Distilling Liquor

Have you ever bought some sort of alcoholic drink and wondered to yourself, how do you make liquor? Well, the truth is liquor and spirits require a very meticulous process for manufacturing. It should be noted right away that this is a different process than brewing beer and requires different equipment and techniques. We’ll briefly discuss some of the basics of making your own liquor, but please note this is for entertainment and curiosity purposes only and should not be used a guide toward home distilling.

Equipment for Distilling Liquor

The first step for distilling liquor on your own would be obtaining the right equipment that will get you on your way. This equipment is typically not very cheap if you want equipment that is quality and will do a good job, you’ll be paying for it. Some of the equipment needed would include a boiling pot , mash bag (nylon), thermometer, fermenter, siphon, hydrometer, and sanitizing solution. There will also be other small materials that you may want to use in order to make your distilling liquor process easier and more efficient.

Ingredients

Depending on the type of liquor you want to create will determine the specific ingredients you may require. For example, if you’re choosing to go with a simple vodka spirit, you could choose from a variety of different mashes. Some common ones might be potato, corn, wheat or rye. If you’re making a whiskey or gin for example, you would likely need different ingredients.

Cooking the Base

You will be starting with cooking the base of your spirit or liquor. This will simply allow the sugars to become exposed and create a nice start to your liquor batch. Keep in mind that the process may be slightly different depending on what type of liquor you’re choosing to distill.

Fermentation

The next step is fermentation, which can take multiple days. During this step of your distilling liquor journey, you will basically add the yeast to your cooked mash concoction. This should be done in a controlled environment and temperature should always be considered. Too hot or too cold is not good. The mixture will likely change drastically in terms of looks, texture and smell. This is good!

Distilling Liquor – Entering the Still

At this step, your mixture can be strained into a still. After being inside the still, the mixture will be turned up to a very hot temperature and vapor will be created and gone into another area or container. This vapor is basically your liquor. Distilling liquor has just happened! Of course, there are a few more things to note still, but in basic terms, that’s it!

Safety for Distilling Liquor

Once again, this article is for entertainment purposes only. There are a number of things where your liquor making journey can go wrong, extremely wrong. You must always consult a professional otherwise your mixture could be potentially dangerous. One wrong step and this could be the case when distilling liquor.

Patience!

We know that most people aren’t amazing at something the first time they do it. If your mixture doesn’t taste the way you were hoping, you can continue trying to perfect it. It’s best to begin your distilling liquor journey with the help of a professional because things can go south, quite quickly. Also note, it’s up to you to consult on your province, state or country’s law regarding home distilling and comply with the according laws. This article is for informational purposes only.