So What Else Can I Distill?

let’s begin

I’m sure at some point all of us have considered creating our own spirits of some sort, either because you noticed the apples going a bit over ripe, or just out of curiosity.

There is very little in the world that cannot be fermented, but that doesn’t mean that everything should be fermented.

There are definitely a number of things that one should probably stay away from fermenting, but then there are others that might actually surprise you with just how good they are after they have been through the distillation process.

1. Carrots

This has the added effect of allowing you to see in the dark (well see better anyway). With a little bit of yeast and some optional sugar, carrots make a pretty impressive wine and distilling that turns it into an even more impressive spirit. It is quite sweet in taste, since the sugar in carrots, plus the sugar you may or may not have added, is what turns into alcohol. This is no longer just a crazy notion either; there are some craft distillers in the US who are turning carrot spirit into a buyable product.

2. Honey

If you’ve ever wondered what mead is then look no further, it is honey wine! That’s right. That somewhat mythical, old age drink that crops up in Harry Potter every now and again is actually just honey wine. This can then be distilled and used to make a variety of different spirits, including Vodka, Gin and Brandy. There is currently a distillery in Winchester, New York who are creating these products and doing pretty well at it! If you want to know more then take a look at StilltheOne Distillery to see exactly what happens when you distil honey.

3.Beets

If you’ve ever watched the American version of The Office then you know what a beet is. Although if you’re an adult you should probably know that anyway. Well beets can be made into a beet wine that has a distinctly earthy taste. With a little distillation, this can then be made into a sweet beet Rum. This has actually been quite popular in France in the past, and we all know, if the French think it’s good then it must be good!

4. Coffee

Coffee is one of those things we enjoy every day more for its abilities to wake us up than for its actual flavour. Although when you get down to it coffee is rich and packed full of different aromas and tastes. So it only makes sense that those flavours be distilled into an alcohol so we can enjoy them for their ability to put us to sleep. The Cotswolds Distillery in England ae currently distilling coffee into a cocktail spirit called Espresso Martini. The process starts with cold brewing the coffee and then distilling it with orange peel, coriander and special spice blend. The result is excellent and definitely makes for an impressive cocktail.

5. Maple Sap

Again, this is made possible by the sugars in the sap. A hole is bored into the tree and a spile is placed into with a bucket underneath it to catch the syrup. It may take a few days to harvest a good amount, but once you have that, you can begin the distilling process. Once the sap is fermented it is distilled and hey-presto a sweet, syrupy spirit is born. This has been done to great effect by the Vermont Spirits Distillery, who

Tags: beetscarrotscoffeeDistillDrinkWirefermentinghoneymaple sap

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.