There is a growing interest in making your own mead or honeyshine from honey, and that’s likely due to the intricate subtleties in the sweetness of honey. You should know some things before hopping on the bandwagon. Find out the best tips for distilling honey into mead and honeyshine.
Ensure You Have Permits
One of the most important things you need to do before beginning is to ensure you have the proper permits. Distillation of alcohol is illegal without federal permits. As such, you must obtain a distilled spirit plant permit. You should also check your state’s regulations, as you may require additional permits partial to your state.
Use Wildflower Honey
Most honeyshines utilize honey as a back sweetener, using cane sugar and grain for the main fermentation process. If you want to experience the wonderful flavors that honey offers, then consider using wildflower honey for the base.
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Always Have a Clean Wash
If you are at the precipice of your mead and honeyshine journey, the best tip you could receive for distilling honey is to keep a clean wash. That means you should only choose the best and highest-quality ingredients to make your mead or honeyshine. Ensuring a clean wash increases the likelihood that your product comes out the same every time, with little differences in quality.
Let Your Fermentation Settle
The secret to distillation is patience. Always allow your fermentation to settle for long enough. Check on it periodically, but don’t mess with it too much. It’s best to let your fermentation settle for around a week or two. When you notice no bubbles, your mead should be ready for bottling and aging.
Bottling and Aging
Now, you can move to the final step in distilling your honey into mead or honeyshine: bottling and aging your drink. You should expect to age your mead or honeyshine for around six months. You can also age it by adding medium-toasted oak chips to your mixture.