Ethanol production from Jerusalem artichoke was optimised using simple technology according to tuber harvest date. The optimal treatment for winter juice was the addition of 0.25 mL L − 1 of a commercial inulinase (17 U g− 1) and a juice heating at 52.5 °C for 60 min before the beginning of the fermentation. For autumn juice, the optimal treatment was a previous heating at 80 °C for 15 min followed by the addition of 0.75 mL L− 1 of the inulinase at 60 °C kept for 120 min, prior to the fermentation. Ethanol yields of 0.458 and 0.454 g g − 1 were obtained with autumn juice and winter ones, respectively. Fermentation was conducted at 30 °C by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These results could be useful for a staggered and decentralised ethanol production from a low-requirement crop which does not interfere with the food chain.