📝 About This Recipe
Samogon is more than just a spirit; it is a legendary pillar of Russian hospitality and rural tradition, crafted through the art of fermentation and distillation. This classic 'Sugar Wash' version yields a remarkably clean, potent crystal-clear liquor with a subtle sweetness and a warming finish that radiates through the chest. Traditionally distilled in copper stills and purified through natural birch charcoal, it represents the honest, rugged craftsmanship of the Slavic heartland.
🥗 Ingredients
The Mash (Braga)
- 6 kg Granulated Sugar (high-quality white beet or cane sugar)
- 24 liters Spring Water (non-chlorinated, filtered, or bottled spring water)
- 100 grams Distiller's Yeast (or 500g of fresh compressed baker's yeast)
- 25 grams Citric Acid (used for sugar inversion to aid fermentation)
- 2 slices Raw Rye Bread (crumbled, serves as a natural yeast nutrient)
Purification and Finishing
- 50 grams Activated Birch Charcoal (food grade, for filtration)
- 2-3 tablespoons Bentonite (Grey Clay) (to clarify the mash before distillation)
- 5 pieces Whole Black Peppercorns (optional, for the resting phase)
- 1 strip Dried Lemon Peel (optional, for subtle aroma)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Invert the sugar: Combine 6kg of sugar with 3 liters of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then add the citric acid. Simmer on low heat for 60 minutes. This breaks sucrose into glucose and fructose, making it easier for yeast to process.
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2
Prepare the fermentation vessel: Sanitize a 30-liter food-grade container. Pour in the remaining 21 liters of water. The water should be between 25-30°C (77-86°F).
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3
Mix the 'Braga': Add the inverted sugar syrup to the water and stir thoroughly. Ensure the final temperature does not exceed 30°C to avoid killing the yeast.
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4
Activate the yeast: Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl of warm sugary water for 10-15 minutes until it foams. Pour the yeast mixture and the crumbled rye bread into the fermentation vessel.
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5
Fermentation: Seal the vessel with a water lock (airlock) and store in a dark, warm place (22-28°C). Let it ferment for 7 to 10 days until the airlock stops bubbling and the liquid tastes dry/bitter, not sweet.
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6
Clarification: Dissolve the bentonite in a glass of warm water until it reaches a creamy consistency. Stir it into the mash and wait 24 hours. The sediment will drop to the bottom, leaving a clear liquid.
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7
First Distillation: Siphon the clear liquid into your pot still, leaving the sediment behind. Distill at high heat without separating 'heads' or 'tails' until the output drops below 30% alcohol. This yields 'Raw Alcohol'.
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8
Carbon Filtration: Dilute the raw alcohol to 20% strength with spring water. Pass it through a column filled with birch charcoal or let it sit with charcoal for 24 hours, then filter through paper.
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9
Second Distillation (Fractional): Pour the filtered liquid back into the cleaned still. Heat slowly. This is the crucial stage for quality.
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10
The 'Heads': Collect the first 5% of the expected yield (approx. 250-300ml) separately. This contains methanol and smells like acetone; discard it or use it for technical purposes.
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11
The 'Body' (The Heart): Collect the main portion of the distillate. This is your Samogon. Stop collecting when the alcohol content of the stream drops to 45%.
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12
The 'Tails': Collect the remaining liquid (below 45%) in a separate container. These contain fusel oils; they can be added to the next batch of mash for more volume but are not for drinking now.
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13
Dilution and Resting: Dilute your 'Heart' distillate with high-quality spring water to reach 40-45% ABV. Pour the water into the alcohol (not vice versa) to prevent cloudiness.
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14
Final Mellowing: Bottle the Samogon and let it rest in a cool, dark place for at least 3-4 days. This allows the molecules to stabilize, resulting in a much smoother taste.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use filtered or spring water; chlorine in tap water can ruin the delicate fermentation profile. Maintaining a consistent temperature during fermentation is key; if it gets too cold, the yeast goes dormant; too hot, and it produces off-flavors. Never skip the second distillation; the first pass is for volume, the second pass is for safety and purity. When diluting the final product, always pour the alcohol into the water slowly to keep the liquid crystal clear. Clean your equipment meticulously with food-grade sanitizer to prevent wild bacteria from souring your mash.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve ice-cold in small chilled shots (stopki) alongside traditional Russian 'Zakuski'. Pair with salted herring on top of buttered black rye bread and fresh dill. Accompany with crunchy pickled cucumbers (ogurtsy) and pickled garlic cloves. Serve with thin slices of 'Salo' (cured pork fat) and a smear of spicy hot mustard. Enjoy alongside a hearty bowl of hot Borscht or Shchi to balance the spirit's warmth.