Are these sugar washes safe to drink as is or as beer?
Depends on what sugar wash you are talking about. And what is used for nutrients? Some you would not only get a hangover but you would get a bad case of the shits too.
And if your really just wanting to ferment something to drink. Fruit juice would be a much better choice.
Now about the beer distilling thing. The distillation process would kill off the yeast. So you wouldn't be able to bottle condition it. It would need to be force carbonated.
As for flavor? I will guess to say it would suck. Some of the flavors come from those things you are trying to remove. Plus the boil would change the flavor profile and make the yeasties blow up and cause another flavor addition. But I haven't tried it.
You could always try on your next batch if whatever. Keep out a sample. Distill it removing the fores and heads. Then mix it back together. Then compare.
Didn't someone just ask the same question about wine the other day?
