Go Back

Peach Moonshine Mash

A simple homemade peach moonshine mash using fresh peaches, sugar, yeast, and optional honey and spirits, fermented for 3–4 weeks to yield a smooth, fruit-forward spirit.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 27 shots
Course: Spirits and Liqueurs
Cuisine: American, Appalachian
Calories: 85
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 10 pounds fresh peaches ripe but firm, cut into chunks
  • 8 pounds granulated sugar
  • 1 gallon filtered or distilled water
  • 2 packets high-alcohol tolerant distiller's yeast such as turbo yeast
  • 2 cups honey optional but recommended for smoothness
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup peach schnapps or brandy optional, for added complexity

Equipment

  • 1 gallon glass jar or fermentation vessel
  • Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
  • Wooden spoon for stirring
  • Funnel for transferring liquid
  • Glass bottles for storage
  • Airlock or breathable cover (coffee filter)
  • Kitchen scale for accurate measurements
  • Knife and cutting board for preparing peaches

Method
 

  1. Wash 10 pounds of fresh peaches under cool running water, then halve, pit, and cut into chunks.
  2. Pour 1 gallon of filtered water into the fermentation vessel and add 8 pounds of granulated sugar, stirring until fully dissolved.
  3. Add the peach chunks to the sugar solution and stir thoroughly to combine.
  4. Stir in 2 cups of honey and 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice until evenly mixed.
  5. Sprinkle 2 packets of distiller's yeast over the mash surface and let sit 5 minutes, then stir gently to distribute the yeast.
  6. If using, add 1/2 cup of peach schnapps or brandy and stir to incorporate.
  7. Cover the vessel with an airlock or breathable cloth and ferment at 65 to 75 °F.
  8. Allow fermentation for 21 to 28 days, giving the mash a gentle stir once after the first week.
  9. Once fermentation is complete (liquid clear and bubbling stopped), strain the mash through cheesecloth into a clean container.
  10. Filter the strained liquid through a coffee filter into storage bottles for extra clarity.
  11. Seal bottles and age for 2 to 4 weeks at room temperature before serving.

Notes

Aging in the bottle for 2 to 4 weeks improves smoothness and flavor integration.