Peach brandy is basically a mixture of fruit and sugar. When left alone for a while, it will ferment and produce a peach flavoured alcoholic liquid. By adding yeast to the sugar/fruit/water mixture, the fermentation process gets a jump start.
Getting started
Before you start, make sure you have a stone crock or a few large glasses or stoneware bowls. Containers should be washed well with hot, soapy water and rinsed well. You can use plastic wrap to cover them. During the fermentation process, it’s a good idea to place the containers on trays in case your mixture overflows.
Peaches can be peeled if you wish, but leaving the skins on gives the brandy a pretty pink blush that is very attractive if you bottle it in clear glass.
Ingredients
- 3 quarts cut-up peaches with pits. You don’t have to peel them, just cut out any bad spots. The tree-ripened peaches have the most sugar and are the juiciest. Be flexible on the amounts, you can use more or less depending on how much fruit is available and the size of your containers.
- 4 pounds sugar
- 6 cups cold water. Use chemical-free water for this – purchase bottled spring water if you have chlorine in your tap water.
- 6 tsp. dry yeast
Instructions
- Wash peaches well and cut each one into 4 or 5 pieces.
- Layer peaches with sugar in a large stone crock. Dissolve yeast in about a cup of warm water and add to the peaches and sugar. Pour the cold water on top to cover the peaches. Be sure to leave room for the fermenting process to bubble. Cover the crock with a plate or a clean towel and place it out of the way on a tray with low sides to catch any of the juice that might overflow the crock.
- After a week, stir the mixture with a long spoon, cover and let sit. Keep doing this for 4 weeks.
- After four weeks, strain the mixture and discard the peach pulp and pits. Pour the brandy into bottles. Put lids on loosely and store in a dark place.