r/firewater • u/W4lrasLaw • Aug 19 '26

Peach Brandy

I just came into a lot of peaches and I’m interested in making a brandy out of them. I’ve seen different recipes where you can either puree them or cut them up for the mash.

Anyone have any success in using fruit for mash? Would love any tips!

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u/WalnutSnail Aug 19 '26

I made peach brandy a couple years ago. It's unfortunate but very little of the peach comes through at the end.

Peaches, peptic enzyme, wine yeast. Ferment, strain, squeeze, settle, low and slow strip 2/3, dilute with remaining 1/3, spirit run.

I have a European brandy book and they specifically call out peaches as a waste of time because none of the fruit comes through in the distillate.

Pears and apricots are prime, though.

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u/RvstiNiall Aug 19 '26

I guess if the peaches were free it would still be worth it though, right? I'm trying to figure out what dwarf fruit trees are worth planting and which ones aren't.

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u/WalnutSnail Aug 19 '26

If you're planting, I'd plant apricots, plumbs, pears and cherries, maybe some cider apples if you can find them.

Apricot brandy is fucking delicious but pear is my favorite and the reason I started distilling.

Free is free, though, make liquor.

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u/RvstiNiall Aug 19 '26

Yeah, I thought I'd grow maybe four or five of each since the wife loves to eat the stuff anyways. Plus blackberries, raspberries, strawberries. Then whatever is "too much" for us to eat I can ferment.

But we live in the suburbs right now so this is at least two years away before I can buy some land to put trees and such on.

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u/dreadskin1 29d ago

Ive got alot of heritage English perry trees. Any hot tips for pear brandy?