Has anyone tried to distill hot pepper mash?

[ScottinAtlanta]

I have so many superhots this year that I am thinking of fermenting a couple of gallons of mash, and distilling the mash into a kind of pepper eau de vie. A couple of questions:

1) Will the capsaicin distill with the alcohol, or will the alcohol contain only the flavor of the peppers?
2) How much natural sugar is in a superhot pepper? That is, will I have to add sugar for the fermentation?

[Jeanus]

I do not know I will follow I have only made potato wine and clarified it lol it needed sugar. I want to try the apple but have not found apples this year. Sugar is needed for most wine recipes or not much alcohol was made even with sugary fruit. You might need an instrument to measure the brix to get enough sugar for fermentation. Brix Refractometer it is on my list of things to buy.

[dmforcier]

As per Jeanus and assuming an alcoholic mash, you might make something.

I haven't tried it, but from what I know the alcohol and the other stuff would flash out at different temps. IIUC, the old timers would recognize and collect different [oh there's a word for it] products fractions and only drink a few. Products correspond to the steam temperature. At 90° X would come off; at 96° Y would come off.

I'd suggest an experiment, but it seems kind of a shame to 'waste' all that mash. Fermented mash, with a few choice ingrediments, can make dandy sauce.

[Worth1]

It is called cracking off.

[TomNJ]

Pure capsaicin is a crystalline white powder with a molecular weight of 305, compared to ethyl alcohol's molecular weight of just 46. Distillation will separate the two and I would not expect any significant capsaicin to come over with the alcohol.

If you wish to make any meaningful alcohol in the fermentation you will need to add sugar or malted grains.

TomNJ/VA

[Worth1]

First you cannot distill alcohol without a permit from the government, just a warning to keep the revenuers off your back.
You cannot do it in your house or in the yard in a shed.
Maybe the latter if you live in the country or an industrial area or the proper permits are obtained.
Next every drop of alcohol has to be sent off and tax stamped.
Yes you see videos where people do it in the house.
Every one of them are breaking the law.
I dont care what anyone says you cannot lawfully distill at home.
So dont advertise it if you do.
((IF)) you want the pepper flavor you will be far better off making wine and if you want a stronger drink fortify it.
Fortifying wine is simply adding alcohol of your choice.
The next thing you could do is to infuse something like SKYY vodka with peppers.
Or any vodka that has been filtered many times.
After the infusion filter the peppers back out.
Do not use Ever Clear it is garbage.

[Jeanus]

Yes wine and beer are the only legal ones unless you get a permit for making vehicle fuel. I do not know how pepper gasohol would run in a car. I think it might run hot.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Originally Posted by Worth1

First you cannot distill alcohol without a permit from the government, just a warning to keep the revenuers off your back.
You cannot do it in your house or in the yard in a shed.
Maybe the latter if you live in the country or an industrial area or the proper permits are obtained.
Next every drop of alcohol has to be sent off and tax stamped.
Yes you see videos where people do it in the house.
Every one of them are breaking the law.
I dont care what anyone says you cannot lawfully distill at home.
So dont advertise it if you do.
((IF)) you want the pepper flavor you will be far better off making wine and if you want a stronger drink fortify it.
Fortifying wine is simply adding alcohol of your choice.
The next thing you could do is to infuse something like SKYY vodka with peppers.
Or any vodka that has been filtered many times.
After the infusion filter the peppers back out.
Do not use Ever Clear it is garbage.

Growing up in Georgia, I know the laws well. There is an exemption in the State law if you distill alcohol for fuel, rather than human consumption. My 1985 Mercedes diesel station wagon will rather enjoy the results.

[Worth1]

You might consider a fractionating column.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractionating_column
Or reflux still.
If I were to make alcohol I would use one and not a pot still.
They can be used for many things.

[pmcgrady]

You can call it hot pepper essential oil no permit needed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[dmforcier]

Why does this remind me of Breaking Bad?

[BakedIn]

No doubt. That's next level there.

[Worth1]

I wouldn't let the feds know I have a distiller for any reason.
None of their business.
Worth