Starting from Scratch: How to Ferment a Simple Sugar Wash for making your own Spirits

April 28, 2025 David Sutherland

Introduction

If you've just bought an AirMax Pure and are dreaming of making your own spirits, the very first step is creating a simple sugar wash. A sugar wash is essentially a basic fermentation of sugar, water, and yeast — and it’s the easiest, most forgiving way to start your home distilling journey. Getting this part right lays the foundation for clean, high-quality alcohol that you can later refine, flavour, and enjoy. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started, avoid common mistakes, and prepare yourself for a smooth distillation process.

Introduction
Why Start With a Sugar Wash?
Ingredients You'll Need
Equipment Checklist
Step-by-Step: Making Your Sugar Wash
How to Tell When Fermentation is Finished
Next Steps: Preparing for Distillation
Troubleshooting: Common Sugar Wash Problems
Closing: Get Ready for the Fun Part

Why Start With a Sugar Wash?

Cheap, Easy, Forgiving

Minimal Ingredients: You only need sugar, water, yeast, and nutrients.
Low Cost: A batch typically costs just a few dollars.
High Success Rate: Even if your technique isn’t perfect yet, sugar washes usually ferment cleanly.
Quick Turnaround: Fermentation often finishes within 5–10 days, depending on temperature.

Perfect for First-Time Distillers

Many first-time distillers make the mistake of starting with fruit or grain-based washes. These are much more complex: they require careful enzyme conversion, fruit handling, or grain mashing skills. A sugar wash lets you learn the basic principles of fermentation and distillation without getting bogged down in advanced techniques.

Ingredients You'll Need

White Sugar

Regular table sugar (sucrose) is perfect. Avoid raw sugars, molasses, or brown sugars for your first batch — they can create strong flavours that mask mistakes.

Clean Water

Use filtered or boiled and cooled water if your tap water tastes heavily chlorinated or metallic. Yeast is sensitive to chemicals in water.

Distiller's Yeast

Specialised distiller’s yeast is designed to survive higher alcohol levels and ferment quickly. Some types even include built-in nutrients.

Yeast Nutrient (if not included)

Yeast needs food beyond just sugar: nitrogen, vitamins, minerals. Without nutrients, fermentation will stall or produce unwanted off-flavours.

Equipment Checklist

10L to 30L Fermenter with Airlock
Sanitiser
Thermometer
Mixing Paddle or Spoon (Stainless steel or food-grade plastic)
Hydrometer
Siphon Tube or Tap
Measuring Jug
Optional: Heating Pad or Brew Belt, Clarifying Agent (e.g., Turbo Clear)

Step-by-Step: Making Your Sugar Wash

1. Sanitise All Equipment

Clean everything that will touch your wash — fermenter, spoons, thermometer, airlock. Use a no-rinse sanitiser or a bleach solution followed by a clean water rinse. Any contamination can ruin your batch.

2. Prepare the Sugar Solution

Heat about half the required water to around 30-35°C (86-95°F). Add the sugar gradually, stirring until fully dissolved. Avoid overheating the water: boiling water can caramelise sugar and create unwanted flavours.

Basic Recipe for a 25L Wash:

6-8kg of white sugar
21L of clean water (adjust if you're adding sugar directly into a fermenter)

3. Cool the Solution

Top up with cold water to the final volume (e.g., 25L). Ensure the temperature drops below 30°C (86°F) before pitching yeast.

4. Pitch the Yeast

Sprinkle the yeast directly onto the surface — no need to stir. Alternatively, hydrate yeast first in lukewarm water (follow packet instructions). If separate, add yeast nutrients now.

5. Fit the Airlock

Seal your fermenter. Fill the airlock with water or sanitiser. Place your fermenter somewhere warm (20-25°C / 68-77°F) and away from direct sunlight.

6. Monitor Fermentation

Within 12-24 hours, you should see vigorous bubbling. Smell should be sweet initially, becoming slightly yeasty or "beer-like" over time.

Fermentation Tips:

If the temperature drops too low, fermentation may slow dramatically.
If it overheats above 30°C (86°F), yeast stress can cause off-flavours (solvent, banana smells).

How to Tell When Fermentation is Finished

You need to be sure fermentation has truly finished before distilling, or you risk pressure build-up and contamination.

Signs Fermentation is Complete:

No Bubbling: Airlock activity stops or slows dramatically.
Specific Gravity Reading: Hydrometer shows a reading between 0.990 and 1.000.
Consistent Readings: Take two readings 24 hours apart. If identical, fermentation is finished.

Next Steps: Preparing for Distillation

1. Let the Wash Settle

Allow the wash to sit quietly for 24-48 hours after fermentation ends. Yeast and other solids will naturally sink to the bottom.

2. Optional: Use a Clarifying Agent

Products like "Turbo Clear" speed up clearing. This step reduces impurities that might carry over into your spirit.

3. Rack Off Carefully

Siphon or tap the clear liquid off the sediment into a clean container. Avoid disturbing the yeast bed at the bottom.

4. You're Ready!

Your sugar wash is now prepared for loading into your AirMax Pure and beginning the distillation process.

Important: Never overfill your AirMax Pure. Always leave headspace (air gap) to prevent foaming into the condenser.

Troubleshooting: Common Sugar Wash Problems

Problem	Cause	Solution
No fermentation starting	Yeast killed by hot water or poor quality yeast	Re-pitch with fresh yeast at correct temperature
Rotten egg smell (sulphur)	Stressed yeast, lack of nutrients	Improve nutrient levels next time
Fermentation very slow	Cold temperatures	Warm up with a heat belt or mat
Sweet taste after 10+ days	Stuck fermentation	Add yeast nutrient and gently stir

Closing: Get Ready for the Fun Part

Now that your sugar wash is bubbling (or perhaps already finished), you're one major step closer to crafting your own spirits at home. With clean preparation, good sanitation, and careful monitoring, you’ve set the foundation for a successful distillation.

In the next article, we’ll walk you through exactly how to run your first distillation — safely, efficiently, and with maximum yield using your AirMax Pure. Stay tuned, because this is where the real magic happens!

Coming Up Next:

"Turning Your Wash into Alcohol: A Beginner’s First Distillation" — Learn how to safely use your AirMax Pure and collect your first batch of homemade spirit!