Benefits of Using Inverted Sugar in Your Home Distilling Wash
HOME DISTILLING has become more and more popular around Australia. When making your own spirits, using inverted sugar in your wash can offer several benefits. But what is inverted sugar, and why should you use it?
Benefits of Using Inverted Sugar in Your Home Distilling Wash
Home distilling has become more and more popular around Australia. When making your own spirits, using inverted sugar in your wash can offer several benefits. But what is inverted sugar, and why should you use it?
What is Inverted Sugar?
Inverted sugar is a mix of glucose and fructose. It’s made by breaking down regular sugar (sucrose) with heat and acid or an enzyme. This process creates a syrup that’s sweeter and more easily fermentable than regular sugar.
Faster Fermentation
One of the biggest benefits of using inverted sugar is that it speeds up fermentation. Yeast finds it easier to consume glucose and fructose compared to sucrose. When yeast has less work to do breaking down sugars, it ferments faster. This means your wash will be ready for distilling sooner.
Improved Alcohol Yield
Using inverted sugar can also lead to a higher alcohol yield. Since yeast can quickly and efficiently convert glucose and fructose to alcohol, you get more bang for your buck. In other words, the same amount of sugar can produce more alcohol, making your home distilling more efficient.
Smoother Taste
Inverted sugar can improve the taste of your final product. Regular sugar can sometimes leave a harsh taste in your spirits. Inverted sugar ferments more cleanly, resulting in a smoother, more refined taste. This is especially noticeable in spirits like rum and vodka, where the smoothness of the alcohol is crucial.
Better Control Over the Process
Using inverted sugar gives you better control over the distilling process. Since the fermentation is more predictable, you can plan your distilling schedule more accurately. This control helps avoid common issues like stuck fermentation, where the yeast stops working before all the sugar is converted to alcohol.
Less Stress on the Yeast
Yeast is a living organism, and it works best when it’s not under too much stress. Using inverted sugar puts less strain on the yeast because it doesn’t have to work as hard to break down the sugar. Less stress means healthier yeast, which can improve the overall quality of your wash and final product.
Consistent Results
With inverted sugar, you’re more likely to get consistent results each time you distill. Regular sugar can ferment unevenly, leading to variations in your alcohol content and flavor. Inverted sugar ferments more consistently, so you know what to expect each time you make a batch.
How to Make Inverted Sugar
Inverted sugar is made by mixing two parts sugar to one part water and adding lemon juice. Heat this mixture almost to a boil, then reduce to a vigorous simmer for about 30 minutes. Do NOT allow it to boil.
Ingredients for 1 Kilogram of Inverted Sugar:
- 5 cups finely granulated sugar (approximately 1 kilogram)
- 2.5 cups water (approximately 625 milliliters)
- 4.5 teaspoons lemon juice
Expand the recipe above to make the amount required by a particular recipe. For example, to make 2.5 kilograms of invert sugar, use:
- 12.5 cups sugar
- 6.25 cups water
- 11.25 teaspoons lemon juice
Make the invert sugar at least 2 hours ahead of time (to give it sufficient time to cool).
Inverted sugar is great for brewing because your yeast doesn’t have to work as hard to digest it. There’s no need for your yeast to break sucrose down into its constituent monosaccharides for fermentation.
Using inverted sugar might seem like an extra step, but the benefits are worth it. Faster fermentation, higher alcohol yield, smoother taste, and better control over the process all lead to a better home distilling experience. Plus, making inverted sugar is easy and adds a bit of fun to your home distilling hobby.
So next time you’re preparing your wash, give inverted sugar a go. You might find that it takes your home-distilled spirits to the next level. Cheers to better home distilling!
Until next time… Happy Distilling!
Cheers
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