Temperature is the main factor affecting the rate of fermentation.
Temperature is energy, the higher it is, the faster the metabolism in yeast occurs, the molecules of sugar, glucose and the yeast themselves move faster in the mash, which means the yeast finds its food faster, and vice versa, the lower the temperature, the slower everything happens.
The optimal fermentation temperature is 30 - 35 degrees.
The dependence of fermentation rate on temperature can be seen on the graph.
The influence of mash temperature on the fermentation rate.
The schedule really works, I have checked it more than once.
At temperatures above 50 degrees, the yeast dies.
If we take the usual rate of yeast for mash with a hydromodulus of 1:5, this is 100 grams of pressed or 30 grams of dry baker’s yeast, then the mash at the peak of the graph of 34 degrees will ripen in 3 days.
If you add more yeast, then at this temperature the mash will ripen even faster.
At the red limit of the graph, about 30 degrees, the mash ripens in 4 days.
At around 25 degrees, the mash will be ready in 5 days.
At temperatures below 25 degrees there is a sharp drop in the fermentation rate.
We think that somehow the yeast is not working, but in fact the temperature of the mash has dropped, the yeast is eating sugar, but slowly.
To increase the temperature of the mash, aquarium heaters are used and fermentation containers are insulated.
What power aquarium heater should I choose for my fermentation tank?
On aquarium websites it is advised to take a minimum power heater if the fermentation tank is in the apartment, 1 Watt, per 1 liter of mash.
If the mash is in a cold room where the temperature drops to 0C, then we take a heater of 4 watts per 1 liter.
For 50 liters you will already need a 200 Watt heater.
Larger capacity heaters have a drawback: yeast can burn to the surface, since the temperature is all concentrated at one point.
The solution is to use several heaters of lower power or make a radiator for the heater.
If we have a 50-liter barrel, then we need a 50-watt heater. There are 24 hours in a day, so multiply 24 by 50 Watts, we get 1200 Watts per day.
Let's assume that the mash will ferment at 30 degrees, which means it will ripen in 4 days with the usual dose of yeast. This means we will spend on heating, multiply 1200 by 4, we get 4800 watts, round up to 5 kW.
The quality of moonshine depends more than half on water. Many beginners think that there is nothing complicated in choosing water; just pour in any available water. But experienced moonshiners approach this process with all responsibility, paying attention not only to temperature, but also to the quality of the water itself. Otherwise, the mash may not ferment or the taste of the finished moonshine will be unpleasantly surprising.
Water requirements for mash:
1. Hygienic standards. The water used for moonshine must be clear, without foreign odor (taste) and meet the standards for drinking water. This is a standard, but at the same time the most important requirement.
2. Stiffness. Water hardness is the totality of its physical and chemical properties associated with the content of alkaline earth metal salts (mainly potassium and magnesium). Too high hardness inhibits fermentation, while low hardness prevents yeast from developing normally, since soft water does not have a sufficient amount of microelements.
Unfortunately, it is not easy to find out the degree of water hardness, since this indicator is measured in a laboratory. For mash, you need water of medium hardness - 2-10°Zh according to the national standard of the Russian Federation (GOST R 52029-2003).
First, yeast bacteria actively multiply, and after oxygen is pumped in, they begin to process sugar into alcohol. In turn, distillation removes from the water almost all the necessary microelements, which, in addition to sugar, feed beneficial microorganisms.
Water for mash should be spring water (from a well) or tap water. Before preparing moonshine, I recommend letting the selected water sit for 12-24 hours so that all harmful impurities (primarily chlorine and heavy metals) sink to the bottom. Water can also be purified by passing it through special filters.
Tap water is fine too Water temperature for mash
Yeast is added to water heated to 20-30°C. Considered optimal for mash temperature 23-28°C which should be constantly maintained. At lower values, fermentation slows down, and when it drops to 18°C and below, it may stop altogether. Therefore, in the cold season, it is often necessary to heat the mash with aquarium heaters or other devices.
In water that is too hot (above 30°C), most yeast bacteria die before they can do any good. During active fermentation, the temperature of the mash independently increases by several degrees (relevant for containers with a volume of 20 liters or more), so sometimes moonshiners have to cool the mash.
All of the above tips are relevant for any mash recipe, regardless of the raw materials and cooking technology. Poor quality water worsens the taste and reduces the yield of moonshine.
Yeast is such a natural and indispensable product in the kitchen for any housewife. How many delicious breads, buns and pies can be baked from yeast bread. However, in order for baking from yeast dough to always be successful, you must follow a certain technology for using yeast. Any self-respecting cook knows at what temperature yeast dies, and what temperature will be optimal for its active work.
So, at what temperature does yeast die? Before preparing the dough, fresh yeast must be dissolved in water or milk at a temperature not exceeding 45 degrees. The ideal temperature for yeast to multiply or work is 27-35 degrees. In order to be sure not to make mistakes in the technology, before using water or milk, dip the tip of your little finger in it. If your sensations have not changed (there is no feeling of cold or burning), then the liquid is approximately your body temperature, and this, as we all know, is 36.6 degrees.
Fresh yeast consists of almost 66% protein, the denaturation of which occurs at a temperature of 60 degrees. Vitamins and microelements die at temperatures from 40 to 70 degrees. Hence the conclusion that the temperature of yeast death is in the range from 40 to 60 degrees.
However, not only high temperatures can have a detrimental effect on yeast. Some housewives buy yeast for future use and freeze it until better times. One-time freezing will not particularly affect the properties of the yeast, but you should not abuse it and repeat the procedure several times. In addition, defrosting the yeast should proceed smoothly. Yeast should move from the freezer to the refrigerator, and only then to room temperature. This is the only way you can maintain their viability.
Dry yeast dies at a temperature of 40-45 degrees, just like fresh yeast. But here the measurement is based on the temperature of the dough, since such yeast is usually added directly to the flour.
There is a theory according to which there is some kind of thermophilic yeast that can withstand temperatures (just imagine!) up to 500 degrees Celsius. However, today this is just a myth that has no scientific confirmation.
How long does the mash ferment and what does it depend on?
In my practice, the mash ripened over time intervals from 4-5 to 60-70 days. Yes, yes, don’t be surprised - this is a unique case when in the fall I collected plum carrion - about 40 kg, peeled it, mashed it, added a little water and forgot about it for 2 months. At the same time, she stood in the basement at a temperature of about +7 ... +12 C o. Many will now say - it’s nonsense, it’s lost! And I will say - the pipes, not only survived, but also magnificently fermented into alcohol due to natural yeast - I did not add them to this mash.
So what does the fermentation rate depend on? Let's look at all these factors point by point:
- External conditions - temperature and rest. I never tire of repeating that mash is alive, and therefore it requires appropriate handling. Not only temperature, the optimal range of which is +22… +28 C o, affects the intensity and speed of fermentation, but also rest. Remember when mom or grandma sets the dough to rise, she puts it in a warm room and asks not to run there? Vibrations can “scare off” the yeast, and the dough may fall. So is the mash - ideally it should be in a quiet and dark place. That’s why in my basement, even at the lowest temperature, it completely fermented without adding yeast or sugar, albeit over a long period of time, like wine
- Chemical composition - we are talking here about both the quality of water and the type of raw materials. For example, fruit mashes ferment faster than cereal mashes, since the sugars in them are more easily accessible to yeast. And to stimulate good fermentation of pure sugar mash, I use a little secret, which in the summer allows me to achieve optimal carbonation of homemade kvass, which I also desire myself. I add some raisins to it. For 20 liters of mash, 50 grams of raisins are enough. The microelements contained in it are a natural feed for yeast, so fermentation proceeds more actively
- Type of container - remember - never, under any circumstances, use containers made of non-food metals to prepare mash! In such a container it does not turn sour, but is filled with metal oxide, acquiring a disgusting taste - this is my personal experience, and I did not even bother to distill such mash. The optimal types of containers are glass, food grade stainless steel, aluminum, copper. These types of metals interact very weakly, and glass does not interact with liquids at all. Food-grade plastic is also suitable, but is at least preferable to glass
How to achieve optimal results and what to focus on?
Optimal fermentation times for mash
If we do not take into account exceptional cases, my mash, regardless of its composition, ferments on average 8-10 days. Pure sugar mash ferments about the same amount at the proportions of 1 kg of sugar per 3 liters of water and 50 grams of live baker's yeast. In principle, it can be distilled (especially summer wine) already on the 7th or 8th day, but I try to achieve maximum yield. Most often I drive from what grows in the garden, and in my case it is plum, apple, quince, pear, apricot and grapes. Yes, yes, quince is added solely for the sake of flavor, since its yield is small. Most of all I have plums, so my mash is often made from it. I prepare mash as follows:
- I collect carrion - fallen fruits
- I clean the seeds (if I’m not too lazy)
- I load it into a forty-liter aluminum flask (aka my still) and press it into a puree.
- For 15-20 kg of pulp I add about 15 liters of water
- I add to this volume 2 kg of sugar and 100 grams of baker's yeast
- Mix well and place under a water seal
- I let it ferment for 8-10 days - during this time the fermentation process at a temperature of +25 C o completely stops
And then, attention! I take out the silicone tube from the water bottle, which acts as a water seal, and place the flask on the gas burner. Yes, yes, no pulp separation, no clarification - just gas! And I connect the pipe to the refrigerator through my homemade steamer. Nothing burns for me, everything distills perfectly, and I talked in detail about how I distill mash into moonshine in another article.
When I make a whiskey mash, and the main component is corn grits, I let it ferment for at least 14 days! I will say more, you can safely leave it for 17-20 days - the main thing is that the water seal and container are airtight. Even after boiling down into wort, corn starch is quite difficult to process by yeast (both baker's and wine-alcohol yeast). Therefore, 15 days is the optimal period during which the sugars will be completely processed and the aroma will be revealed properly.
Many people prepare alcohol at home. Making mash? an important matter that requires vigilance, attentiveness and scrupulousness. You will spend time and effort, but you will gain experience, an exciting activity and a finished, high-quality homemade product. It is important to observe the subtleties: fermentation temperature and recipe. The result will not be long in coming.
Yeast? These are microorganisms, or more precisely, fungi. They live in water and eat sugar. During the reproduction process, they release heat, carbon dioxide and alcohol. With their help, home craftsmen prepare moonshine.
Temperature indicators: the importance of following technological processes
Fermentation temperature? This is an indicator that must be followed with all rigor. By average standards, the norm is 24-30°C. But in this case, the need for yeast in future moonshine cannot be discounted. It should be noted at what temperature they will begin to ferment. Only in this case will they emit heat. And this? the determining factor in the preparation of mash.
As soon as the yeast starts working, the mash will heat itself. Overheat? an unacceptable oversight that would jeopardize the entire operation. It is important that during fermentation the temperature on the thermometer does not exceed 40°C. Once the temperature reaches a dangerous level, the yeast will die. There will be nothing to distill the moonshine from and everything will have to start all over again.
How to hurry? mash? Speeding up fermentation
Thermometer and thermostat. Features of operation in distillation
During the fermentation process, you need to prepare the necessary technological 
attributes that will help distill mash into moonshine. What is the temperature at this stage? the most important indicator that cannot be ignored. To maintain it, you will need a thermometer.
The thermometer measures the temperature inside the still cube. You need a mercury unit with a scale of up to 120 0 C. As a rule, we are talking about a glass device, with which you need to be extremely careful.
If it is logistically possible, you can mount a bimetallic thermometer. A multimeter will also be suitable for our purposes. These devices can be used to determine the exact temperature at the moonshine distillation stage. They make it possible to determine the exact time of collection of a high-quality product.
By thermostat we mean a unit that allows you to maintain a stable temperature in a container with mash. The power of this device directly depends on the volume of the vessel with mash. If the barrel contains up to 50 liters, buy a unit with a power of at least 100 W. The operation of this unit is cyclical, so it does not require a lot of electricity.
Please note that the feedstock is mostly heated from above. So that the temperature regime is uniform throughout the entire volume, the mash 
you need to stir from time to time.
The thermostat is easy to install. You don't need to make holes to attach it. Bend the wire over the edge so that the body of the device is dipped into the mash. There must only be a sensor on the surface so that the temperature can be monitored. Press the unit wire with the cover, but do it very carefully so as not to damage the wire. It is important not to twist the wire to avoid breaking it.
The importance of temperature
Each moonshine has a completely unique taste. The secret of this uniqueness lies in the original recipe of each individual mash.
In the classical sense, mash is prepared according to the following canons.
Distillation or cooking temperature
When the mash reaches a temperature of 65°C, light harmful fractions evaporate. The resulting moonshine is called “pervak”. Experts say that it’s a first? this is a dangerous poison. It must be collected in a separate container and disposed of or used for technical needs.
Until the temperature reaches 63°C, the future moonshine is heated and boiled over the highest heat. Then the heating speed is sharply reduced to slowly reach 65-68°C. If this is not done, the hot mash will flow into the refrigeration part of the unit. The color of the drink will be fusel. The quality will decrease. The situation can only be improved by re-distillation.
Gradually the distillation temperature of the mash will increase, and 
the intensity with which moonshine is distilled, ? fall. The collection of moonshine is stopped when the mixture heats up to 85°C. From this moment, fusel oils begin to evaporate, making the moonshine cloudy and deteriorating its quality.
When?first? comes out, you should substitute a container to collect the moonshine. Gradually increase the heater power. This is necessary for the mash to reach a new temperature - 78°C. After a while, the main product will begin to be released.
Once the temperature has reached 85°C, the distillate is collected in a new vessel. The so-called?tails? add to a new portion of mash to increase the strength.
The quality of moonshine depends more than half on water. Many beginners think that there is nothing complicated in choosing water; just pour in any available water. But experienced moonshiners approach this process with all responsibility, paying attention not only to temperature, but also to the quality of the water itself. Otherwise, the mash may not ferment or the taste of the finished moonshine will be unpleasantly surprising.
Water requirements for mash:
1. Hygienic standards. The water used for moonshine must be clear, without foreign odor (taste) and meet the standards for drinking water. This is a standard, but at the same time the most important requirement.
2. Stiffness. Water hardness is the totality of its physical and chemical properties associated with the content of alkaline earth metal salts (mainly potassium and magnesium). Too high hardness inhibits fermentation, while low hardness prevents yeast from developing normally, since soft water does not have a sufficient amount of microelements.
Unfortunately, it is not easy to find out the degree of water hardness, since this indicator is measured in a laboratory. For mash, you need water of medium hardness - 2-10°Zh according to the national standard of the Russian Federation (GOST R 52029-2003).
First, yeast bacteria actively multiply, and after oxygen is pumped in, they begin to process sugar into alcohol. In turn, distillation removes from the water almost all the necessary microelements, which, in addition to sugar, feed beneficial microorganisms.
Water for mash should be spring water (from a well) or tap water. Before preparing moonshine, I recommend letting the selected water sit for 12-24 hours so that all harmful impurities (primarily chlorine and heavy metals) sink to the bottom. Water can also be purified by passing it through special filters.
Tap water is fine too
Water temperature for mash
Yeast is added to water heated to 20-30°C. Considered optimal for mash temperature 23-28°C which should be constantly maintained. At lower values, fermentation slows down, and when it drops to 18°C and below, it may stop altogether. Therefore, in the cold season, it is often necessary to heat the mash with aquarium heaters or other devices.
In water that is too hot (above 30°C), most yeast bacteria die before they can do any good. During active fermentation, the temperature of the mash independently increases by several degrees (relevant for containers with a volume of 20 liters or more), so sometimes moonshiners have to cool the mash.
All of the above tips are relevant for any mash recipe, regardless of the raw materials and cooking technology. Poor quality water worsens the taste and reduces the yield of moonshine.
Yeast is a fairly popular product and is often used in a variety of products that people consume every day. Many probably believe that they are found only in bread, buns and other similar products. However, in fact, the range of their use is much wider than it seems to the average person; they can be: in wine, beer, alcohol, moonshine. But if the product is used incorrectly, namely if it is overheated, the yeast will die. At what temperature this happens, not every person knows.
bread yeast
There is a fairly large number of yeasts that are used for baking bread, they all differ in their structure and living conditions. In most cases, housewives use fresh or dry yeast, but there are also granular and fast-acting ones. They all have different effects on baking and there is a certain temperature, after which they stop working. Therefore, it is extremely important to know at what temperature yeast dies so that flour products are not spoiled.
Fresh yeast
This is the most popular type of product for baking bread. In most cases, they are sold in small cubes of 50 or 100 g. Thanks to this yeast, baked goods have the perfect color and have a pleasant texture.
It is believed that such a product causes the strongest fermentation, due to which the baked goods are fluffy and do not have a strong specific odor. The moisture content of this yeast is 70%.
This product is preserved quite well. It is worth noting that fresh yeast can be stored in the refrigerator for up to twelve days. Storage temperature should be no higher than 10 degrees, recommended 0...4 °C.
At what temperature does yeast in bread die?
Carrying out many experiments, scientists have proven that when bread or other flour products are baked, the yeast is not destroyed, they remain in the product, only they are overgrown with gluten capsules.
It is worth noting that even at high temperatures, fungi cannot be completely destroyed; they can withstand up to 500 degrees. However, this only applies to thermophilic yeast. They also cause quite a lot of harm to the body. In the finished product, in 1 cubic centimeter there are more than 120 million yeast cells that survived after baking.
All of them negatively affect health; when fungi reach a person, they begin to actively develop. Due to this, active destruction of cells occurs, which leads to the fairly frequent formation of benign and sometimes malignant tumors.
As for ordinary live yeast, the situation here is completely different. When baking flour products, a temperature of approximately 95...98 degrees is formed inside the crumb. Ordinary yeast cannot withstand such temperatures and simply die, leaving only a small percentage of the fungus, which practically does not cause any harm to human health.
Brewer's yeast
The optimal temperature for yeast to function in beer is approximately 32 °C. But at what temperature does brewer's yeast die? In this case, they are very heat-resistant; they are completely destroyed when the degree in their habitat rises above 38 units.
It is worth separately noting the fact that brewers do not infuse their product at the optimal temperature for yeast, 32 degrees. The thing is that at 32 °C this product actively ferments, due to which a very large number of complex substances appear, and they have a very unpleasant odor. At the optimal temperature, a large amount of acetaldehyde is produced, due to which the beer becomes undrinkable (a very pungent and unpleasant odor).
Alcoholic yeast
This type of yeast is quite tenacious and has a very wide temperature range suitable for its life. Not everyone knows at what temperature alcohol yeasts die; it is about 50 degrees; only after this mark is passed, the production of alcohol becomes impossible.
For this product to function normally, the temperature of its environment should be about 29...30 degrees. This is considered the ideal temperature. However, they can also develop at temperatures from +5 to +38 °C. In the range between 38 and 50 degrees, the yeast is still alive, but it simply stops its activity; if the degree drops, it will become active again and will perform its function. Therefore, it is highly advisable to observe the temperature regime so that the quality of the alcohol is not extremely low.
Conclusion
A large number of people encounter products that would not be made if simple microorganisms such as yeast did not exist. Therefore, it is extremely important to know when yeast dies, at what temperature it can exist, and when it simply suspends its vital activity.
In most cases, baking yeast survives at a temperature of 42...48 degrees; if this indicator is exceeded, it does not continue to exist. If a person makes wine, then he should know that for normal fermentation the temperature should be 26...30 degrees, and when it goes beyond 34 degrees, the yeast dies.
The same applies to brewer's yeast, only in this case it survives at temperatures up to 38 degrees and is more stable.
It is worth mentioning thermophilic yeast separately; they are very harmful to the human body, so it is highly advisable to simply exclude products made with such an ingredient from your diet. In most cases, this product can be found in bread and pastries, which are produced industrially and have a very low cost compared to other products in the same category.
Making alcohol with your own hands has always been an exciting activity, especially since the result is a proven and excellent product.
When fermenting raw materials from sugar and yeast for tasty and high-quality moonshine, it is not enough just to accurately observe the proportions in the composition of a good mash recipe. Here, one of the most important points will be careful maintenance of the optimal fermentation temperature.
In order not to make a mistake with the temperature for comfortable fermentation of mash from sugar and yeast, you need to understand all the intricacies of its maturation.
The most important catalyst for fermentation is, of course, yeast.
After all, it is thanks to their vital activity that carbon dioxide is formed in the process of absorbing sugar, the wort is heated and alcohol is necessarily produced.
But the mash contains a lot of other microorganisms that can begin to actively multiply as soon as the yeast’s vital activity weakens as a result of sudden changes in temperature conditions. It is generally accepted that it must be maintained between 24 and 30 °C.
- A decrease in temperature entails inhibition and a complete stop of the process. This is also fraught with an increase in the level of acidity of the mash, which has a detrimental effect on its taste and strength. Typically, the normal maturation of wort from sugar and yeast requires no more than a week, while supercooling extends this period to several months. But if such passive fermentation is welcome in winemaking, it is unacceptable in the production of distillate. Therefore, if after a drop in temperature the mash does not ferment, the situation will have to be urgently saved by moving to a more comfortable and warm place.
- But if it is really possible to correct the overcooling of the wort made from sugar and yeast, then after overheating the yeast fungi can no longer be revived. Therefore, it is so important to prevent the temperature from reaching a dangerous temperature level of more than 40 °C. It must be remembered that the process of converting sugar into alcohol with the help of yeast is accompanied by the active release of heat and threatens a sharp heating of the yeast raw material. And in order not to disrupt the distillation process as a whole, the mistake made will only have to be corrected by preparing a new mixture for fermentation. Therefore, compliance with temperature conditions ranging from 24 to 30 degrees is considered the most optimal.
It is advisable to maintain an even temperature without sudden changes, as this will negatively affect the quality of the raw materials and the finished drink. To reduce the level of fusel oils in a high-quality distillate, fermentation is allowed to a maximum of 32 degrees, but no more.
Is it necessary to stir the mash during fermentation?
Considering that the wort heats up more during fermentation in the upper part, it is logical to assume that uniform heating can be ensured by periodically stirring it. This especially affects inexperienced moonshiners, who at first are very concerned exclusively with the speed of its maturation.
But they also often ask a counter question: is it necessary to stir the mash during fermentation? And since this is the result of the self-sufficient life of yeast and sugar, it is worth listening to weighty arguments in favor of calmer fermentation conditions. The yeast fungus dies in a saturated alcohol environment, therefore, after working, it gradually sinks down and precipitates, giving way to the less dense ethanol that is released.
By moving live yeast into a more aggressive alcoholic environment, you only slow down fermentation, not the other way around. There is another important reason not to disturb the natural course of fermentation. After all, such an intervention involves, first of all, breaking the tightness of the fermentation tank, and this is fraught with excessive souring of the raw materials.
That is, by accelerating fermentation in this way, you can turn good wort into a mixture of acetic acid and ethanol. Therefore, you should not disturb natural fermentation by stirring in order to avoid negative consequences for the quality of the drink.
At what temperature is it correct to distill moonshine?
To prepare homemade moonshine, you need to bring the finished mixture to the boiling point of alcohol vapors, in order to then condense them into liquid.
But the evaporation itself is divided into several stages with different temperature conditions for the water, alcohol and fusel oils included in it. And in order to timely separate a quality product from harmful impurities, it is important to know at what temperature moonshine is distilled at each stage. Basically, the physical processes during distillation are very similar and can be done by any model of a standard moonshine still.
Distillation of mash into moonshine with or without a steamer is guided by strict adherence to the temperature specified for a certain period.
- First, the wort is heated as much as possible to 60-63 °C and by sharply reducing the heating, a smooth transition to the selection of the head fraction is maintained at 64-68 degrees. It is under these conditions that alcohol and fusel oils begin to evaporate. If this is not done, then some of the boiled liquid will enter the system, and the moonshine will be cloudy and have a sharp fusel smell. Due to the high content of harmful impurities in pervak, you should definitely not drink it, since after rapid intoxication, severe intoxication of the body occurs. Experienced moonshiners recommend cutting off the initial 8-10% of the distillate from the total volume and using it only for household needs.
- Next, they begin to select the main, so-called body of the product after heating it to 78 °C. To do this, continue to maintain the temperature at the same level, trying not to exceed it above 83-85 °C. A timely transition to the isolation of the high-quality component of the distillate is accompanied by a characteristic alcoholic odor without unpleasant shades.
- Towards the end of distillation, the temperature at which moonshine is distilled increases to 85 degrees, and the remnants of the alcohol base are distilled out along with the fusel. This negatively affects the quality of the product, so at this key point they urgently stop collecting the body and begin to select the tail part of the alcoholic beverage. As soon as its strength during distillation decreases to 20 °C, the selection of this fraction is also stopped and moonshine is considered completed.
Boiling point table for alcohol in mash
Only after understanding the nuances of preparing wort from yeast and sugar does it become clear how important it is to maintain a comfortable fermentation temperature. Therefore, in order to ultimately obtain high-quality and soft alcohol, when preparing raw materials you need to be able to constantly monitor and regulate the temperature.
