We heard about this hands-on workshop which will show us the whole process of distilling with a variety of fresh fruits. The distillation experts Niel Nothnagel and Andries van der Walt took us through fermenting, distilling, making cuts, tasting and finally blending, for one to end up with a distilled product, ready for drinking.
Every month they fire up the antique copper potstill kettle to distil a different product from their extensive garden that will be in season at that time. This course will teach how to make mampoer, witblits, grappa or brandy.
Once the fire starts it takes approximately two and a half hours before the distillation starts dripping. During this time they fill the kettle with already fermented fruit pulp and start to monitor the kettle temperatures.
The antique potstill kettle is now filled with the fermented fruit of the season.
Once distillation starts you are welcome to taste the product straight from the kettle! The process takes roughly two to three 3 hours depending on the fruit type and volume.
The team is there all the time to take you through the preparation and production process as well as all the final steps to get to the end product. We took notes too.
Of course a little vineyard tasting with a light lunch was a lovely reward, however the distilled tasting is not for the faint hearted, it is strong stuff.
This hands-on workshop explains the whole process of distilling a variety of fermented fruits. The team takes you through fermenting, distilling, making cuts, tasting and finally blending, for you to end with a distilled product, ready for drinking.
We thoroughly enjoyed this whole experience and look forward to joining the flower and herb workshop next. On leaving this little squirrel wished us bon voyage.
