Omari Gates
Making whiskey at home in Australia is an interesting process, but it is important to note that it may be illegal and potentially dangerous. In Australia, it is legal to brew but not to distil without an excise licence from the ATO. The process of making whiskey involves choosing a grain, such as corn, malted barley, or maize, and soaking it for around eight days until it sprouts. The grain is then dried and milled, after which it is added to warm water to create a mash. Yeast is then added to the mash, which converts the sugars into alcohol. The whiskey is then distilled and aged in wooden casks, where it develops its flavour, colour, and body.
How to make whiskey at home in Australia
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Legality | Distilling alcohol is illegal without permits. Home brewing is legal, but distillation is not. |
| Recipe | Choose a grain base, such as corn, malted barley, or maize. |
| Soak and spread grains for around eight days until they sprout. | |
| Dry and roast the grains. | |
| Mill the grains and add to warm water (65°C) to create a mash. | |
| Fermentation | Transfer the mash to a fermentation tank. |
| Add yeast to the mash, ensuring the mixture is aerated. | |
| Keep the fermenter at a stable temperature of around 70°F, avoiding direct sunlight. | |
| Ferment for 10-14 days. | |
| Distillation | Distill the fermented mash to create "low wines" at about 30% ABV. |
| Repeat the distillation process to create "high wines" or new-make whisky, a clear spirit close to 75% ABV. | |
| Aging | Add water to the new-make whisky to bring it down to barrel-strength (50-75% ABV). |
| Transfer to wooden casks for aging. The type of wood will impact the whisky's style. | |
| Age for a minimum of three years, allowing the whisky to develop its flavour, colour, and body. | |
| Notes | The first batch from distillation may not be safe to drink and can be discarded for better flavour. |
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Choosing the right grain
The grain you choose will have a significant impact on the flavour of your whiskey. The primary grains used for making whiskey are barley, corn, rye, and wheat.
Corn is the signature grain for American whiskey and is essential to the making of bourbon. Corn has a high starch content, which creates a sweet flavour with notes of rich caramel and honey, and a creamy, almost syrupy texture. Corn also has the highest potential alcohol yield compared to other grains. However, it requires higher temperatures in processing. Corn-based whiskeys are best suited to those who prefer an easy-drinking beverage.
Rye is a spicy, grainy, and hard-edged grain that will add a kick to your whiskey. It is a favourite for bourbon distillers who want to add zip to their product. It is notoriously difficult to work with due to its sticky texture, but it makes a delicious product. To make a rye whiskey, your recipe must contain at least 51% rye grain, and it must be aged in charred American oak barrels.
Barley is the most widely used grain in the world and is highly versatile. It is used in single-malt Scotch and in almost every great American whiskey and bourbon. Barley has a warm, nutty profile with hints of toast, toffee, cereal, and cocoa. It gives viscosity and texture to whiskey, leading to a long finish. Barley grains are often malted – a drying process that increases its sugar content and ability to ferment.
Wheat is a softer grain that offers a sweeter flavour profile with notes of apple. Wheat whiskeys are extremely popular, and almost all of them are made in America. They are known for their smoothness and wealth of flavours.
When choosing your grain, it is important to consider the flavour profile you want to create, as well as the workability of the grain. You can also choose to blend multiple grains to create a unique flavour.
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Preparing the grain
In Australia, distillers have more freedom in their choice of grain compared to other countries. For instance, in Scotland, only malted barley is used to make single malt whiskey. In Australia, you can even use corn or maize to make a bourbon-style whisky.
The first step in preparing the grain is to malt it. Spread the grains out on a malting floor and soak them for around eight days until they begin to sprout. This process is not common among distillers, with many choosing to buy pre-malted grain. The next step is to dry the grain and, sometimes, heat it enough to roast it.
Once the grain is milled, it is added to warm water at about 65°C. This process converts the carbohydrates in the grain into simple sugars. The resulting liquid is called a mash. It is important to note that the grain used to make whiskey will lower the pH of the water during the mashing process. To prevent this, a buffering agent like calcium can be added to neutralise the pH drop. For this reason, whiskey made in Kentucky and Tennessee, where there is an abundance of limestone, has historically been considered some of the best in the world.
After the mash is prepared, it is moved into a fermentation tank. It is important to aerate the mash before adding yeast, as yeast needs dissolved oxygen to produce additional healthy cells. This can be done by shaking the fermenter for about two minutes. The fermenter should be stored somewhere with a stable temperature of around 70°F and kept out of direct sunlight.
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Fermentation
The next step is to make a whiskey mash. This involves crushing grain and then mixing it with hot water. The purpose of making a whiskey mash is to convert complex sugars into simple sugars that can be more easily consumed by yeast and turned into alcohol during the fermentation process.
Once the mash is ready, it is moved into a fermentation tank, and yeast is added. The yeast feeds on the sugar and makes carbon dioxide and alcohol as a by-product. This process is carefully controlled because it affects the final flavour of the whisky. Various kinds of yeast can affect the flavour, and brewers may use a combination of brewer’s and distiller’s yeast to create the desired flavours.
Once fermentation is complete, the wash is moved to the copper still and heated to turn the alcohol into vapour. The vapour returns to liquid form in a condenser, leaving about two-thirds of the water and other substances in the wash. This is called ''low wines' and is at about 30% ABV.
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Distillation
Distilling alcohol at home is illegal in Australia without the proper permits and licenses. However, if you are determined to learn how to distill whiskey at home, you should first choose your grain. In Australia, you are not restricted to using only malted barley, as they are in Scotland when making single malt whiskey. You can use corn or maize to make a bourbon-style whiskey. The grains are soaked and spread out on a malting floor for around eight days until they begin to sprout. The grains are then dried and sometimes heated enough to roast them. Once milled, the malted grain is added to warm water (approximately 65°C), which converts the carbohydrates in the grain into simple sugars. This mixture is called a mash.
The mash is then transferred to a fermentation tank, and yeast is added. The yeast consumes the sugars and excretes alcohol, turning the mash into a type of unhopped beer. The fermentation period will probably take several days, and the mash will begin to change. First, it will taste sweet, and then it will turn sour. This sourness indicates that the sugar is being converted into alcohol. The fermented mash is then distilled to create what is called 'low wines', which is around 30% ABV. This process is repeated to create 'high wines' or new-make whisky, a clear spirit close to 75% ABV.
Water is added to the new-make to reduce the alcohol content to barrel-strength, between 50-75%. It is then transferred to wooden casks to age. The type of wood chosen for the barrels will impact the whisky's style. In Australia, whisky must be aged in wooden casks for a minimum of three years. During this time, the whisky will soak into the wood, developing its flavour, colour, and body. It will also slowly evaporate from the barrels.
It is important to note that distilling alcohol at home can be dangerous, and you should not attempt it without the proper knowledge, equipment, and legal permits.
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Ageing
The maturation process is the final and arguably most important step in whiskey production. While it is difficult to achieve the perfect whiskey aging, the materials required are straightforward and affordable. The most commonly used methods for aging whiskey at home are small barrel aging, wood sticks, wood staves, wood chips, and wood spirals.
Barrels are the most traditional method of do-it-yourself whiskey aging. Many barrel aging kits are available online, ranging in size from 1-20 liters. Most offerings are made from American white oak, but with a little searching, you’ll find more exotic wood types too. Before filling up your barrel, be sure to first fill it with warm water and put it in a place where potential leakage isn’t a problem. Leave your cask until the wood swells enough to make it liquid-tight. Once that part is over, you can go out looking for moonshine or new make (maybe from a local distillery).
For small batches, you can place whiskey in a small container and add charred white oak. Allow it to sit for up to 6-8 months, or until it reaches your desired flavor. The time required to age will depend on the ratio of the volume of liquid to the amount of wood added. It is recommended to taste test every few weeks to determine when it's ready.
Wood chips and staves are the most affordable option for aging whiskey at home. You can simply add American white oak sticks or shavings to a jar with whiskey or the bottle the whiskey came in. Once inside the container, the wood will interact with the spirit, absorbing and then releasing it.
If you are looking for a quicker option, oak chips are the fastest technique. The oaking process can be completed in days or weeks. Using a shot of high-proof ethanol, pour it over oak cubes in a container that is safe to burn in. Light it on fire and let it burn for a couple of minutes.
Aging whiskey at home can take anywhere from a few months to a year, or even up to three to five years for those well-versed in the art of whiskey aging. Many whiskey-lovers will have different cycles going, with one batch that will be ready in a few months and another that will take longer. Just when you think the whiskey is ready to go, consider adding some extra flavor with flavoring oils available from several fully prepared kits and barrel suppliers.
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Frequently asked questions
Home distillation is illegal in Australia. However, you can obtain a free excise licence from the ATO to run a still for personal consumption.
You will need a grain base, such as corn, malted barley, or wheat, as well as yeast and water.
You will need a still for distillation, as well as a fermentation tank and a sealed container for fermentation.
First, the grains are malted, soaked, and spread out until they sprout. Then, they are dried and milled. The malted grain is then added to warm water to create a mash, which is then transferred to a fermentation tank with yeast. Finally, the distilled whiskey is aged in wooden casks.
