Ginger Beer to Whisky is it possible?

[Brew_Novice]

Hi everyone,

I posted in another thread today that the ginger beer I made is potentally infected as the lids of the kegs popped off late last night exposing to open air and possibly fruit flies.

As you can imagine I am pretty gutted especially as I am new to brewing and want to enjoy my efforts.

Do you know if it is possible to turn this ginger beer into whisky or something else spirit wise?

I have read on here that turning infected beer into spirits can sometimes save it.

Let me know your thoughts?

 

[Willee]

Save it?
If you distill the batch of beer to extract the alcohol then it is not beer anymore.
Note: distilling alcohol is illegal without a license or permit.
I would use a column type still to extract the alcohol at a high proof.
Mix that with some good filtered water and then distill it again.
You should be able to get almost pure ethyl alcohol (190+ proof).
Mix that with your finished beer to raise the ABV or just cut it down to 100 proof and call it vodka

 

[Brew_Novice]

Thanks I am new to brewing in general so not sure if I am quite ready for spirits yet. Think i might try and look at my brew and get it into another clean container. If it is fruit fly ridden I think I will chuck away.

 

[eric19312]

I responded in your other thread. I like the idea of getting it into another container. Fruit flies are not the end of the world. If they are in there I'd strain them out and assume you are now making vinegar. I think a ginger beer vinegar could be very interesting.

Distilling legal or not depending on where you live is a lot of trouble and equipment you probably don't have.

 

[cswant88]

I read your other thread on the mini kegs. With that small volume of ginger beer you're talking about, it's not at all worth the hassle, especially if you don't already have the equipment. With distilling, it takes a lot to get a little.

 

[bernardsmith]

The simplest and easiest solution to a problem that may not in fact exist is to add the appropriate number of Campden tabs to your ginger beer. The K-meta will kill any acetobacter that might have found a toe hold.
That said, to make a whisky you need to start with grains and not ginger or fruit. Most likely those who distill fruit wines (whether you call the wine a beer or not is not really important) end up with a brandy - of sorts. If you distill sugar you might end up with a rum of sorts and if you strip off all the flavor from any of those distillates you end up with "vodka". But you really cannot get a true whisky from anything but grains . That said, if you soaked some toasted oak in your distillate for the requisite period of time you may end up with a drink that some might be willing to call "whisky" even if the distillate did not come from a grain... Given the fact that a main feature of many whiskies is the oak color and flavor - tho I don't know that anyone who was brought up drinking Talisker or Laphroaig with their mother's milk would agree. Yer needs yer peat and yer needs yer barley.