Fermenting and Creating the Best Home-Distilled Bourbon

Bourbon, the quintessential American whiskey, is known for its rich, caramel-like sweetness and smooth, oaky finish. Distilling bourbon at home allows you to craft a spirit that captures the classic essence of this beloved whiskey while adding your own personal touch. In this guide, we’ll break down the fermentation, distillation, and aging processes for creating a delicious home-distilled bourbon, followed by a couple of recipes to get you started.

Fermentation: Building the Bourbon Foundation

The first step in making great bourbon is fermentation. A key aspect of bourbon is that it must be made from at least 51% corn, with other grains like rye, barley, or wheat contributing to its unique flavour profile.

  1. Choosing the Grain Bill: The grain bill (or mash bill) determines the flavour of your bourbon. Here’s a simple breakdown:
  • Corn (at least 51%): This provides the characteristic sweetness of bourbon.
  • Rye or Wheat: Rye adds spice and complexity, while wheat imparts a smoother, softer mouthfeel.
  • Malted Barley: A small amount of malted barley is typically included to help with fermentation.

A classic grain bill might look like this:

  • 70% corn
  • 20% rye or wheat
  • 10% malted barley
  1. Mashing the Grains: Once you’ve selected your grain bill, it’s time to mash the grains:
  • Heat the corn in water (at about 70-75°C) to gelatinise the starches.
  • After about an hour, lower the temperature to 65-68°C and add the other grains (rye/wheat and malted barley). This step will convert the starches into fermentable sugars.
  • Once conversion is complete (typically after 60-90 minutes), cool the mash to around 25°C to prepare for fermentation.
  1. Pitching the Yeast: Choose a good bourbon yeast strain, such as Still Spirits Distiller's Whiskey Yeast. This strain enhances the flavour and helps extract the most from your mash.
  • Add the yeast to your cooled mash and let fermentation take place over 5-7 days at a stable temperature between 20-25°C.
  • Fermentation is complete when the bubbling in your airlock slows, and the sugar has fully converted to alcohol, leaving behind a distiller's beer (often referred to as "wash").

Distillation: Refining the Spirit

Bourbon is traditionally distilled using a pot still, which allows for maximum flavour retention. Here’s how to distil your fermented wash into bourbon:

  1. First Distillation (Stripping Run): Your first distillation is a "stripping run," where you boil the wash to separate the alcohol from the water and impurities.
  • Distil the wash in a pot still, collecting the low wines, which will have a low alcohol content (typically 25-30% ABV). This first distillation isn’t meant for drinking yet—it’s all about concentrating the alcohol.
  1. Second Distillation (Spirit Run): The spirit run is where you’ll refine your bourbon and make careful cuts to separate the different fractions:
  • Heads: The first portion of the distillate contains volatile compounds like methanol and should be discarded.
  • Hearts: This middle section contains the best-tasting alcohol. It’s the purest part of your distillate and the section you’ll want to keep.
  • Tails: The final part of the distillate contains heavier compounds and oils. You can choose to discard these or save them for future batches.

Always collect the hearts for aging, as this is where your bourbon’s flavour comes through.

Aging: The Key to Bourbon’s Signature Flavour

Aging is what transforms your raw spirit into smooth, complex bourbon. Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels, which impart rich flavours like vanilla, caramel, and oak to the spirit.

  1. Using Oak Barrels: If you can, age your bourbon in small charred oak barrels. The size of the barrel affects how quickly the spirit ages, with smaller barrels accelerating the process due to the larger surface area in contact with the spirit.
  • Age for at least 6 months to 2 years. For deeper, richer flavours, many home distillers aim for 12-24 months of aging.
  1. Oak Chips or Staves (Alternative Method): If barrels are unavailable, oak chips or staves can mimic the aging process. Add them to your bourbon and let it rest for 6-12 months, stirring or rotating occasionally to ensure even exposure to the wood.
  2. Maturation and Tasting: During aging, taste your bourbon periodically. Over time, the spirit will mellow and take on the sweet, complex characteristics that bourbon lovers adore. The longer the aging period, the smoother and richer your bourbon will become.

Delicious Bourbon Recipes

Here are a couple of home-distilled bourbon recipes you can try once you've mastered the basics.

  1. Classic Bourbon Recipe:
  • Ingredients:
    • 70% corn
    • 20% rye
    • 10% malted barley
    • Whiskey yeast
    • Oak barrel or oak chips for aging
  • Instructions:
  1. Mash the grains and follow the fermentation steps.
  2. Distil the fermented mash twice, keeping the hearts from the second distillation.
  3. Age in a charred oak barrel for 12-24 months to develop deep caramel and vanilla notes.
  4. Wheat Bourbon (Similar to Maker’s Mark):
  • Ingredients:
    • 70% corn
    • 20% wheat
    • 10% malted barley
    • Whiskey yeast
  • Instructions:
  1. Mash the grains and ferment for 5-7 days.
  2. Distil twice in a pot still, separating the heads, hearts, and tails.
  3. Age the hearts in a charred oak barrel or with oak chips for at least 12 months to achieve a smooth, mellow finish.
  4. Honey-Infused Bourbon:
  • Ingredients:
    • 500 ml of homemade bourbon (aged at least 6 months)
    • 2 tablespoons of honey
    • A splash of water
  • Instructions:
  1. Combine the bourbon, honey, and water in a jar.
  2. Let the mixture sit for 2-3 days, shaking daily to mix the flavours.
  3. Strain the bourbon and enjoy it on the rocks or in a classic bourbon cocktail like an Old Fashioned.

Final Thoughts

Making bourbon at home requires patience and precision, but the reward is a smooth, complex whiskey that you’ve crafted yourself. By carefully selecting your grains, distilling with precision, and aging in charred oak barrels, you can create a bourbon that rivals even the finest commercial brands.

Whether you prefer a classic corn-heavy bourbon or a smooth wheat bourbon, the possibilities are endless. Take your time to experiment with different grain bills and aging techniques to discover your perfect recipe. Cheers to making your own delicious home-distilled bourbon!

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