paid to water quality. Water should be drunk purified with a filter or spring. Boiled water cannot be used. Be sure to stock up on a thermometer, since by measuring the temperature by eye, nothing good will come of it.

DIY cooking process

Of course, it turns out softer and more aromatic in aged oak barrels. If your choice is oak pegs, then you will need to find an oak that is about 50 years old so that its trunk diameter is at least 3-35 cm.

Oak pegs are divided into parts, small pieces 5-6 cm long, they should be compact in length so that they can easily fit into the selected jar or bottle. 10-15 pieces of oak bark are placed in each container and everything is poured with distillate, diluted to 50 degrees. The container is hermetically sealed and placed in the basement for 6 months. Long term storage will only improve the taste and give a pleasant oak aroma.

The process of making whiskey takes a very long time, so few people dare to cook it on their own. We want to tell you about the most effective and fast ways making this strong drink at home from ... moonshine!

Yes, imagine, from ordinary moonshine bought from a neighbor, you can make a drink that is as close as possible in color, taste and aroma to real Scotch whiskey. Surprise your friends by serving a delicious treat to the table.

Let's first understand why most men love whiskey so much, and what the classic alcoholic drink is made of.

Whiskey was first produced in Ireland based on barley, as this country was not rich in fruits and grapes. It was prepared by distillation of mash. The condensate of the boiling vapors of the mash flowed into the receiving dish. As a result, a liquid was formed, which the locals called "living water" (uisge beatha).

Over time, the fame of whiskey spread to neighboring cities and towns. Some have started using it as medicinal product, others appreciated the ability of the drink to cheer up and began to produce it on farms themselves. The distillation process was constantly improved, thanks to which the drink soon became popular throughout the country.

There is another version, according to which the Scots were the first to prepare whiskey, but we will not plunge into the depths of history. Who cares who was first, because both Irish and Scotch whiskey are equally good.

Whiskey is traditionally considered to be a "male" alcohol, as it has a high degree and astringent taste, unlike any other drink. Although some are sure that the taste of whiskey practically does not differ from moonshine, and in some ways they are right. Both Scotch tape and moonshine contain large amounts of aldehydes, esters and fusel oils. That is why from the "little white" you can easily cook good whiskey.

How? Several cooking recipes are presented below.

Recipes with oak bark

It is said that the most delicious homemade whiskey is made on pre-roasted oak chips. Well, you have a great opportunity to check it out.

The most interesting thing is that the taste of the finished whiskey does not depend on the addition of additional ingredients, but on the degree of roasting of the oak bark. For example, if roasting takes place at a temperature of 205 degrees, the taste and aroma of vanilla will be transferred to the drink, 215 degrees will provide the smell of smoke and smoked meats, 270 degrees will add almond notes.

Of course, vanilla pods, charcoal, smoked fruits or coffee beans can be added to the drink to achieve the best aroma when infusing oak bark. But special attention still needs to be paid to roasting, and it happens as follows.

Oak slats of the required size (the width should correspond to half the diameter of the container neck) tightly wrap with foil.
Send to the oven for three hours. Choose the temperature depending on the desired taste and aroma.
Remove the foil and bring the bark to three types of roasting: light - straw-colored blanks; medium - brown and strong - close to black.

delicious whiskey recipe

You can also make whiskey according to this recipe.

For 3 liters of a drink with a strength of 45 degrees (or higher), take 8 grams of strong roasted oak chips.
Add one teaspoon of dried and steamed oak bark.
Put 30 grams of caramelized sugar.
Add 6-8 pieces of pre-dried wild pears in the oven.
At the end, add smoked prunes - 7-8 pieces.

The resulting mixture must be infused for several months in a cool, dark room (preferably a cellar). In this case, it is recommended to periodically shake the container.

When the moonshine is completely infused, you need to strain it. Now your "Scotch whiskey" is ready to drink.

Whiskey with prunes and oak bark

The recipe for this drink is also simple.

Soak oak bark in boiling water for half an hour (this will help get rid of excessive astringency).
Soak bark for 15 minutes cold water.
For 3 liters of moonshine with a strength of at least 45-50 degrees, it is recommended to use 3 tablespoons of such chips.
Add 50 grams of powdered charcoal to the resulting mixture.
Add 7-8 prunes with pits.

The liquid must be infused in the cellar for at least two weeks, closing the container with a plastic lid.

Whiskey with dried fruits

This drink will turn out to be more aromatic, as various dried fruits and spices are used in its preparation.

Mix a glass of dried cherries with three liters of strong moonshine (45-50 degrees).
Add 7 cloves.
Add 5 peas of black and allspice.
Place a few cardamom pods cut in half.
Stir 30 grams of sugar in the liquid, waiting for it to dissolve completely.

The resulting drink must be infused in the cellar for 1-2 months. To make the taste of alcohol more saturated, the container with the liquid must be shaken periodically.

Tip: if you used pitted cherries in the preparation, strain the drink after 1-1.5 months.

Whiskey tinctures with barley

A drink with the addition of barley ingredients will most of all resemble classic Scotch whiskey in taste and smell. Here's what you need to prepare it.

Fry, stirring constantly, 400 grams pearl barley until it takes on a golden hue.
Put 7-8 large leaves of black tea into the bottle.
Send there 5 peas of white and allspice.
Add 5 cloves.

Pour cereal into a container, pour three liters of high-quality strong alcohol. Insist for 2-3 weeks, periodically shaking the bottle. Strain the finished drink, add sugar to taste.

Your tincture is ready to use!

Do you like homemade spirits or do you prefer purchased alcohol?