Peach Brandy: an Experiment

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

There's an old family recipe for this, which I'm not using, but might next time if this doesn't work out. This is a very imprecise version, but that's ok. I started it two days ago, fyi, and it's already started developing alcohol.

Dump a bunch of sugar in the bottom of a glass jar. Carefully wash and halve nine ripe peaches - leave the pits in, though. Layer them in the jar, adding more sugar between layers. When you've got everything in there, add enough water to fill it up to an inch from the top. Poke a hole in the lid (because this stuff will bubble really, really fast and you don't want the jar to explode) and put it away some place dry and cool.

That's all I've done so far. I tried a little bit of it a couple minutes ago and it's delicious. I'm not calling it done until February, though. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

[Aggie]

My chemist self will quibble that it's going to be a peach wine rather than a brandy, unless you're planning to set up a still.   Let me know how the end result turns out - I'd like to try it if it's good.  If you're not adding yeast specifically, it's going to be dependent on your native yeasts, so the success may vary by location.  We've peaches here, but maybe the strains would be different.

Hmm...  I might be able to get a local recipe for peach wine and compare.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Hey, that's what the internet/my grandmother call it, lol. Looks like the native yeasts in the fruit I got is damn good, 'cause that sucker started bubbling like less than a day afterward. I was briefly concerned the jar was going to over flow like a shaken soda when I first opened it this morning and I only started it four days ago.

Also, jerry rigged a set up to let the excess gasses out without leaving it open to the air by drilling that hole in the lid a bit wider and inserting a hose. The hose feeds into a (clean beer) bottle filled with water and oil. Lets the gas escape, keeps out the air. I took a picture, but my phone does not like the inside of my pantry and the photos look really weird. I'll try again later.

I'll know by February at the latest, so I'll definitely let you know.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Did you know it was a common thing, back in the medieval days, to have a sort of glass trap assembly?   The glass trap was made of glass (duuh) and shaped like an "S" only on it's side.  One end was longer, and was inserted into the sealed bottle/keg/container.  Some water might be added within it's loops, but not always-- sometimes natural fermentation coupled with low temperatures caused water vapor to naturally condense in the trap.  Cotton was typically stuffed into the open end, to keep out critters.

I've seen paintings and drawings of these apparatus in old history books.

You've re-invented it all by yourself-- kudos!

[Darlica]

The modern version of Bobs contraption. 



This is a fermenting tube with a water trap, during the fermentation the cap is replaced with a thin textile fabric.

Nifty little thing.


Good luck with the brewing!

[Swatopluk]

It's also used in old-fashioned gas detectors. Students usually encounter it first in chemistry courses on the topic of proving CO2 emissions from reaction mictures.

[anthrobabe]

mmmmmmmmmm--- good job--- and we look forward to yummy updates

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Aaaaaaaaaaand FAIL. Didn't seal the vent hole well enough and it turned into vinegar! D: I'll try again soon, I suppose.

[Aggie]

Not a fail - that'll be mighty fine on salads, and might age nicely.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Wish that had occurred to me before I dumped it. D:

Ah well.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Oooohhh that's too bad-- peach vinegar on a nice fresh-green salad, with a bit of apple/fruit thrown in?  That would've been yummy....


... for next time, you can enhance your chances of success, by adding a pinch of brewer's yeast into the mix-- if you overwhelm the other (undesirable) microbes in the batch with the one you want, it usually works out, or so I've read.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

It was doing fine until I didn't seal the vent, lol.

Speaking of which, I just did. I used plumber's putty to seal it over, and I'm hoping it a) works, since it says not to use it on plastic and I'm doing it anyway and b) that it doesn't contaminate the taste. I'm going to fill the jar with water tonight and check tomorrow before I go buy more peaches (they're 88¢ a pound right now).

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

It was doing fine until I didn't seal the vent, lol.

Speaking of which, I just did. I used plumber's putty to seal it over, and I'm hoping it a) works, since it says not to use it on plastic and I'm doing it anyway and b) that it doesn't contaminate the taste. I'm going to fill the jar with water tonight and check tomorrow before I go buy more peaches (they're 88¢ a pound right now).

Any good-quality of duck tape ought to do better-- the good quality ones use natural rubber-based glues on the back, which is nominally waterproof for awhile-- certainly long enough for your project.  Some plumber's putties are dependent on fresh water flowing away the out-gassing, which can stink.  One reason why I don't use the stuff myself (I use RTV silicone and let it cure-out before food-grade water is used-- and I do not use the anti-mildew stuff, ever-- that kind has poison in it).

Good old garden-variety clay might work, at least until it dries out, if you've any about the place.

[Aggie]

Beeswax makes good seals for this sort of thing, is easy to work with, waterproof and nontoxic.  Paraffin wax would work in a pinch, but tends to be more brittle.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Brilliant!  You're so right, and wax was/is the original inert ingredient--

-- I remember from chemistry history: before they invented high-density polyethylene  containers, wax bottles were the only way to contain the really-really caustic chemical mixtures, such as hydro-flouric acid or aqua regia.

[anthrobabe]

I was wondering if the peach vinegar would be good to use, but did not say anything because while I know the basics of how vinegar is made was not wanting to tell some one to 'eat it' without being sure.
I should have just asked, as I now see that it would have been good.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

It was doing fine until I didn't seal the vent, lol.

Speaking of which, I just did. I used plumber's putty to seal it over, and I'm hoping it a) works, since it says not to use it on plastic and I'm doing it anyway and b) that it doesn't contaminate the taste. I'm going to fill the jar with water tonight and check tomorrow before I go buy more peaches (they're 88¢ a pound right now).

Any good-quality of duck tape ought to do better-- the good quality ones use natural rubber-based glues on the back, which is nominally waterproof for awhile-- certainly long enough for your project.  Some plumber's putties are dependent on fresh water flowing away the out-gassing, which can stink.  One reason why I don't use the stuff myself (I use RTV silicone and let it cure-out before food-grade water is used-- and I do not use the anti-mildew stuff, ever-- that kind has poison in it).

Good old garden-variety clay might work, at least until it dries out, if you've any about the place.

I used duct tape initially - not sure of the quality, but it didn't work at all. D: I contemplated using silicone - we have some around, but decided against it and no, we haven't got clay around, unfortunately.

I just looked around for beeswax here in town via the interwebz, and saw nothing. D:

The plumber's putty seems like it'll work fine, at least for now. I filled up the jar I'm going to use with water and left it overnight to see if it would contaminate the contents, and it doesn't look like it will.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

New setup.

[pieces o nine]

Good Luck!   

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

If you opt for silicone?  You need to take some precautions.

1) never use kitchen/bathroom grade silicone, as it has anti-mold chemicals.   Stick to Aquarium-grade-- it's 100% silicone without additives.

2) allow it to cure-out for at least 24 hours, before coming in contact with food-- a week is better, if you used more than 1/4" thick bead.  Uncured silicone out-gasses as it cures, releasing a vinegar-smell.  It can and will affect taste, until it cures-out.  Then, it's about as neutral a substance as there is...

............

I'm kinda worried about your plumber's putty, though-- some brands are soluble in alcohol, of which you'll be making in a bit.   Watch out for discoloration in or around the putty itself.  

Damn shame about the beezwax, though-- maybe you can try some of the women's hair salons?  Those that include "waxing" of various body parts?  The wax they use (if it's a natural one) is often made of beeswax... but it's mixed with stuff to keep it soft and sticky, so maybe not a good idea after all.

.....

Epoxy glue is inert, once cured, and you can get the 5 minute stuff anywhere.  Mix very thoroughly for at least a minute (60 seconds) to get a good cure...

... should'a though of that stuff first.  

Sorry.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Ah, bathroom grade silicone is what we have.

I'll double check the container and yeah, the seal itself for weirdness, and I'll see if we have any epoxy.

Seriously though, thank you (all) for your suggestions! :3

[Sibling DavidH]

After tasting my #1 daughter's raspberry rum, I've made some.  No fermentation, just fill a jar with squashed rasperries, a bit of sugar and cheap white rum, then leave it for a long time.  Much easier, much stronger but much more expensive!
I'll filter it with a coffee thingy ready for Christmas.
Hope your peach project works out this time, Scrib!

[anthrobabe]

sorry will not post my Pam Anderson comment here.

[Aggie]

You should be able to get plain, unscented beeswax candles at any health-food-store type place.  Those'll work, and shouldn't have any additives.  Most apiaries will be have beeswax for sale as well, but these may be further afield.

David!  Good to see you back, Sibling! 

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

That did not work at all. The seal did, but I think the pantry's too warm. I went to look at it yesterday and the beer bottle I had been using for the vent had over flowed and it was generally a disaster (no vinegar survived, either). D:

Not sure where I can put the damn thing if I try again, since it's still summer here and there's no place really cool enough in the house, and I'm wary of burying it in the yard for fear of the jar asploding.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

That did not work at all. The seal did, but I think the pantry's too warm. I went to look at it yesterday and the beer bottle I had been using for the vent had over flowed and it was generally a disaster (no vinegar survived, either). D:

Not sure where I can put the damn thing if I try again, since it's still summer here and there's no place really cool enough in the house, and I'm wary of burying it in the yard for fear of the jar asploding.

Hmmm... what you need, is a container that you can bury at least 3 feet down, and that has the ability to vent freely, but absolutely not allow anything back in return.

Let me think out-loud a bit, here.

Okay, try this one-- a glass jar for the container.  With a lid, what has a long-ish hose epoxied into it-- the hose needs to be more than 3 feet long, so it can get up to the surface.   You'll want to protect the metal jar-lid from dirt/water, etc, so after filling, wrap the whole thing (jar, lid and everything) with plastic wrap--several layers of that stretchy kind out to do it.  Take care to not kink your vent-hose-- a short pencil stub under it, where it bends over might help preserve a proper radius, but letting the hoes go sideways... easier to wrap.

Now, dig a hole, at least 3 feet down, and put your jar in-- I suggest dry sand on the bottom, and around the sides (no rocks that way), and even on top.  Then back-fill with dirt, taking care to keep the hose out.  Once filled, bury a 2nd small container next to the first, and fill with water, and insert your hose.  Seal this with tape-- not to worry, the tape will "let go" just enough to let the pressure out, but act like a flap-valve to help prevent contaminants.

Next, over the whole, place a cardboard box-- to keep things from fiddling with your hose, 2nd bottle rig.  And over that?  A plastic sheet.  Place rocks around the perimeter, and even some on top, to anchor the plastic sheet from rain, critters, etc.

Now, wait.   Your hole ought to be deep enough, to maintain between 60-70 degrees F the whole time.

Oh, and start out with brewer's yeast in your mix.  Just in case.



Luck!  

------------

Edit:  before you dig this up?  Smell what's coming out of your vent-hose-- if it smells at all wonky?  Simply leave the whole thing buried....



If it smells all alcohol-y and yummy?  Dig your jar out, with >>leather<< gloves on.  Just in case.... y'know...

Edit 2:

You could put a stick in your hole, next to your jar-- you mark on the stick various depths of dirt, and that way, as you dig it up, you'll have a hand progress indicator, so you know when to slow down and take care...

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Edit 3:

Instead of a glass jar?  How about a high-density polyethylene bucket, with a tight-fitting lid?  These can be had at your local Big Box Home Improvement store (with a suitable logo, too...) in the 5 gallon range.  No reason to fill it up all the way, either...

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Edit 4:

Combine the best of both worlds, here:  put your 1 gallon glass jug into one of those heavy duty plastic buckets, with a lid, and bury both into a hole.   No need for that plastic wrap, either-- the bucket will protect your fragile jar (and contain any exploded failures, too).   Pass the hose through the plastic lid as tightly as you can (cut the hole undersized, then cut your hose on a slant, permitting you to draw it through the hole and fit tightly-- no sealer needed).   

When you bury the bucket, prop the handle up, such that when you dig it up, when you get to the handle, you simply pull the whole thing out...

... as for the vent-bottle?  Use a plastic coke bottle instead of a glass beer one.   

Edit 5:

If you drill a teensy-tiny hole into the top of your plastic bucket?  And lay a piece of tape over that?  (taking care to not let it stick too hard-- the tape is just a dirt-filter here)-- perhaps a bit of plastic-sheet taped over the hole instead. 

Anyway, you put both the big jar and the little (vent) jar down into the bucket.  Some duct tape to keep the hose in place.  Loose packing material to keep the two from bumping, and upright.  Snap on the lid.  Carefully bury the whole, at least 3 feet down.... don't forget to put the handle-up, for later...



(see what happens when I free-associate like this? ... crazy ideas.... )

[Aggie]

I'm not sure it needs to be buried that deep - kimchi jars go near surface and seem to do fine (I'm not sure it's quite the right season for starting kimchi yet though).  You'd need to stick it on the north side of the house to keep it cooler, I suspect.

Bob's idea of a plastic bucket to hold the container would be good, though; no chance of explosion. If you put water in the bottom of the bucket and hang a towel or similar strip of cloth in there so that it protrudes to surface and allows evaporation, you'll get a little bit of refrigeration (better with a terra cotta jar).  If you keep an eye on the water level you might be able to use the outer container as the vent jar.  You could plausibly get away with this even unburied.  More details on this type of refrigeration:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot-in-pot_refrigerator

Or.... try doing a smaller batch, so that a quarter or half the jar is empty to allow plenty of headspace.  You probably won't overflow it that way.   The setup you had in the first picture doesn't allow much room for fizzing and bubbling.

If the peaches don't work out, wait until it's cooler and try pumpkin rum.