Home Distiller

Of course you can use regular peaches. Just remove stones and adjust for sugar difference. You'll need to account for the syrup in the recipe's canned ingredients.

StillLearning1 wrote:Could you please explain "knock the cap down"? This sounds like a good easy way to get into making brandy. (yes I know it's not "real" brandy). How many jars of peaches you have to get to equal 10lbs? That sounds kinda expensive. Could this be done with just regular peaches blended up?

A lot of solids get lifted to the surface and need to be punched down into the must to get the flavors from them.

You can use fresh peaches, but it helps to freeze them first to break down the cellular structure.

StillLearning1 wrote:Could you please explain "knock the cap down"? This sounds like a good easy way to get into making brandy. (yes I know it's not "real" brandy). How many jars of peaches you have to get to equal 10lbs? That sounds kinda expensive. Could this be done with just regular peaches blended up?

I left all of the chunks of peaches in the fermenting bucket. They would all rise to the top so I would "knock the cap down" into the must and stir up the top portion. I would hate for my precious wash to get an infection and I figure the alcohol in the wash keeps it nice and clean.

I buy the tin can of sliced peaches. The big ones from Costco/Sams are 6 pounds each at around $4.00 each so its not too bad.

I plan on running it with all fresh peaches as soon as they come in season here. My guess is while my current recipe is good the fresh peaches will be amazing!

Hope that helps!

Biggreenavalanche wrote:Mashed...wish me luck, followed above recipe to the t

Good! One thing also I did on one of my runs that might have helped a little bit, was since it fermented out so fast I added a little bit of sugar when it was done to give me a couple of extra days before the run. I have done it both ways and didnt see a real difference either way. I just wanted to make sure all the yeast was still active while I needed a few days before.

Good luck and please let us all know how it went! Be sure to stay safe, run it slow, and enjoy it with all the love and sweetness of the peaches you used!

Saltcitystilling wrote:I left all of the chunks of peaches in the fermenting bucket. They would all rise to the top so I would "knock the cap down" into the must and stir up the top portion. I would hate for my precious wash to get an infection and I figure the alcohol in the wash keeps it nice and clean.

In truth the knocking down of the cap poses a greater risk of infection. The cap forms a natural barrier. Knocking it down drives any airborne infections into your wash.

RevSpaminator wrote:

Saltcitystilling wrote:I left all of the chunks of peaches in the fermenting bucket. They would all rise to the top so I would "knock the cap down" into the must and stir up the top portion. I would hate for my precious wash to get an infection and I figure the alcohol in the wash keeps it nice and clean.

In truth the knocking down of the cap poses a greater risk of infection. The cap forms a natural barrier. Knocking it down drives any airborne infections into your wash.

That's what I was thinking, Rev.

tp

Great pics! Is that a 5 gallon still? Also, you may have said, but what are your cuts? And I didn't understnad the 1.5 charge part....what does that mean? thank you!

RevSpaminator wrote:In truth the knocking down of the cap poses a greater risk of infection. The cap forms a natural barrier. Knocking it down drives any airborne infections into your wash.

So how good is your hygiene? How deep is your CO2 cap? Are you willing to take the gambol to get better flavor?

For peach and grape brandies and grappa, I punch the chapeau down for three or four days, then seal it up till the finish. There has never been a hint of vinegar.

Don't disturb the cap is pretty standard brewer's advice. Take it or leave it.

Again, people need to remember we are dealing with organic processes not absolutes. Increased risk means exactly that. There are a lot of factors that contribute to your chance of spoilage. If you add to them then don't act surprised when it happens.

If punching the chapeau down was bad practice, commercial vintners wouldn't be doing it when making red wines.

I spent a lot of time and effort picking, freezing, thawing, treading my peaches and I wasn't going to leave flavor wasting in the chapeau. I punched the cap down every day for four days. There were no problems with the ferment and no off flavors.

Keep your gear clean, disturb the CO2 cap as little as possible (CO2 is heavier than air) and the risks will be minimal.

harmonyhollow wrote:Great pics! Is that a 5 gallon still? Also, you may have said, but what are your cuts? And I didn't understnad the 1.5 charge part....what does that mean? thank you!

Sorry for the delayed response! But Thank you! I enjoy my still. It is a 2.5 gallon one unfortunately.

My cuts are odd. I like the heads because thats where I was finding most of my flavor. The first few jars went into the final as well as everything down to the second to last jar and it has been sitting with a vanilla bean and it has an amazing flavor so far.

Since I only have a 2.5 gallon still I was only filling it with 1.5 gallons.

Peach "brandy" came out fantastic...followed above directions with predictable results...aging on cherry with one each cinnamon stick and vanilla bean....have sampled, of course, and is mighty tasty...btw, aging at about 55% ABV...

Cheers,
Rich

I don't know why you have chosen to put a cinnamon stick in it. Cinnamon is powerful stuff. I aged my peach to smell like peach, put it on some peach heartwood, all good so far.

Please let us know how it worked out.

Giving it just a hint of cin...stick comes out today...so far so good on taste...

Cheers,
Rich

I made some of mine into Peaches & Cream today. Irish Cream recipe, but using peach schnapps. The bottle is empty already and the supermarket is closed and I can't get the ingredients for a refill
Until they go home

Biggreenavalanche wrote:Peach "brandy" came out fantastic...followed above directions with predictable results...aging on cherry with one each cinnamon stick and vanilla bean....have sampled, of course, and is mighty tasty...btw, aging at about 55% ABV...

Cheers,
Rich

I am happy it turned out well for you! Please let me know how it goes with the cinnamon stick. I have had about a half gallon sitting on a few oak chips and a vanilla bean and I had to take out the vanilla bean because the taste of vanilla was starting to creep up on that peach flavor too much.

But as of last night it is mighty tasty.

NZChris wrote:I made some of mine into Peaches & Cream today. Irish Cream recipe, but using peach schnapps. The bottle is empty already and the supermarket is closed and I can't get the ingredients for a refill
Until they go home

That....actually sounds amazing. I am glad you enjoyed it. It has been my go to as of late.

Im actually trying a pear/apples recipe here soon so we will see how that goes.

Peach is done...wonderful flavor, peach with medium hint of cinnamon, undertones of vanilla, very smooth...fantastic sippin "brandy"...bottled at apprx 106 proof, goes down like 80 proof ! Thanks much for the recipe ! Will definitely repeat !

Cheers,

Rich

I am working on 3 batches. Peach, Mulberry, and Huckleberry. Do you still have to throw away the first few Ml of product to get rid of methanol as with corn?

Saltcitystilling wrote:

NZChris wrote:I made some of mine into Peaches & Cream today. Irish Cream recipe, but using peach schnapps. The bottle is empty already and the supermarket is closed and I can't get the ingredients for a refill
Until they go home

That....actually sounds amazing. I am glad you enjoyed it. It has been my go to as of late.

Im actually trying a pear/apples recipe here soon so we will see how that goes.

Sounds like Amarula. Cream liqueurs made from brandy are of the gods.

cornmash wrote:I am working on 3 batches. Peach, Mulberry, and Huckleberry. Do you still have to throw away the first few Ml of product to get rid of methanol as with corn?

You'll know as soon as you smell it, and the answer is yes. You don't want to let your corn experience influence you too much. With some fruits there are good flavors coming across when scavenging the last traces of alcohol. That'll be why some brandy makers run their first pass till the whole reaches 30% rather than diluting for the spirit run.

MDH wrote:Sounds like Amarula. Cream liqueurs made from brandy are of the gods.

I've made raspberry and peach. Both disappear way too quick. I have to get into it before anyone else tastes it, or I miss out.

Went to the peach farm today. I have a big box of peaches in the corner now. They're "seconds" which means they are bruised or scraped or over/under ripe.

I want to turn them into brandy. I've made wine before so I know about the fermentation of fruits... I've done apple brandy from apples I picked in NC, which sort of lost most of the apple flavor after distilling. I want a good strong peach flavor.

I'm guessing I'll spend tomorrow peeling peaches and blending them up. I have a 7 gallon fermenter.
How much sugar per gallon, if any, would you guys suggest I add to the peach blend? I'd like to get it up around 10-12% potential alcohol on my hydrometer, since that's what I would expect out of a wine.

Any hints on how to process the peaches to make life easier? I'll ask about the distilling part later... One run or two? But for now the fermentation is my first concern.

theosus wrote: How much sugar per gallon, if any, would you guys suggest I add to the peach blend?

ZERO. The more sugar you add to a fruit ferment, the less flavors come across in the distillation. Btdt.

tp

If you add sugar its not brandy. It's faux sugar head brandy.

There aint nothing wrong with doing it either way. It's a quality over quantity decision you will have to make yourself. I recommend trying it both ways, and see which one you prefer.

Okay I froze my peaches and thawed them. Pits removed and had daughter stomp on them much like squashing grapes. Finished with a mixer. I've got approximately 5% potential alcohol in a 6 gallon bucket. Seems a little small to me, maybe the peaches weren't as ripe as I thought. Added Campden tablets and let sit overnight.
Pitched yeast this evening...

Sulfur dioxide has its uses for wine making, but why would a distiller use it? How do you prevent the sulfur ending up in your collection jar?

Was using my wine making experience as a starting point. Essentially I'm just making peach wine... Then distilling it, right? I had learned the tablets were for killing wild yeast, so that only your chosen variety of yeast survives and thrives.
Hope I didn't screw it up! At this point I have $15 in peaches and lots of time squashing them.

It would make good peach wine.

Sulfites will get into the distillate. They'll produce aromas that make you think of baking turkey, chicken, eggs or pistachios. The only way to thoroughly remove them is to treat the first distilled product with soluble copper salts, and then run it a second time.