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Applejack
I knew a guy about 20 years ago who made something he called Applejack that was quite good. I believe he took the yeast in the cider route. He fermented it in a large container then bottled it.
I learned something new! Thank you...........
yes, freezing cider and then removing the ice/water dose up the alc/vol. And if the cider is tasty at first the the "applejack" will be tasty too b/c it's the same stuff only concentrated. I think it is quite yummy. Just remember it is against the law b/c it also concentrates the bad alcohol "fusel alcohols". The same reason moonshine is illegal, the gov can't regulate the process you go threw to ensure it's "safe". That and it can"t be taxed$$$. I figure if it's for you'r own non profit consumption you should be good.
PURE apple juice, maybe some white raisins, maybe some added sugar(after heating juice), cool, champaign yeast, ferment a few weeks, bottle in plastic (glass will break), freeze outside or in freezer, remove ice (maybe by putting small hole in cap of frozen cantainer then letting drip into different container) .5 gal to ~1 quart, drink. If it gets oxidized it will be vinegar not yummy applejack.
But I never did this 
Years ago when I was a kid mom would forget about the cider tucked in the back of the spare fridge and us kids would get into it way beyond it's usable life. Usually it was old and about half frozen so everything was concentrated.... and boy was it some harsh stuff!
Actually, I am considering trying this with a gallon of the cider I currently have in primary. Once it finishes up I am going give it a try and bottle it in nips... purely for educational purposes, you understand. (also my friend the Colonel says it's awesome stuff....)
Well, I tried to make it by freezing two gallons.. yick. Awful tasting stuff....but you could tell it will have a hell of a kick... I bottled it and stuck it under the bed (which is where I do my long term cold conditioning.. for some reason it's always freezing cold in my bedroom (even in high summer its cool) I"ll see how it is in about 6 months, but for now, it's nasty bitter stuff.
This is one case where it's probably safer to stick with a "johnny jump up" (as it's known where I'm from) and just dump a shot of high-proof whiskey at the bottom of a pint of woodchuck.
All the talk I hear about poor distillation side effects... yikes.
-R
applejack, true new england applejack, if done correctly is far from the rotgut i hear being discussed.
although illegal because it is technically distillation, to make you repeatedly freeze already fermented cider, or hard cider. don't let the separted water freeze completely, like ice cubes. you want to scrape off the frozen water when it is in the slush stage. then refreeze again and scrape off additional ice slush. repeat until the product no longer freezes. you now have applejack.
you can cease the freeze-and-scrape whenever you desire, depending on how concentrated you want it.
applejack quality depends very heavily on the cider it is made from. the sweeter the better, so the residual taste of apple will be more prominent. it is not somethign you want to make from a traditional english dry cider. it needs to be sweet and very, very apple-like.
of course i have never tried this. it is illegal. i do not break laws. i love my uncle sam.
krausenator wrote:
of course i have never tried this. it is illegal. i do not break laws. i love my uncle sam.
Naturally... we don't do bad things....that would make us badguys
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