In today’s world, the craft distiller does not have to purchase a mash tun and fermentation tanks to make wash. I suggest eliminating these vessels and building your distillery near a microbrewery and letting them produce the wash for you.

Brewpubs and micro breweries produce “wort” which is brewed into beer every day. The reality is that this sugar water from the mash-tun can really be called wash. Wort or “wash” are interchangeable terms because they’re both made from sweet barley water. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to create a high quality wash. All you have to do is work with a brewmaster. No trade secrets here, and there are lots of books on making wort… I mean wash.

There are over 1,500 breweries in the U.S.A. that already have grain silos, mills, boilers, mash-tuns and fermentation tanks in place. As I said, these breweries already produce wort on a daily basis. The brewers who are familiar with barley wines know how to make high-gravity wort that is bright and clean. Finally, most craft breweries would like to earn a little extra income for creating a wash that the distiller will turn into whiskey.

Bill Owens