Cognac alcohol at home. How to make brandy alcohol?

In the rating of the most popular and noble alcoholic beverages cognac takes a leading place. However, often this name is appropriated to what, in fact, is ordinary alcohol. After all, there is an eternal problem: what has gained popularity, with time begin to forge. So what is cognac made of?

Cognac alcohol is the main ingredient

Probably everyone knows that they make cognac from brandy. But how is this important component produced?

First of all, you should create the perfect wine material. And to be more precise, the usual juice of grapes. White grape varieties are most often used. To get brandy alcohol, it is necessary to prepare wort from the wine material. For a month, the raw materials must be subjected to fermentation processes in special containers and under a water seal.

First distillation

When the liquid is removed, a period of repeated distillation sets in. This makes it possible to obtain a solution with a sufficiently high concentration of alcohol. It is at this stage that it is necessary to take into account that the concentration rises not in solution but in vapor. The finished wine material in the distillation cubes is heated to the boiling point. This is the traditional method of making this drink. If the production of cognac alcohol is carried out at home, it should be taken into account that the temperature of boiling of the solution differs from the temperature of boiling water. Here, this figure can be from 83 to 93 ° C.

Second distillation of wine material

The second distillation takes place in a special apparatus. It provides heating with water. At this stage, the solution is divided into fractions - constituent parts. In total, they are obtained. 4. The head fraction is first allocated, and then the middle fraction, and this is exactly what constitutes cognac alcohol. This solution is quite suitable for creating an alcoholic beverage. After the tail fraction is isolated, the spent liquid remains in the distillation cube. This stage of cognac alcohol production is very important. It should be approached with all responsibility. After all, the quality of the final product depends on how quickly the process of convergence takes place and how clearly the fractions are divided. At this stage it is very important to divide them correctly.

Fractions of wine material

The head fraction has a strength of 82 to 84%, an unpleasant and rather sharp odor. It contains a lot of ethers, aldehydes and higher alcohols. The allocation of this fraction takes 20-40 minutes. At the same time, about 3% of the raw is spent.

When producing cognac alcohol at home, it is necessary to pay special attention to the separation of the middle fraction. Select it only after weakening the sharp odor. In the beginning, the fortress can be 74 to 77 percent, and in the end - from 60 to 70 percent. This part of the wine material has much more alcohol. Its volume is about 35%.

Gradually the distillate strength decreases. The tail fraction is released at a strength of 50 to 40%. This part of the wine material is 17-23 percent of the total volume. The spent liquid is only 37-52% of the original volume.

How to stand cognac alcohol

When the solution is divided into fractions, it is possible to proceed to the next step. Extract of cognac spirits is carried out in special oak barrels. Fill in them you need only the middle fraction. It is worth remembering that this is not yet cognac. The resulting liquid is odorless, has a weak aroma, a burning taste, which is simply unacceptable for this drink. To get cognac, you will still need a lot of energy, time, and compliance with certain rules. Only after exposure can we talk about the willingness of a noble drink.

To brandy alcohol turned into high quality alcohol, you should properly withstand it. Filling oak containers should not be up to the top. It is necessary to leave about 2% of the total barrel free. This is necessary in case of expansion of cognac alcohol after heating. Fill the tank at a temperature of 18 to 20 ° C. This moment is also very important. After the barrels are filled, they should be covered with paraffin and scored with tongue and groove. To maintain the drink is at a temperature of 15-23 ° C. As for air humidity, it should be between 75 and 85%. The main thing is to make sure that there are no sharp temperature changes in the room.

How much to maintain cognac

Probably everyone knows that the quality of the finished cognac depends on the time spent on aging the alcoholic beverage. Of course, it's not enough just to fill the oak containers with oak and forget about them for several years. During the whole period of aging it is necessary to add brandy alcohol to barrels annually. Also it is necessary to check all parameters: alcohol content, acidity, color and so on. An alcoholic beverage is made from brandy alcohol, which has been aged for 3-5 years.

It is worth noting that you need to monitor not only the state of the drink, but also the containers in which it is stored. Barrels must be carefully considered for cracks and traces of streaks. If there is at least one of the signs, the capacity should be replaced.

Barrels for aging cognac alcohol

Usually brandy alcohol is aged in oak barrels. Manufacture of similar containers of wood, the age of which is not less than 70 years. The oak is cut, sawn into bars, and then pricked into thin plates. At the same time, there should not be knots on the material, since they can affect the properties of wood.

Why oak? Throughout the time of cognac alcohol aging in containers of this material, the beverage receives all the necessary tanning and coloring substances that are present in the wood. This causes a partial oxidation of the liquid and the formation of ethers. These substances make cognac more pleasant to taste and give the drink an unforgettable aroma. In addition, experts argue that it is the oak that removes many harmful ingredients from the drink.

Finally

Now you know how to make cognac spirit at home. However, do not forget that it's not so easy to get a truly delicious cognac. Making this drink requires a lot of time, a lot of costs and patience. It is also important to correctly approach the whole process. Do not hurry. Otherwise, you will get a regular brandy with a high concentration. Cognac alcohol is the main ingredient in the production of this delicious cognac. Its fortress is usually from 60 to 70%. Most often cognac spirit is diluted with softened or distilled water. Particular attention should be paid to the containers in which the aging will take place. They should only be from oak. They are used only for aging cognac alcohol. For other alcoholic beverages, it is worth using barrels of another material.