"Hardware" and "distillation techniques," while important, are only part of the process. An integral part of properly preparing a home-brewed beverage is both the selection of raw materials and their fermentation.
To expand my theoretical knowledge of fermentation, I contacted S. Yu. Makarov, Ph.D., Associate Professor of the Department of Fermentation and Winemaking Technologies at the K.G. Razumovsky State University of Higher Professional Education. Regulars of the "Home.Distiller" forum know him by the nickname "mak210."

Enjoy and thoughtful viewing!

PS
It's okay if you have a different point of view on a particular issue and it doesn't align with the position of the video's protagonist and/or mine. What's not okay is when, instead of correctly expressing your position, you resort to insults and profanity. Comments of this kind will be deleted, and the offender's account will be blocked.

Before you argue, think about why?
Politics and power – they're not here.
Money – no.
Then why?

This is a platform for sharing experiences and growing like Vinokurov, not for relieving stress after a hard day at work.

VIDEO TIMING
00:00:31 about the Moscow University of Technology and Management named after K.G. Razumovsky
00:04:10 Optimal raw materials for making alcohol at home
00:06:40 About beet molasses as a raw material for alcohol
00:08:05 Beet and cane molasses are indistinguishable by organoleptic properties
00:09:15 Ideally, in terms of organoleptic properties, use second-grade wheat flour
00:10:30 Using pure starch for making strong alcoholic beverages
00:11:36 About malt
00:12:07 Russian malt (composition)
00:14:08 When to grind malt to avoid oxidation and deterioration of organoleptic properties
00:17:00 Malt + enzyme "G" will give a higher yield per kg of raw material
00:17:22 Fruit and berry raw materials Remember about methyl because of the pectin in the raw materials.
00:20:55 A little about dender rum. Light and heavy rum
00:23:10 Inverting sugar before fermentation
00:25:41 About saccharification using enzymes A, G, P, C
00:34:09 If you use less than the recommended dose of enzymes
00:34:22 At home, it is better to add enzymes A and G simultaneously
00:35:30 About koji and mold enzymes
00:37:45 Saccharification of grain with malt of the same culture
00:39:14 Water for fermentation
00:42:00 It is better to acidify water with lactic acid
00:42:29 Hydromodule for sugar
00:43:50 How to increase the density of berry or fruit must to 18-20 percent
00:44:25 Fractional addition of sugar
00:45:30 Yeast cultivation with alcohol
00:46:30 Additives for rapid fermentation of sugar mash with minimal impurities
00:50:07 Reusing yeast
00:52:10 No additives are needed for fruit and starchy musts
00:52:40 Grape must with a density higher than 18-20% does not need to be diluted with water
00:54:00 Must for the base of stillage after distillation. The nuances of using sour must
00:56:30 Wild yeast
00:58:05 Pure yeast culture. Laboratories in large-scale production
01:01:37 This has been the case historically, but everything is changing. Switching to dry yeast
01:02:56 Dry and pressed pure cultured yeast
01:05:03 Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast type
01:05:44 Bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast
01:06:04 Top and bottom fermentation
01:06:50 More about Saccharomyces cerevisiae
01:08:29 Real specialization or marketing?
01:09:11 Using brewer's yeast for mash that is planned to be distilled
01:10:41 Distilling store-bought expired beer
01:12:19 Distilling store-bought wine with sulfur dioxide
01:14:09 The price of yeast may mean nothing
01:17:12 Yeast strain 12
01:19:07 Turbo yeast
01:19:37 Yeast fermentation
01:21:11 "Rays of growth" of yeast from the book by A. Fuchs
01:23:05 Dosage of dry yeast per 1 kg of raw material
01:24:32 The nuances of yeast respiration. What a distiller needs to know
01:27:26 Optimal fermentation temperature
01:29:02 Yeast loves acid
01:29:55 Krebs cycle
01:30:20 In our business, practice was developed first, then theory came
01:32:03 Fermentation vessels. Material. Shape. Size
01:35:44 Preliminary disinfection
01:36:10 About the airlock
01:37:40 The line between the benefits and harms of CO2 during fermentation
01:38:00 Gas formation centers in mash. Their role. Types
01:39:38 "Gravitzappa" to speed up fermentation
01:41:17 Stirring the wort during fermentation without oxygen. The importance of stirring
01:43:17 How long can mash be stored? Removal from sediment
01:43:48 In summary: factors affecting the speed and quality of fermentation
01:44:12 Proper fermentation slowdown
01:44:41 Determining the readiness of the mash
01:45:42 Recommended sources of information on fermentation
01:49:17 Semi-personal question about the HD forum
01:52:33 Commercial break :))))