How to properly dilute alcohol to make it. How to dilute alcohol with water to make good quality vodka

Alcohol is a serious liquid. But in its pure form, drink it dangerous, and when treating wounds with it or rubbing the skin, you can get serious consequences in the form of burns. Still, it will be better for use if the alcohol is diluted, for example, to the state of vodka (40 degrees).

And it is desirable to do it correctly. In this article, we will look at the correct way to dilute alcohol with water, it is also called the “cold” method. This technology is used not only at home, but and distilleries.

Preparing the Ingredients

At first glance, diluting alcohol is the simplest thing. But no. There are many special moments, without which it is impossible to prepare good quality vodka. Currently, ethyl alcohol is found in categories:

first grade (96%);
higher purification (96.2%);
top class (96.5%);
lux (96.3%);
anhydrous;
medical.

The variety of species differs in the grain from which the product was originally obtained. For mixing it with water, each of these types is subject to use, however, the best is the Lux class, the highest purity alcohol is considered less suitable. The most important - do not confuse such misleading names.

Water

The quality of the water that will be used in the process also plays an important role. Any reader understands that water must be taken drinking, clean and transparent. But no, that's not enough.

Water hardness plays a key role in dilution. It is desirable that the hardness indicators be the lowest, that is, the water should be soft.

To dilute alcohol at home, it will be more convenient to buy distilled water, and do not use the usual, not purified, from the tap. When using low-quality water, the solution will not be transparent and tasty.

Additional components

If you decide to turn alcohol into vodka, then the following ingredients are added to improve its taste:

acetic and citric acid;
sugar;
honey;
glucose;
flavors.

The use of such auxiliary ingredients is not such an important task. However, many people like it. It's all a matter of taste, as they say.

We dilute

In order to correctly understand the dilution scheme, we will break everything down into points. All points are equally important and it is not recommended to neglect them.

Important! When we dilute alcohol, it is precisely into it(read alcohol) is added to water, but not in a different way!
By mixing alcohol with water by eye (without certain proportions), you will get not vodka, but, to put it mildly, a simple swill. It is necessary to observe the proportion, the optimal one (which Mendeleev came to) is 2:3. For mixing, take 2 parts of alcohol and 3 parts of water. But it is always more competent to mix not the volumes of liquids, but their weight, this will lead to a more accurate calculation of the strength of the future drink. Also, to bring vodka to 40 degrees, a good helper when diluted will be Fertman's table.
Shake the mixture already in a closed bottle, after turning it over.

Cleansing

To improve the quality properties of the prepared vodka, add 3-4 tablets of activated carbon to it and wait 2-3 hours at a temperature of 22C. After that, everything is passed through 2-3 layers of gauze.

Improving the taste

As we have said, ingredients such as honey, sugar, glucose, citrus fruit juice soften the taste alcoholic drink. There are no longer any specific proportions for adding them. It all depends on your taste preferences, but do not overdo it, because your vodka can turn into a tincture.

we withstand

Well, alcohol is diluted, what's next? It is not advisable to use it immediately, but it is better to give it settle down for at least seven days. By this time, all chemical processes have stopped, and the prepared drink will acquire good taste properties.

For such a procedure, it is best to use a dark, cool room (possibly a cellar). After the prescribed week, vodka is poured into smaller containers, the cooking technology is completed.

What if there is no time to defend?

It happens when vodka is needed urgently. and there is no time for its exposure. In such a combination of circumstances, a recipe for a quick dilution of alcohol comes to the rescue, in which the resulting drink will be more or less pleasant in taste.

You need:

0.5 cups of freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice;
1 glass of alcohol;
water - 1.5 cups.

Cooking is easy! Mix the ingredients, shake vigorously and cool. With this method, juice plays the main role, it will drown out the unpleasant taste of alcohol, and vitamin C, which is contained in the juice, will help prevent the effects of a hangover the next day.

Finishing the article, I would like to say that drinking diluted alcohol is not harmful, but do not forget about reasonable doses that do not cause loss of health to the body.

There are many alcoholic products on the shelves of stores. Its range is able to satisfy the taste of the most demanding consumer. But in Rus', people who prefer to make alcoholic beverages on their own have not disappeared. And in order to get a drink of the appropriate quality, taste and strength, you need to know how to dilute alcohol to make vodka.

Preparation of initial ingredients

It would seem, why cook them? The main thing is to find high-quality alcohol, and water is not a problem. It flows from the tap, you just need to mix the components of the drink in the right proportions. But the process of making vodka is not so simple. To get a really high-quality product, you need to pay special attention to the preparation process.

What alcohol is suitable for making vodka

Required to get vodka. Methyl alcohol is contraindicated inside!

Just a few milliliters of methyl alcohol can lead to complete loss of vision and disrupt the functions of internal organs!

The following grades of ethyl alcohol are produced in industry:

medical;
luxury- 96.3% of the fortress;
extra- 96.5% of the fortress;
the highest purification- 96.2% of the fortress;
first grade- 96% of the fortress.

Any of these varieties are suitable for consumption. But it will be possible to get a really high-quality product only when using medical alcohol, luxury and extra. Vodka contains 40% of the original product, that is, 40 degrees.

But before diluting alcohol with water, you need to make sure that the concentration of the alcohol-containing substance in the original product corresponds to the declared one. You can measure the strength of the product with an ordinary household alcohol meter.

How to prepare water

Water is an equally important component of vodka. The taste of the finished product will depend on its quality. In industrial conditions, water is prepared in a special way. It is not possible to repeat all the technology at home.

Do not use tap water at home. It contains various impurities, including chlorine, which will not have the best effect on the quality of vodka.

Do not prepare an alcoholic drink using boiled or distilled water. Such a liquid will make the whole process of preparing an alcoholic drink meaningless. The ideal option would be natural spring water, which is impossible to get in urban conditions. What to do in this case, if it is impossible to dilute alcohol with water available to residents of megacities?

Here you can use one of two options:

purchase bottled water;
prepare tap water.

In the first case, it is necessary to choose a liquid with a low salt content, since they are able to crystallize. In the second case, ordinary water must be passed through a carbon filter, poured into a plastic bottle and put into the freezer.

When the liquid is completely frozen, they take it out and wait for half of the water to thaw. The thawed liquid is poured out. Salt comes out with it. And the remaining ice is an ideal raw material for making homemade vodka, which contains all the necessary micro and macro elements.

What additives will help improve the taste of the product

In the process of mixing alcohol with water, it is important to correctly maintain the proportions of these ingredients. But in order to improve the taste of vodka, you need to know which components will help neutralize the alcohol taste and soften the finished drink. These components include:

glucose;
lemon acid;
citrus juices.

Glucose is the main flavor additive that all manufacturers add to vodka. Glucose solution can be purchased ready-made at any pharmacy. But it can be prepared at home. To do this, sugar and water are placed in a saucepan in equal proportions. The mixture is put on fire, and after boiling, the foam is removed. The solution is ready at the moment when the foam ceases to form.

Citric acid is added to soften water and neutralize unpleasant aftertaste. Citric acid can be replaced with natural juices of lemon, orange or other citrus fruits. Aromatic essences will help to give a pleasant aroma to the drink.

In what proportions are the main components mixed

Having learned the basics of preparing fire water, you can proceed to the most important thing - mixing the main components. And here you should know how to properly dilute alcohol.

It is important to remember that you need to mix the ingredients in a strict sequence:

first pour water into the jar;
then alcohol is poured into the water in a thin stream.

You cannot change this sequence. Otherwise, it will be possible to get a cloudy mixture, which is not very suitable for consumption.

Now you can begin to determine the proportions. There are two parameters to take into account here:

estimated volume of vodka;
alcohol strength.

Alcohol has a strength of 96%, it simply cannot be stronger. This means that its concentration in one liter of the original product is 960 ml. Now you need to decide how to dilute alcohol with water to get a drink with a strength of 40%.

You can calculate the volume of both liquids if 96 (strength of alcohol) is divided by 40 (strength of vodka). The result is 2.4. This means that so much water is taken per liter of raw material so that the total amount of liquid is 2.4 liters.

Now you can proceed to the direct process of mixing alcohol with water, following the algorithm described below:

the calculated amount of water is poured into the prepared container;
add flavoring additives there;
the main component is poured in a thin stream;
the container is tightly closed and shaken to mix the ingredients.

You can put 4 tablets in the resulting solution, which will pull out all unnecessary compounds from it. After a couple of hours, the mixture is filtered and the container is removed for 1-2 weeks in a dark, cool place.

Conclusion

It is necessary to withstand the drink, since only after the above time has elapsed, the alcohol is thoroughly mixed with water, which allows you to get really high-quality vodka.

The process of mixing the main ingredients, of which there are only two - alcohol and vodka, is quite simple. This method of making vodka is called the "cold" method, it is used both at home and in industrial production. So that the end result does not disappoint, but pleases with the quality and strength of the product, you need to know how to properly organize the mixing process. So, let's begin.

alcohol requirements

The main ingredient of homemade vodka is purified ethyl alcohol. In its pure form, its strength can reach 96.5% (Extra class product), but it is best to use luxury alcohol with a strength percentage of 96.3. It is also permissible to use an alcoholic alcohol-containing product of the highest purity of 96.2%, but the quality of the resulting vodka will be an order of magnitude lower.

"Proper" water is important

Particular attention should be paid to water, because when making homemade vodka, a completely justified question arises, and with what water should alcohol be diluted?
It is impossible to dilute with ordinary tap water, otherwise the alcohol will become cloudy when interacting with it. It is necessary to use special, that is, purified water, popularly called "corrected". Basic requirements for water: it should have no color, no smell, no taste, be crystal clear.

You can, of course, take tap water, first let it settle and clean it through a household filter. But it is best to use distilled water, which is sold in a pharmacy, to dilute alcohol, or, alternatively, buy children's drinking water in a supermarket.

Proportions of a quality product

In order for the final product to be good enough and meet the set strength requirements, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions when mixing the main ingredients.
If the correct ratio of alcohol and water is violated, an alcoholic product of poor quality can be obtained, more precisely, low-alcohol water.

More D.I. Mendeleev deduced the ideal proportion of high-quality vodka with an acceptable strength (40-42%) - two parts of alcohol to three parts of purified water. It is important that portions are measured not by volume (ml), but by weight (g), this will help to more accurately calculate the strength of the drink.

How to improve the taste of vodka
To give a more pleasant taste and smell, the following components can be added to home-made vodka:

sugar or honey;
glucose;
citric acid;
orange peels;
food essences and flavors.

Poorly diluted alcohol can be easily distinguished from vodka; after drinking it, dryness and an unpleasant taste are felt in the mouth. In industry, and in everyday life, to make diluted alcohol (vodka) more soft, food glycerin (5 mg per liter of product) or glucose (20 mg per liter of vodka) is used as an additive.

What you need to know

For the best quality homemade vodka, obtained by mixing the right proportions of alcohol and water, you need to consider several important points:

alcohol is always poured into prepared water, and in no case vice versa. Specialists of home-made alcoholic preparations confirm the fact that the quality of the resulting product directly depends on the mixing process;
after dilution, be sure to shake the liquid in a closed container, turning it upside down;
the quality of the drink improves if the produced vodka is put in the refrigerator for a day;
when mixing 200 ml of alcohol and 300 ml of water, the final product will not have a volume of 500 ml.

And what, in fact, is diluted with alcohol? Most often in order to prepare an alcoholic drink.

Why dilute alcohol

Of course, it is also bred in production. But the question of how to pour alcohol into water or vice versa most often arises when preparing alcohol at home. It can be anything, not necessarily vodka. Based on alcohol, various liqueurs and tinctures are prepared. But before you dilute alcohol with water, you need to be well prepared and familiar with certain rules. Otherwise, they won't be of very good quality.

How to dilute alcohol with water

This process does not include any complicated procedures. It just needs to be done right. How to dilute alcohol with water? To do this, you only need alcohol itself (96%) and water. It is not recommended to take liquid from the tap. Boiled water is also better to immediately exclude. It is best, before diluting alcohol with water, to purchase it in a store. It should be well chilled, but not frozen. So what to pour? Alcohol to water or vice versa? What are the technologists saying? It is necessary to pour alcohol into water in a thin stream.

Why exactly? If you do the opposite, then when the strength decreases, the solution heats up very much, and all toxins and other harmful substances are released.

What to do next

The solution must settle. The minimum term is 2 days. But it's better to wait a week. It is necessary to defend the diluted alcohol in a dark place. The bottle should be poured all the way to the neck so that the oxidation process does not begin. Another important point when diluting alcohol with water: if you pour water into alcohol, then the solution will most likely become cloudy, and it will smell like alcohol, not vodka.

Dilution of alcohol from the point of view of chemists

If a person is at least a little familiar with this science, then the question of what to pour - alcohol into water or vice versa, will not even occur to him. After all, any chemist knows that it is the soluble agent that needs to be poured into the solvent, and not vice versa. This reduces the amount of heat generated. It is always acid that is poured into water. And even lithium and potassium are thrown into the water, and not doused with liquid.

Since alcohol is one of the strongest oxidizing agents, when it is added to water, the solution will heat up. And this will lead to the formation of peroxide, carbonic and acetic acids and various poisons, which cause a wild hangover. You also need to remember to shake the container with the solution periodically. Then the elements will interact better. Harmful components in the solution with a properly performed procedure will remain a minimum amount.

But again, we must not forget about settling in a cool dark place. During this time, all components will mix, and the resulting gases will evaporate.

Correct Proportions

How much water to add to alcohol? It is believed that the inventor of vodka is Mendeleev. Here are his calculations and it is worth equaling. The ideal proportion is 2:3. It is 2 parts alcohol and 3 parts water. This ratio is considered ideal.

But in what proportions to dilute alcohol with water is a personal matter for everyone. Not everyone is satisfied with a fortress of 40 o. Someone prefers a sixty-degree drink, and for someone, even 38 is a bit too much. Therefore, it all depends on what kind of fortress you need to achieve in the end.

Do I need to shake

Scientists do not claim that the solution must be shaken. After all, if the procedure is carried out correctly, then the alcohol will dissolve perfectly. But if the composition of alcohol is not the most ideal, then when shaken, all harmful substances will decompose into gas and water.

What to pour - alcohol into water or vice versa, figured it out. The main thing is to take into account some of the nuances. Another important point in this process is the quality of the water. A lot depends on it too.

What should be the water

First of all, when diluting alcohol, the water should not be hard. That is, the content of magnesium and calcium in it should be minimal. From hard water, the drink can become cloudy, and its taste will not change for the better.

Tap water. It is better not to use it in this case. Firstly, its rigidity simply rolls over, and secondly, it has a very high chlorine content. This will also negatively affect the quality of the drink.

But if you still have to use just such water, then it must be properly prepared. In order for the chlorine to evaporate from it, it must be allowed to stand for at least a few hours. After the water must be brought to a boil and cooled. Further, it is desirable to use a filter for cleaning. Only then can the water be used.

Water from a spring

You can often hear that it is spring water that is ideal for diluting alcohol. But it is not so. Of course, spring water most often has excellent taste, but it is possible to determine how hard it is only in a special laboratory.

In addition, its quality also strongly depends on natural conditions: season, precipitation. So this kind of water is also not the best option. For a sample, you can dilute a small amount of alcohol and look at the result. If the solution remains clear and the taste is acceptable, then you can continue to use this water.

water from the store

This is exactly what qualified experts advise. Here you can be sure of both composition and stiffness. After all, it's all on the label. It remains only to find water, the hardness of which does not exceed 1 mg-eq / l. It should be noted that there are a lot of such products on the shelves of modern supermarkets. If the hardness is not indicated on the bottle, then you need to pay attention to the amount of calcium (no more than 10 mg / l) and magnesium (no more than 8 mg / l).

Distilled water

At first glance, it's ideal. Since there are no impurities, the solution will definitely not become cloudy. But here, too, there are nuances. It is necessary to decide what the solution will be used for in the future. If a tincture or liqueur with a pronounced taste will be prepared on its basis, then distilled water is a great option. This liquid has no taste. Therefore, the properties of herbs or berries in the drink will be fully revealed.

But if you need to prepare vodka, then this liquid is absolutely not suitable. And the reason is the same - it has no taste. It is believed that the taste of vodka directly depends on the taste of water. After all, alcohol, whatever it may be, has the same taste qualities as a liquid. Before diluting alcohol with water, it is necessary to take all safety measures and in no case carry out this procedure near an open fire.

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to the question of how to dilute alcohol. The sequence of actions and proportions depend on individual preferences, the required strength of the final product and the components used. To prepare vodka and soften the taste, additional procedures will be required - filtration and infusion.

What should be the alcohol

Before diluting alcohol with water, the type of ingredients and purpose should be considered. If low-quality components are used, the taste of the drink will be spoiled, however, the liquid can be used for disinfection. Traditionally, edible alcohol is taken to make vodka, but medical alcohol can be purchased. The difference between them lies in the strength, which will need to be taken into account when compiling a recipe and choosing proportions.

The answer to the question of how to dilute alcohol with water involves the use of a purified liquid. A large amount of impurities will cause rapid intoxication, intoxication and other side effects. The presence of additional substances will make the drink less soft. During the filtration process, you can get rid of some of the impurities, but it is recommended to take an initially pure product. The best option is a product that was used in the production of rye, wheat or a mixture of cereals.

What is the best water to use

To dilute ethyl or medical alcohol, only pure water is used. In the presence of salts, the liquid will be less homogeneous. The risk of rapid intoxication and the occurrence of a hangover increases. You can determine the degree of contamination of the liquid by appearance. If the water is cloudy immediately after filling the container, it is recommended to prefer another option.

Experienced craftsmen, sharing tips on how to properly dilute alcohol, recommend using distilled spring or pharmacy water. Such a liquid is suitable for any purpose, and the drink makes it more delicate. If the final product will be used to disinfect surfaces or tools, purchase of store-bought purified water is allowed. Boiled liquid cannot be used to make vodka.

If spring water is not available, alcohol can be diluted with bottled water. However, you cannot use liquid that has been stored in a container for a long time. Depending on the labeling and quality of the materials, after the expiration date, the plastic begins to enter into chemical reactions with water. This may lead to deterioration of the final product. It is not allowed to contact the filled container with the sun's rays, because heating can accelerate the reaction.

It is allowed to use various methods of water purification. For example, partial freezing or filtration with shungite.

Mixing ratio

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how to properly dilute alcohol with water to obtain optimal strength. The proportions depend on the preferences of the person.

The standard ratio is 2 parts alcohol to 3 parts water. When mixed, it is relatively soft. If a person likes stronger drinks, you can take 1.3 liters of water per 1 liter of alcohol. These proportions can be applied if a standard purified ethyl product is used. If a medical one was taken, the alcohol dilution ratios can be changed.

To get more accurate data, you need to take into account the weight of liquids. The mass of the final product allows you to indirectly determine the strength of the drink. A hydrometer can be used to obtain an indication of the density of a liquid.

There are calculators that help determine the necessary proportions. To obtain the ratio, you need to enter the initial and desired strength, as well as volume. The use of a hydrometer is preferred as it shows accurate data. It is possible to dilute alcohol without additional equipment, but deviations from the desired strength are possible.

Dilution technology

For proper mixing of the components, you need to use a suitable container. The container should have a lid so that it is convenient to bring the liquid to homogeneity. It is desirable to prefer a container, the volume of which corresponds to the amount of the final product. When substances interact with oxygen in the early stages, acetic acid can be released, which will negatively affect the taste of the drink. It is recommended to choose glass containers as the materials will react less with the ingredients.

To answer the question of how to properly dilute alcohol with water, you need to take into account the chemical characteristics of the components. If mixed incorrectly, the drink becomes cloudy and acquires the wrong taste. This is due to the increased formation of monohydrates. They give alcohol a characteristic smell and taste. Vodka has other qualities, since the concentration of monohydrates in it is lower.

To prevent the formation of unwanted compounds, the mixing of alcohol with water is carried out in the prescribed manner. The last liquid is recommended to be cooled to slow down chemical reactions. When mixing, you need to introduce alcohol into water. The liquid is added in a thin stream. It is advisable to mix the components thoroughly at the same time in order to evenly distribute the alcohol. At the end, the container is closed and shaken vigorously for 1-2 minutes.

How to make vodka from alcohol

When preparing vodka, it is important to consider taste preferences. If a person likes soft drinks, you can pre-infuse water with citrus zest, nuts, herbs, or other additives. They will give you a scent. The optimal infusion time is 8-24 hours. Later, the liquid may deteriorate. It is not recommended to use vodka for infusion before mixing, because the final product may be cloudy.

You can mitigate the smell in other ways. It is possible to quickly insist the drink by heating in a water bath. Classic recipes imply that the process is carried out in the refrigerator for 5-15 days. To enhance the smell and taste, the additives are changed every day for fresh ones.

To obtain vodka, alcohol can be diluted in the same way as for other purposes. It is recommended to add 40% glucose solution (40 g per 1 liter of the final product) to soften the taste. The preferred option is pharmacy dextrose. Sometimes honey or lemon juice is used. Additives are introduced into the liquid before alcohol.

Filtration is carried out to remove impurities. It is advisable to use separate equipment, however, in the absence of such an opportunity, you can clean vodka with coal, dense natural fabric and other improvised materials.

The classic method of purification is the use of coal. For 1 liter of vodka take 1-3 tsp. crushed product and vigorously shake the closed container for 6-8 minutes. The liquid turns black, the smell changes. Coal absorbs oils, so vodka must either be filtered immediately, or the sediment should be settled and the liquid drained later. In the second case, mixing is repeated twice: after 20 minutes and after an hour. Vodka is drained after 3-24 hours. Losses are 5% of the original volume.

It is recommended to filter vodka using special porous paper. If it is not available, napkins, cotton wool or natural fabric are used. These cleaning methods help to remove impurities with light contamination of materials. Filtration will not improve the taste if tap water or first grade or higher purity alcohol has been used.

The answer to the question of how to dilute alcohol with water to get vodka involves settling the drink in a dark, cool place for 5-15 days. During this time, chemical processes are completed. The liquid becomes more homogeneous and acquires the final taste.