First wash

The first time you distill, you probably will want to do things as cheaply and as easily as possible. For your first wash there are two really good options:

• First, you could buy some boxed wine at your local store. The wine should not cost too much and it has the advantage of having an known alcohol content.

• Second, you could try to ferment your own alcohol. The most simple plan to ferment requires the following things:
  • Water (tap water is fine, filtered is better)
  • White sugar
  • Tomato paste or sauce
  • Yeast (bakers yeast will do fine for your first wash)
  • A fermenter (probably a 5 gallon bucket)
  • A pot
  • An airlock

To make the wash: combine the sugar, tomato paste, and water in a pot and heat to approximately 90°C. Allow the pot to cool to about 20°C, and then throw in the yeast. Stir the solution for a minute or so and transfer the liquid to the fermenter. Attach the airlock and wait a few weeks.

Uncle Jesse's guide to preparation of a Rye Wash

Go back to the introduction

Go on to making your first still