When it comes to choosing yeast for mash, the first to come to mind are the French baker's yeast Saf-Levure and Saf-Moment. You can buy them in any supermarket at an attractive price of about 50 rubles per 100 grams, so many people choose them. But How effective are they for fermentation?? Does it make sense to overpay for more expensive analogues or can you safely put mash on them? We will answer these questions in detail below.

Regardless of our point of view, this type of yeast will be used by many moonshiners in their production. We will share our approach to their use and present the optimal proportions at which your mash will “play” as efficiently as possible with Saf-Levure.

Is it advisable to use baking fungi to start fermentation of mash?

Does anyone bother that we use a baking product to make moonshine? 🙂 In fact, it should be confusing, because technologically these fungi are designed for dough, and not for mash.

The argument that fungi are fungi is inappropriate here, since they really come in different varieties: wine, wild, alcoholic, pressed. They are used in different quantities, the fermentation process is not the same, and the end result is also different.

The undoubted advantages of Saf-Levur include price, availability And storage. There are no problems with searching, you don’t need to go anywhere and you have to pay a little. That is why they are so common among ordinary moonshiners.

Bakery fungi cause excessive foaming

Now let's talk about the disadvantages, which are very significant:

• Braga reaches a maximum of 10–12% strength (this is 20% less than alcohol).
• Harmful substances are formed in larger quantities.
• The foam “cap” often behaves extremely unstable.

The efficiency or “exhaust” of alcohol per liter of mash is the main factor that should influence the decision to choose one or another yeast. In the case of bakeries, it is noticeably lower. This is especially important with large volumes, when losses begin to be felt by your wallet.

Which exit? Continue to use cheap and ineffective baking fungi or switch to more expensive but high-quality alcoholic yeast. We compared different options and compiled where Saf Levur ended up on the last line.

How to use Saf0-Levur yeast correctly

Proportions

The optimal proportion is the ratio 1:4:20 , which stands for 1 kg sugar we take 4 liters of water And 20 grams of Saf-Levure yeast. Based on this approach, we have compiled a calculation table of ingredients to obtain a certain volume of mash: 15, 30, 40 liters and so on.

Recipe

Below we will describe the correct technology for making mash from Saf-Levur yeast. I will try to capture the maximum number of pitfalls that inexperienced moonshiners encounter at first. This information will be useful to you in order to reduce losses and obtain a high-quality final distillate.

Classic water seal for fermentation

1. We calculate and prepare the ingredients based on the proportions above (in the picture).
2. We heat the water to 30 degrees and pour it into the fermentation container (it is important that one-fourth of the container is free for foam to be released).
3. Pour in sugar and stir until dissolved.
4. Activate the yeast (in a glass of water for 10 minutes) and add it to the fermentation container.
5. To reduce foam production, add 4 grams of Saf-Moment yeast (it acts as a defoamer).
6. We wrap gauze over the neck or install a water seal. We take the container to a dark place with a constant temperature of 20–26 degrees for 5–10 days.
7. The mash can be considered ready when it brightens, stops gurgling and tastes bitter. After this, we filter it through cheesecloth and pour it into the distillation cube.
8. We carry out the distillation and enjoy the resulting result.

If you want to get a higher quality distillate, then it will be necessary to re-distillate to separate the “head”, “body” and “tails” fractions. You can read more about this process in this article.

You can find an educational video on the topic of this same Saf-Levure yeast on the Youtube channel samogonhome. An experienced moonshiner shares his vision of this issue and gives advice on the correct approach to setting up mash and distilling moonshine. The link is provided below.

All housewives are familiar with the dry baker's yeast Saf-moment and Saf-levure; it must be said that for novice moonshiners this is the best option to start with. This dry yeast is inexpensive, available in any supermarket, and quite predictable in terms of results, the main thing is to know the proportions, that is, how much to dilute and for what amount of mash.

Anyone, even a novice distiller, knows that moonshine is obtained as a result of distillation (distillation) of mash, which is a product of fermentation of sugar and yeast. Consequently, moonshine without yeast will not work, since it is the microorganisms contained in them that cause the fermentation process, which converts glucose into alcohol. There is an opinion that it is rare to make mash with dry yeast. However, this opinion is erroneous; you just need to know some nuances and strictly follow the recipe and proportions.

Yeast is an element without which the process of producing alcohol is not possible in principle. In addition, they are living microorganisms that require careful handling. Especially when observing temperature conditions. Low temperatures do not have any particular effect, but high temperatures (above 35 degrees) can completely destroy them. This important point must be taken into account in the production cycle.

It is generally accepted that in the moonshine brewing process it is best to use special alcoholic yeast. The use of alcoholic yeast usually does not cause any difficulties; the manufacturer indicates the required amount of sugar on each package. However, their use has its disadvantages. First, they can be difficult to find. Secondly, they have a limited shelf life, and their price is quite high. A good alternative to alcoholic yeast is baker's dry yeast.

Braga with dry yeast

When deciding which yeast is best to use for mash, you don’t need to worry too much; when used dry, its quality is in no way inferior to that prepared using raw ones. The French Saf-Levure, in 100 gram packaging, and Saf-Moment in 11 gram bags are perfect for this purpose. They are used for baking, so you can buy them in almost any store. When adjusting the recipe for moonshine with dry yeast, you need to take into account their proportions to raw yeast, it is approximately one to five or six.

A distinctive feature of the technological process using dry yeast is abundant foaming. Therefore, using dry yeast requires a defoamer. As a defoamer, some use chemical or pharmaceutical preparations, as well as household chemicals, such as baby shampoo, the use of which we do not recommend. Do not try to remove foam by stirring, as this will only make the situation worse.

You can use dry cookies or crackers.

Saf-Moment yeast can also be an excellent defoamer. The packaging of Saf-Moment differs in quantity (a bag contains 11 grams), so the ratio should be as follows: three packs of Saf-Moment are needed for one package of Saf-Levure.

Another feature of dry yeast is that it must be activated before use; moonshiners call this process “fermentation.” They are poured into 0.5 liters of warm water, allowed to stand for a while, and then gently stirred. The yeast thus revived is left for an hour.

Mash making technology

Braga is a raw material for the subsequent production of a stronger drink - moonshine. When making mash, you can use the following ingredients:

• sugar (making sugar mash is the easiest to make at home);
• berries and fruits;
• rye, wheat, potatoes (starch-containing raw materials, which malt enzymes help process into sugar).

Classic recipe for sugar mash with Saf-Levure and Saf-Moment yeast

For every kilogram of sugar, the recipe calls for 5 liters of water and 20 grams of Saf-Levur yeast. That is, for a classic aluminum tank, the recipe should contain the following amount of ingredients:

• water at room temperature – 30 l;
• sugar – 6 kg;
• 1.5 packs of Saf-Levur (150 g);
• 1 pack of Saf-Moment.

First, pour most of the water (about 25 liters) into the prepared can and pour in the sugar. It is important to stir the sugar well, otherwise it will settle to the bottom and will not take part in the fermentation process of the mash. Add the pre-fermented Saf-Levur and pour out the remaining water, mix carefully and place in a warm place. There is no need to close the lid tightly to avoid an explosion; it is better to just cover it.

For the first few hours, you need to carefully observe the process of foam formation. If the foam seems excessive to you, sprinkle it on top with Saf-Moment yeast, crumbled cookies or breadcrumbs. After this procedure, the foam will be extinguished, and then fermentation will continue vigorously, but without the same problems. Close the lid and continue to observe the fermentation process.

It is not necessary to place a water dispenser on the sugar mash, but it can help if you are making moonshine in an apartment. In this case, the water dispenser hose can be routed into the window, which will relieve you of the unpleasant odor.

The temperature determines how long it takes for fermentation, and the quality of the yeast and other mechanical factors also influence it. The optimal temperature is 18 - 30 degrees. The lower the temperature, the slower the fermentation process will occur. High temperatures will kill the yeast, preventing them from processing the sugar.

If you stir the mash, fermentation will speed up, but this must be done carefully so that foam does not begin to form again. The stirring spoon must be clean, otherwise the mash will sour. If you did everything correctly and followed the recipe, then the mash will definitely turn out.

Features of making moonshine from starch raw materials

Grain moonshine is considered the most noble strong drink. It is prepared much more complicated than sugar. But the result will be worth it. The grain contains a high content of starch and enzymes are needed to convert it into sugar.

Sugar is obtained from starch using malt, or using ready-made enzymes:

• amylosubtilin – thins the wort;
• glucavamorin – promotes saccharification.

The technological process of saccharification must be approached carefully, observing the recipe and temperature conditions. At high temperatures, the enzymes will be destroyed; at low temperatures, the saccharification process proceeds slowly and may not be completed. After fermentation is complete, it is better to quickly cool the container to prevent bacteria from multiplying in the warm, slowly cooling wort, which can lead to infection and lactic acid fermentation - the mash will simply turn sour. After cooling, the wort is fermented with Saf-Levur yeast, approximately 10 g per 10 liters of tank contents.

In addition to the fact that enzymes are needed in the production of grain moonshine, there is another feature in its distillation. It cannot be put into distillation on a classic moonshine still, since the grain mash is very thick and can burn to the walls of the cube, which will ultimately ruin both the finished product and the equipment. The distillation of the wort must be carried out using steam, a PVC (steam-water boiler) or in a water bath.

How to determine whether mash is ready for distillation

There are several methods for determining the readiness of mash for moonshine; to obtain a more accurate result, you can use them all at once.

• by time. How long the fermentation process will take depends on many factors: the quality of ingredients and water, external factors (temperature and humidity). On average, sugar mash ferments for 5-14 days. The fermentation period of starch mash is much shorter - 3-5 days. The results of this method are very approximate, so you cannot rely on it completely.
• taste. This method is the most effective; in addition, it makes it possible to determine not only readiness for distillation, but also to evaluate the quality of the resulting product. Braga ready for distillation will have a bitter aftertaste. The sweetish taste of the mash means that the tremors have not yet fully completed their task and have not processed all the sugar into alcohol. It needs to be improved. If the temperature regime was not observed, the yeast could die without producing all the sugar, and the fermentation process would stop. To resume the fermentation process, you need to add a new portion of yeast and place the container in a room with more suitable climatic conditions.
• by appearance. In the finished mash, foam formation does not occur, the characteristic hissing and the release of carbon dioxide stops. Clarification of the mash begins due to the fact that the fermented yeast sinks to the bottom.
• using a burning match. During active fermentation, carbon dioxide is released. Bring a lit match to the container with mash. If it burns, then the fermentation process has ended and you can begin the subsequent distillation of the mash.
• using a hydrometer - this is the most professional and accurate method. If you are serious about moonshine brewing, then you simply need this device.

Have a nice moonshine!

Most beginner distillers use yeast that can be freely purchased in the store, usually baker's yeast. I decided to test and compare three popular brands of yeast, namely: Voronizh, Saffle-Levor, Bekmaya.

Yeast comparison test

For the dough I prepared 3 classic sugar mashes with white grape dressing

Ingredients:

• sugar – 3 kg
• water - 12 l
• dry yeast – 36 g
• white grapes – 300 g

The purpose of this comparison and test was to find out:

• 1. The speed of yeast fermentation, both at the start and during the fermentation itself
• 2. Aroma and taste of mash
• 3. Foaming during fermentation
• 4. The ability of yeast to work at a hydromodulus of 1:4
• 5. Fermentability, volume of distillate (moonshine) at the outlet

Speed, start of fermentation, aroma during fermentation, foaming

I did not ferment the yeast before adding it, but immediately poured it evenly into the mash in order to find out how it would behave in this case. Fermentation began very quickly, all three brands of yeast started immediately, vigorous fermentation began within 45 minutes. The most aromatic yeast is Voronezh; during fermentation there was a clear bready aroma. All three mashes fermented under the same conditions, the temperature was from 22C to 25C. For the first 4 days the fermentation was active, then visually it became less and less, and on the 10th day I decided to distill it. In terms of speed, we can say that I did not see any particular differences; all three types of yeast showed the same fermentation times. Foaming, foam was only at the start of fermentation, then all three mashes fermented without foam.

Aroma, taste of mash, density (amount of sugar) after fermentation, hydromodulus 1:4

At the end of fermentation, the most aromatic mash was made with Voronezh yeast, it was the strong mash aroma, visually we can say that this mash was also not very well clarified compared to the others. The mash made with saf-levure is less aromatic and better clarified than the one made from Voronezh; the mash made with bekmaya yeast had a clear alcoholic tint in the aroma and was clarified better than others.

In terms of density, the Voronezh mash showed about 0.5 units, the rest fermented to zero. Regarding the hydromodule, we can conclude that in such conditions, fermentation lasted longer, and additional feeding was definitely needed, but nevertheless the yeast managed.

Distillate output volume

I separately distilled all three mashes into raw alcohol, converted them to absolute alcohol and got the following numbers:

• Voronezh - 1735 ml AC
• Saffle-levure – 1802 ml AC
• Bekmaya – 1920 ml AC

Based on the results of this test, we can firmly say that Bekmaya’s yeast has the best results in all respects, namely: better fermentability, well clarified after fermentation and the best distillate yield as a result of distillation. Below you will find a video report comparing these yeasts with all the details.

Dry active baker's yeast Saf-Levur for baking and drinks.

Usually I always take small 11g packets of Saf-Moment fast-acting yeast, but I decided to try Saf-Levur yeast, because... A 100g pack is more economical.

Yeast looks like small balls:

They have a specific smell, unlike Saf-Moment (they don’t smell of anything at all).

There are recipes on the package:

Saf-Levur is suitable for a bread machine; you don’t need to soak them, as it says on the package.

If you bake bread on a bread maker at full program (without accelerating), the bread rises normally, but still gives off a little yeast.

But the dough for pies and buns turns out tasty, airy, without any foreign odors.

Saf-Levur yeast is suitable for kneading dough in a bread machine, for bread - for everyone. I recommend!

Don't forget to store the opened package of yeast in the refrigerator and closed.

Enjoy your meal!

Have a good mood to transform and love yourself more and more...

The basis for any brew is two components - yeast and sugar. And, if there are no unique requirements for sugar, yeast must be selected carefully. One of the best brands of yeast that can be used to create mash is dry yeast from the Saf-Moment variety or models from the Saf-Levure variety.

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To understand exactly how the degree of strength and the alcohol itself appear in the future drink, you should remember courses in biology and organic chemistry. Yeast is one of the striking examples of independent microorganisms, cellular fungi, and it is yeast that causes fermentation processes in the drink.

Fungi consume ordinary sugar as food, breathe ordinary air and during their life emit alcohol and carbon dioxide, and it is through these processes that the properties and basic principles of mash are developed.

Colonies of these same fungi must be treated with the utmost care and the temperature and proportions must be observed correctly. Otherwise, the fungi will die, which will automatically lead to spoilage of the drink. Is it acceptable to use several yeast variants together to create the same drink?

Recipe for mash with Saf-Levure yeast

There is no big difference between pressed and standard yeast, and that is why the recipes for creating mash based on Saf-Moment yeast and Saf-Levure yeast are similar in almost everything. But there are some differences. For example, Saf-Moment is dried yeast milk, and Saf-Levure is already living fungal elements, externally covered with a shell consisting of dry yeast and cultures.

Therefore, before creating a drink, it is best to study all the features thoroughly, and only then use yeast to create the drink. Otherwise, differences between yeasts in recipes may not result in the most pleasant result for the creator.

Regardless of the recipe for mash based on dry yeast “Saf-Moment”, it is important to correctly adjust the ratio in percentage compared to ordinary live yeast. When using classical recommendations and proportions, it is necessary to take the ratio 1:5 or 1:6 as a basis. In other words, you can take 500 grams. compressed yeast or 100 grams of dry yeast.

1. A special feature of Saf-Levure is strong foaming, and it is so strong that it is difficult to fight with it. Therefore, it is not recommended to remove the foam by stirring - this will cause even more foam. And if the mash is oversaturated with oxygen, this can cause foam to erupt;
2. To ensure maximum safety, it is necessary to take a larger container (about 1/3). This is important so that no foam comes out or flows out in a minimal amount. However, this cannot guarantee the safety of the recipe and preparation;
3. Crumbled cookies or bread crumbs sprinkled on top can also work great;
4. Those moonshiners who have experience recommend using Saf-Moment, since such yeast can suppress the formation of foam. Some small amount of this yeast needs to be sprinkled on the surface. The foam will not disappear, but there will be no more of it. It is enough to take 11 grams of yeast, and this is enough to extinguish the foam.

Many beginners and experienced moonshiners, among other things, sometimes use chemical defoamers. These could be chemicals, medications, or even baby shampoos. However, such methods are strictly not recommended for use. In addition to the fact that this will not reduce the foam, there is also the possibility of poisoning from moonshine that contains such unsafe components.

A high-quality mash based on Saf-Levure, but not Saf-Moment, has an excellent ability, and it must be taken into account, otherwise a high-quality result will not work. The peculiarity lies in the technology of the activation process of this component.

Experienced professional moonshiners call this process “fermentation.” It's simple, you just need to take warm water (500 milliliters) and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar.

First you need to pour water into a jar, and then add yeast mash into the same container. The composition is stirred with a spoon until there is no precipitation in the jar. After this, the jar should be placed in a warm place for an hour. The only question is how many components are needed?

Components:

• 30 liters of purified and warm water (no need to boil the water);
• 6 kg. sand;
• Yeast of the “Saf-Levure” type for mash - 4 g each. for 1 liter of water. That is approximately 150 grams;
• If we are talking about “Saf-Moment”, then you need to take 11 grams. for 30 l., but in the form of powder to localize the formation of foam.

You can take Saf-Moment only in those proportions according to the recipe that are in the package, and then the mash will be prepared faster, and the formation of foam will be minimally acceptable.

The first thing you need to take is clean dishes. This will be a can, tank or other container. Only then do you need to proceed with the following steps:

1. Add warm water to the bowl, and then add granulated sugar there. In this case, it will be important to stir the composition until the moment when there are no substances at the bottom, otherwise the fermentation processes will proceed incorrectly, and there will be no sufficient nutrition for the yeast. Then there will be only one effect - fermentation will either slow down greatly or stop;
2. After this, the solution of water and sugar must be supplemented with activated yeast. And only then do you need to add the remaining water there;
3. The solution must be mixed again, and at this step it is important to monitor the sediment and ensure that it does not exist;
4. The container is placed in a warm room or covered for 9 days. This is what is needed to complete the fermentation.

At the same time, it is not important to cover the lid too tightly, because such an action can cause a mini-explosion if strong foam forms. However, we should not forget that it is easy to get rid of foam - this was mentioned at the beginning of the article.

A few important points

There is no need to install a water seal on the container, however, there are cases in which this not the most obligatory point is still mandatory. For example, if a mash already filled with a future alcoholic drink is located in the house or apartment in which there are people for whom the smell may cause a problem. In such cases, a water seal will be useful, especially if you put it into the ventilation or into an ordinary window.

After creating the mash according to the recipe and placing it in the room, you need to monitor the processes and characteristics of foam formation for the first 2-3 days, because collecting foam on the floor is not the most pleasant task.

Another important point is that you should choose the right temperature mode in which the mash will stand. Normal temperature is 17-30 degrees Celsius. It is clear that the higher the temperature, the faster the drink will be prepared, but too high temperatures will cause the death of fungi in the mash.