Best Cherry Moonshine Recipes

Cherry moonshine is often referred to as Kirschwasser, and it is a drink that is very similar to brandy. It is made with cherries, so it is the perfect summer recipe for all cherry lovers!

Have any cherries left over that you aren’t sure what to do with? Why not make cherry moonshine?

It is important to make sure that your cherries are fresh and sweet, and those are the only requirements for your cherries as you can use any variety that you want.

Sweet cherries will give you a nicer tasting final product, so freshness is key!

This article will take you through some cherry moonshine recipes that can help you use up your leftover cherries and enjoy tasting them in a different way!

Find out more about the best cherry moonshine recipes below! Get ready to have a new favorite drink!

It is advised that you seek professional help when distilling cherry moonshine as you need to make sure that the drink is edible and safe to consume.

Home-distilling spirits can be dangerous and it is banned in some countries, so it is important to seek advice and help from a professional.

Cherry Moonshine With Sugar And Yeasts

This recipe is perfect for those who are struggling to find cherries that are sweet, so this recipe will help to make your cherry moonshine sweet and delicious!

You simply need to gather your ingredients consisting of cherries, sugar, water, and distilling yeast. That’s all you need!

Begin the recipe by crushing the cherries with your hands. You can either get rid of the cherry pits before you begin or you can leave them in, it is entirely up to you.

Once you have crushed the cherries, you can transfer them into a fermentation container. If you decided to leave the pits, leave them in with the cherries for the moment.

Once you have transferred the cherries to a fermentation container, add sugar and water to the cherries.

After adding the sugar and water, get the distilling yeast. Follow the instructions on the yeast on how to dilute it and then add the yeast to the mixture of the cherries, water, and sugar.

Stir the mixture well and have an airlock installed on the container. You can then leave the mixture to rest in a dark room with a temperature anywhere between 20-28 degrees Celsius.

Leave the mixture for 1-2 weeks to ferment. It is important to leave it for this time as this will help to solidify the flavor of your moonshine.

After 1-2 weeks, you can begin to filter the cherry moonshine. Filter the brew before distilling as this will stop the cherry pulp from heating and possibly burning in the liquid.

When the mixture is going through the distillation process, draw the first 300-350ml yield and store it in a separate container from the rest of the mixture.

This will affect the taste, so it is important to remove it. You can then finish drawing off the mixture while the yield potency goes below 40 degrees.

To have a higher quality product, distill the mixture twice, draw off the first 50-100ml, and then dilute the distillate with 20 degrees water.

After you have completed this process, you will have your cherry moonshine!

Classic Cherry Moonshine Recipe

This recipe is perfect for those who have delicious sweet cherries and nothing to use them for!

To begin the recipe, you will need to gather together water and cherries. These are the only ingredients that you need!

Do not wash the cherries as on the skin, there is wild yeast. This will help the cherries during the fermentation process, meaning that you do not need to add yeast to the mix.

Start the process by crushing the cherries and either leave the pits in or take them out beforehand.

Tightly secure the bottleneck and make sure that the container with the cherries inside is left in a dark room that is no cooler or warmer than room temperature.

In 2-4 days, you will notice that the surface of the cherries will have begun foaming, and the cherries will smell sour.

You will need to transfer the cherries into a fermentation container. Add water to the container, stir the mixture well, and then add an airlock onto the container.

Leave the container in a dark room with a temperature between 18-25 degrees Celsius. After 20-40 days, the brew will have become sour, meaning that the mixture is ready to be distilled.

Filter the mixture through a gauze and then add it to a distillation vessel of a moonshine still.

Draw off 150ml of heads during the first distillation draw of the mixture, and finish distilling while the potency falls below 35 degrees.

Dilute the obtained alcohol with 20 degrees water and then begin the second distillation process, drawing off the first 50ml.

After the potency falls below 40 degrees, you can then finish drawing off the mixture.

You can then dilute the cherry moonshine mixture with water until it has reached a potency between 40-45%.

After the moonshine has reached the right potency, the process is complete!

This is how to make cherry moonshine with sweet cherries as you do not need to add extra sugar to sweeten the alcohol.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, you need to consult professional help before distilling spirits at home as it can be very dangerous as it can result in methanol poisoning when it isn’t done properly.

In some countries, home-distilled spirits are banned, so it is important to make sure that you are not breaking the law or putting yourself or other people in danger of consuming poisonous alcohol.

Once you have consulted a professional, you will be able to be shown the techniques needed to follow these recipes, as you need to make sure that it is done properly.

You can work with a professional to create these recipes as this will make sure that you are kept safe at all times, as you don’t want to cause yourself or others any harm.

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Andrew Carr

Hi, I’m Andrew Carr and I find beer fascinating. Not just drinking it (although that is a plus!) but everything about it. There is so much to learn - the fermenting process, the best glasses for each type, recipes to make at home… The list goes on!

I have been making my own beer for almost a decade now and I pride myself on my home setup. I’ve made sours, pale IPAs, stouts - you name it, I’ve probably made it in the comfort of my own home.

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