Summary of "맥주 40캔을 끓여서 만드는 정말 특이한 술 (광고x)"

Topic and motivation

Exploring what happens if you distill finished beers (rather than fermenting wort for whiskey) to make a high‑proof spirit.

The idea came from seeing small distilleries buy wort from breweries and wondering what flavor a distilled finished beer would yield.

Background: beer vs. whiskey

Common raw material: barley/malt.
Key procedural difference:
- Beer: wort is boiled (hops and other additions can be made), then fermented and packaged as beer.
- Whiskey: wort is fermented (typically without the beer‑style boiling/hopping step) and then distilled and aged.
Practical note: small distilleries sometimes buy wort or malt to avoid investing in malting equipment.

The experiment

Beers tested

Guinness (stout)
Hoegaarden (wheat beer with orange peel and coriander)
A domestic malt-only beer referenced as “Cali”
A New England IPA from Craft Bros

Process overview

Multiple cans of each beer were distilled.
Heads were discarded; first, second, and third fractions were collected.
Some fractions were blended and redistilled to concentrate desirable flavors and remove off‑notes/harsh heads.
Total work: about 40 cans distilled twice.

Observations and tasting notes (after first distillation)

Guinness
- Expected coffee/nutty notes, but the distillate smelled more fruity (pineapple/apple).
- Result: smoother and cleaner than expected.
Cali (domestic malt beer)
- Gave a sharp, familiar “draft beer” aroma—typical domestic‑beer character.
Hoegaarden
- Produced fragrant, banana‑like and herbal notes (orange peel, coriander); evocative of gin botanicals.
- Pleasant, with a milky/tropical element in later blends.
IPA (Craft Bros)
- Strong floral and fruity hop aromas: pineapple, citrus, apple.
- Most punchy with a long finish.

Blending and redistillation

Purpose: remove lingering off/fishy notes and concentrate desirable aromatics.
Final yield: about 900 ml at ~58% ABV after two distillations of ~40 cans.
Final spirit profile: pronounced tropical/fruity notes, chocolatey sweetness, banana/tropical fruit, and milkiness from the Hoegaarden—promising for further aging.

Aging experiment

The homemade spirit was put into an oak cask previously used for grape brandy.
Barrel had already aged brandy for about eight months; the spirit could not fully fill the barrel.
Plan: age and share results as maturation proceeds.

Commercial comparison: Craft Bros IPA “Newborn”

Product details:
- 58.3% ABV, 375 ml
- Aged first in Oloroso sherry casks, then in new American oak
- Limited release: 979 bottles
Tasting notes:
- Top notes: grassy, floral, menthol.
- Mid: tropical orange character carried over from the IPA.
- Finish: rough/heavy and spicy from the oak.
- Overall: strong character but slightly underwhelming relative to expectations.
Miscellaneous: comments on bottle design and tax‑sticker aesthetics.

Wider industry and regulatory commentary

Korea introduced a small‑scale liquor manufacturing license in 2002, which helped craft beer; it is now being used for soju, whisky, brandy, etc.
Concerns:
- Whiskey and brandy require long maturation and lots of storage space, which may not suit “small‑scale” operations.
- Gin is more suited to small producers because it can be made by redistilling purchased spirit with botanicals and requires no aging.
Examples:
- Small urban gin distilleries in London.
- Bombay Sapphire model: buy spirit, distill or flavor in a small facility, then send product elsewhere for bottling.
Opinion: policy and institutional support should prioritize spirits genuinely appropriate for small‑scale production (for example, gin).

Safety and legal note

Distillation carries real risks (explosion, fire) and legal requirements. Do not attempt home distillation without proper knowledge, precautions, and compliance with local laws.

Conclusion

Distilling finished beers produces interesting, distinct spirits: hop- and spice-derived aromatics can survive distillation and contribute notable tropical, floral, and spice characters.
The experiment produced a promising, ageable spirit and highlights the need for sensible small‑distillery policy focused on appropriate products.
Next steps: age the spirit in the oak cask and report tasting/maturation results.