Apfelwein Brandy

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i'm currently fermenting a few batches of the fabled apfelwein and I'd like to distill one into a brandy. Will the brandy batch also benefit from the 6 month+ aging period or will the distillation erase the subtle improvements of the aging process? I'm fairly new to distilling but aging prior to distillation seems like an alien concept to distillers. That being said, I haven't found a tremendous amount of info on brandy specifically.
 
I'm pretty sure it is a no no to talk about distilling on this forum. If you do quick Google search you should find what your looking for.
 
Now, one might freeze distill this amazing beverage and have some very nice applejack, legal and spectacular.

I change it up a bit and use about 10 cans of concentrate to really boost the ABV and apple oils (which come through wonderfully!!!)

Definitely age before freeze distillation. Even though the yeast freezes, it imparts ugly tastes until it completely falls out of solution.

Not necessay to age quite as long as for drinking (I do about 9 mos to a year to drink, 3 to freeze distill racking every 30 days).

Don't talk about heat distillation on here.
 
Yeah, distillation is illegal most places. So it's a no-no on the forum.

Freeze concentration is, as far as anybody I've talked to knows, legal in most places. If that's what your talking about, then usually applejack would be aged after it's been concentrated. The higher alcohol content help with the flavor extraction from the wooden barrels it's generally aged in.

It also takes up a lot less space after concentration, so aging is more space practical.

I doubt it would hurt anything to age before concentrating, but you could lose a fair number of the compounds gained by aging from the concentration process. You always lose some flavor compounds in the ice.
 
"The product derived by the drawing off of ethyl alcohol from a barrel of frozen hard cider would be considered to be distilled spirits as defined in 26 USC 5002 (a) (6) (A)."
--Robert E. Daugherty, chief, Rulings Branch, Department of the Treasury, BATF

26 USC 5002 (a) (8) Distilled spirits
The terms "distilled spirits", "alcoholic spirits", and
"spirits" mean that substance known as ethyl alcohol, ethanol, or
spirits of wine in any form (including all dilutions and mixtures
thereof from whatever source or by whatever process produced).
 
We have plenty of threads debating the legality of freeze concentration; I'd request we don't add another one.

OP - good advice above, there are other forums better suited to this type of advice.
 
Thanks everybody! Yeah I've since found what appears to be the main distiller's forums and its a pretty good wealth of knowledge. Perhaps they are almost as opinionated as us over here at HBT! haha.

I think I'm going to try the freeze distillation method with the batch I've currently got aging and make a new batch for heat distillation since its not going to need the up-front aging. Worse comes to worse it will be a good experiment, and maybe an interesting blend.
 
...the main distiller's forums and its a pretty good wealth of knowledge...

Use discretion. There's no shortage of terrible information out there. Follow good fermentation practices, similar to beer. Also know it's illegal in the U.S.


How is this thread still open?
 
Worse comes to worse you find BATF agents knocking on your door and slapping you with a $10,000 fine and 5 years in jail. I suggest you move to New Zealand where all this is legal for home use.
 
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