Ice cider/Apple jack

[JohnnyJumpUp22]

So I'm sure this is a stupid question but I have heard the terms ice cider and apple Jack cider mentioned in various forums and was wondering What either of those are?

 

[mastax]

They both refer to Cider which has had it's alcohol content fortified by removing water. Freeze, remove the ice, stronger cider. Repeat if you dare. I remember reading somewhere that this has possible safety implications due to increasing the concentration of potentially harmful chemicals naturally present in cider.

 

[MindenMan]

Actually mastax, you are only half right, applejack is removing the alcohol from hard cider by freezing the water, and pouring out the non frozen alcohol.
Ice cider involves freezing the un-fermented apple juice to a certain point, and, because liquids that are very high in sugar content won't freeze solid at "regular " freezing temperatures, the super concentrated apple juice is then poured off.
Think of sorbet, at regular freezing temperatures, it is not frozen solid. Sorbet is around 30% sugar by weight, and that is why it doesn't freeze solid very easily.