Applejack and apple-infused brandy is a liqueur that you can make yourself at home with a little effort and a lot of patience. Applejack is apple cider vinegar that is fermented and then distilled, while infusing brandy with apples gives the brandy a sweet, nutty, apple pie-like taste. While not technically applejack, apple-infused brandy is a less time-consuming alternative. Whatever your mood, you can do the majority of the work to make it one afternoon at home!
Ingredients
Applejack
- 5 gallons of fresh apple juice with no preservatives or added sugar
- 5 pounds brown sugar
- One pack of yeast
- Sealable five-gallon container
- An airtight fermentation
- A big pot
Apple Infused Brandy
- 2 cups red apples, peeled and chopped
- 3 cinnamon sticks 1 inch (7.62 cm) long per stick
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) water
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups (480 mL) brandy
-
3 cups (720 mL) white wine, drained
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making an Applejack
Step 1. Sterilize all your equipment
Since the Applejack fermentation process requires the activation of appropriate bacteria, you must ensure that only those bacteria are present in the mixture. Therefore, you should sterilize all your equipment, especially five-gallon containers.
You can use an iodine solution known as an iodophor to sterilize everything. This solution is available in most breweries
Step 2. Heat a gallon of apple cider vinegar over medium heat
You should make sure that all of the apple cider vinegar you use is free of preservatives and has no added sugar, especially since you will be adding your own sugar. Pour the first gallon of apple cider vinegar into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat.
Step 3. Add all 5 pounds of brown sugar
When the gallon of apple cider vinegar reaches about 110 degrees Fahrenheit, add it and begin to stir in all 5 pounds of brown sugar. Keep stirring until the 5 pounds of sugar are completely dissolved in the apple cider vinegar.
Step 4. Stir in one packet of yeast
Once all the sugar has been mixed into the gallon of vinegar, you'll also need to add the yeast packet. When the apple cider vinegar has reached about 115-120 degrees Fahrenheit, let it cool to this temperature before adding the yeast.
- Temperatures over 130 degrees Fahrenheit will kill the yeast instead of activating it, and temperatures below 105 degrees Fahrenheit won't activate the yeast at all, so it's important to add it to the vinegar at the right temperature.
- Follow the directions on your yeast package for the length of time the yeast must be kept at the activation temperature.
Step 5. Keep vinegar away from heat sources
Once you've added the yeast to the right activation temperature and kept it there for the right amount of time, you can keep the vinegar away from the heat source. Vinegar takes time to cool so you can add it to an airtight, five-gallon container without causing pressure issues while the vinegar cools.
Since vinegar is not very hot when it starts heating, cooling should only take five to ten minutes
Step 6. Add another four gallons of apple cider vinegar to the five-gallon container
While waiting for the yeast and brown sugar to cool, you can add the remaining apple cider vinegar to a sterilized five-gallon container.
- Only add a little to the fourth gallon because the addition to the heated vinegar will make more than a total of five gallons, and you won't want to overwhelm the container.
- If you have a five-gallon container used for brewing beer, that's great. If you don't have one, you can use a five-gallon jug of water. However, you will need to make sure you still have the lid on if you are using a water jug, and you will need to make sure the water jug is properly closed.
Step 7. Add the remaining vinegar to the bowl
When the heated vinegar has cooled for ten minutes, you can add it to the remaining apple cider vinegar in a five-gallon container. Then add a little more of the last gallon of vinegar, but not all of it. The five-gallon container should still have a few inches of space left at the top.
When the yeast meets the sugar in the mixture, it foams and creates pressure. If the container is too full, you will end up with a mess on your hands
Step 8. Cover the container with a lid with the beer air lock attached
A beer air lock is a device that allows pressure to escape from the container without letting outside air in. Attach the air lock to the cover following the instructions for the unit you purchased.
- You'll find these tools easily at any brewery store where you can find your yeast.
- The air lock will also require about an ounce of water in it. This allows air to flow out through the water without allowing outside air to pass through.
Step 9. Store in a cool place for 6-10 days
Now you need to allow the applejack to ferment for a minimum of six days. However, the longer you allow the yeast to eat, the higher the alcohol content will be in the applejack. The closer to ten days will make the applejack more bite.
- If you are using a jug of clear water, you will need to store the container in a dark place as too much sun can kill the yeast.
- Give the container a tap once a day. You don't have to shake it hard – just give it a knock or a thump to send the air in the liquid to the surface to prevent it from building up too much pressure.
Step 10. Sterilize the apple cider vinegar container and hose
After you've waited six to ten days to let the yeast do its job, it's time to put the applejack in the bottle. Start by sterilizing the gallon jug where your apple cider vinegar is. You can sterilize them using the same iodophor as a larger container. You'll also need to sterilize the hose or a small piece of tubing you have for moving the applejack.
Step 11. Pass the applejack between the containers
You should see a layer of yeast sediment at the bottom of the larger container. Insert the sterilized jar exactly one level above the sediment so you don't pick up any of it, and run the applejack out of the five-gallon container into the smaller, sterilized one-gallon container.
- Make sure you still have a lid to cover the one-gallon container.
- Realistically, you could refrigerate the mixture at this point to simply kill the yeast, and you'd have an apple wine that's in the 40 proof – 20 percent alcohol range. However, you can freeze some of the water in the mixture at this time to increase the alcohol content even higher and even double it.
Step 12. Freeze the applejack
When you have stored all the applejacks in the smaller container, freeze them. You will need to fill each container to freeze before proceeding to the next step.
Step 13. Separate the applejack from the water
Once you've frozen the containers, open them, turn them over then let them drip into the jars. Because water freezes at a lower temperature than alcohol, any liquid that drips into the jar will become a concentrated applejack as it separates from the still-frozen water above. You'll be filling several jars as the filling continues to melt and release more alcohol.
- You will clearly see the frozen part lose its caramel color as the alcohol is filtered out and the ice remains.
- This process can take an hour and a half or two, so be patient.
- If you really want to separate out as much water as possible, pour the contents of the jar back into the jug when you've drained the melted water and refreeze them. After two or three distillations, you will notice that the contents are not frozen at all. Your Applejack will be close to 80 proof-40 percent alcohol-when this happens.
Step 14. Enjoy responsibly
When you've removed most of the water and dirt from your applejack, it's ready to drink. Always enjoy in moderation!
Method 2 of 2: Making Apple Infused Brandy
Step 1. Peel and chop 2 cups of red apples
While not technically applejack, apples and brandy pair very well, and infusing brandy with natural apple flavorings is a fun alternative to making homemade applejack. To infuse brandy with natural apple flavoring, you'll need to start by peeling and chopping a fresh apple. Two cups are enough for this recipe.
Step 2. Combine the chopped apples, 3 cinnamon sticks, and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of water in a saucepan and stir
To give your stew an extra spice and vinegar flavor, try adding three cinnamon sticks to an apple and water.
Step 3. Use medium heat for ten minutes
To help release all the natural flavors and kill any germs you don't want to add to your brew, you'll want to heat the mixture for ten minutes on medium heat.
The mixture must be covered during heating
Step 4. Add 2 cups (580 mL) of sugar and stir
When you have heated the mixture, add 2 cups of sugar. Stir in the sugar and continue to stir over the heat until the sugar dissolves in the mixture.
Step 5. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool
Once the sugar is completely dissolved in the mixture, remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool. The mixture doesn't need to cool to room temperature, but the mixture does need to cool enough that putting it in an airtight bottle won't create a pressure problem as the liquid cools any further.
Step 6. Put the mixture in a large airtight glass container
When the mixture has cooled to warm, not hot, pour the mixture into a large glass container.
- It is very important to ensure that the container is airtight.
- Add all of the mixture, not just the apples and the liquid.
Step 7. Add 2 cups (480 mL) of brandy to a glass container
Now that you've finished prepping the mixture, you can combine the brandy with the apples and sugar.
Step 8. Combine 3 cups (720 mL) dry white wine with the brandy and apple mixture in a glass container
The final ingredients for this recipe are three glasses of dry white wine, which you should add to the mix now.
Step 9. Close the container
Once you've combined all the ingredients and mixed them well, it's time to close the container. Once closed, you should store the container in a cool, dark place to get the best results from the infiltration.
Step 10. Wait for 3 weeks
An important element in knowing how to make apple brandy is patience. The infiltration process is time consuming, and you will need to wait at least three weeks before opening the container.
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Shake the container every 3 days to stir the precipitate and combine the ingredients.
Make Apple Brandy Step 9Bullet1
Step 11. Strain the contents of the mixture through two layers of cheesecloth
After three full weeks have passed, it's time to open the container, but don't drink your apple brandy just yet. Strain the mixture through two layers of cheesecloth to remove any deposits.
Step 12. Pour the filtered mixture into a glass bottle and seal it securely
While it's time to remove the leach mixture from the liquor, the apple brandy isn't quite ready yet. Put the mixture in a glass bottle that you can seal.
Step 13. Wait 2 weeks
Again, patience is an important part of knowing how to make apple brandy. As before, you should store the bottle in a cool, dark place. However, you no longer need to shake the contents of the bottle after filtering.
Step 14. Open the bottle and enjoy a glass of delicious homemade apple brandy
All your time and patience has paid off. When two weeks have passed, you are free to open and enjoy your apple brandy or mix it with a cocktail.
Tips
- The special taste of apple brandy makes it a popular addition to many meals. Apple brandy can be used to add extra zing to desserts such as cakes, ice cream, or pies, or added to icing to add a special flavor to ham or pork.
- Apple brandy is often used as an ingredient for many famous cocktails, such as a glass of Manhattan or a glass of Old Fashioned, which invokes the spirit of the distillery.
- Brandy usually contains 35-60 percent alcohol.
- The word “brandy” comes from the Dutch word “brandewijn”, which means “burnt wine”. The word derives from the way brandy is made: The clear drink is colored using burnt sugar (caramel), giving the brandy its characteristic color and taste.
