Zucchini moonshine is an exotic drink with a mild herbal flavor, which is highly praised by connoisseurs of extraordinary liquor. This article goes over the correct wash recipe as well as the distillation technology.
Theoretical. The sugar content in zucchini varies in the range of 2-6% and depends on the variety, area of growth, and also the growing season. Ripe zucchinis of sugary varieties (Cavili, Sangrum, Aral, Aeronaut, etc.) grown in warm climates.
From 1 kilo of pulp with max sugar content, it should be possible to obtain 60 ml of zucchini moonshine with 40% ABV. In practice, it’s about 15-30 ml. That’s why to improve fermentation and yield adding sugar is a must. Each kilo added increases the yield by 1.1-1.2 liters (40%).
It has been established that the optimum ratio in terms of quantity and quality of the distillate is 1 kg of sugar per 4 kg of zucchinis.
To prepare zucchini wash you can use any type of yeast: dry or pressed baker’s yeast, distiller’s or wine yeast, a ferment. In terms of fermentation time, distiller’s or baker’s yeast is the best option (the wash will be ready in 3-10 days), but they can spoil the organoleptic properties of the drink, which are not that pronounced to begin with. Thus, if you have enough time, it’s better to use store-bought wine yeast or homemade ferment from raisins or other berries. But fermentation will last about 30-60 days in this case.
Ingredients:
- Zucchini– 4 kilos
- Sugar – 1 kilo
- Citric acid– 50 grams
- Water – 5 liters
- Yeast – 20 grams of dry (100 grams of pressed) yeast or wine yeast (ferment) per 10 liters of the must
Citric acid is required to stabilize the acidity of the must. Otherwise, fermentation will be very slow, and you’ll run a risk of infecting your wash with pathogens.
Zucchini Wash Recipe
1. Thoroughly wash the zucchinis, peel, cut, and remove the seeds. Cut the pulp into pieces.
The peel and seeds give out bitterness, and you should get rid of them at all cost!
2. Bring 4 liters of water to a boil. Pour the zucchini pulp with boiling water and cover the pot. Leave it for 4-6 hours.
3. Pour the obtained mash into a fermentation container. Add citric acid and 1 liter of fresh not boiled water. Fill the container up to 80%. Add activated yeast or ferment and stir.
4. Install an airlock of any design on the neck of the container. Transfer the zucchini mash to a dark place with a temperature of 20-28°C. Leave it till the end of fermentation, which might last from 3 to 60 days.
Wash under a factory-made airlock
The fermented wash doesn’t emit gas from the airlock. It’s not sweet and has a slightly bitter taste. It also gets much more clear, and you’ll be able to see a layer of sediment at the bottom.
How to Make Zucchini Moonshine
5. Strain the fermented zucchini wash through 3-4 layers of cheesecloth (to prevent the pulp from burning during the heating process) and pour into a distillation still.
6. Distill for the first time at a max speed without fractionalizing. Stop collecting the distillate after its ABV drops below 18-20%.
7. Measure the final alcohol content. Determine the amount of pure alcohol (ABV% times the volume in liters and divided by 100).
8. Dilute the moonshine with water to 18-20%. Distill for the second time. Collect the first 10-12% of the yield separately. This harmful fraction is called “heads,” and it’s only useful for technical purposes.
9. Collect “the hearts” till the ABV drops below 45%. After this, finish the distillation and collect “the tails” separately.
10. Dilute the obtained zucchini moonshine (the middle fraction) with water the desirable ABV (usually about 40-45%), bottle, and seal. Leave in a cold dark place for 2-3 days to let the taste stabilize.
