Accidental "applejack"

[woggers]

So i accidentally left a high gravity apple wine i had made his fall outside during this blistering minus 30(f) weather. "What was I thinking".?

Recipe: 3 gallons high quality michigan cider. OG 1.05
Lalvin D47 (i knew i would need it)
Honey/costco

I pitched the lalvin in and let ferment to 1.00. (Temps were in the 65 ish range) Next i added honey to bring up to 1.07. No need to repitch yeast. It fermented totally dry (fg, .996). I think the should be just north of 16 %.

Degassed and did all that fun stuff, put in 1 gallon jugs in basement and waited. It tasted good on its own as a high gravity applewine, No prison hooch here.

And I'll be darned, i have no idea why I forgot them on my temperature controlled, super scientifi-brew exterior cooling device!!!

Low and behold, you get ice crystals at 30 below. I was ascared so i pulled out the ice crystals and was left with something very tasty.

I believe i read somewhere (a generalization not super science) that -20 will yield approx 20 per and -30 will yield about 30%.

 

[woggers]

Pic

 

[Randzor]

Well atleast you got something good out of the deal. This cold is rough.

 

[Cider123]

What you inadvertently did was a process called "jacking". I'm not sure if it is considered legal or not.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

What you inadvertently did was a process called "jacking". I'm not sure if it is considered legal or not.

Don't get him started. He likes Jack'n

 

[Kdog22]

What you inadvertently did was a process called "jacking". I'm not sure if it is considered legal or not.

Freeze concentrating is legal.


I'd also like to add that your applejack appears to be, in no way, accidental... lol

 

[CanadianBacon]

So i accidentally left a high gravity apple wine i had made his fall outside during this blistering minus 30(f) weather. "What was I thinking".?

Recipe: 3 gallons high quality michigan cider. OG 1.05
Lalvin D47 (i knew i would need it)
Honey/costco

I pitched the lalvin in and let ferment to 1.00. (Temps were in the 65 ish range) Next i added honey to bring up to 1.07. No need to repitch yeast. It fermented totally dry (fg, .996). I think the should be just north of 16 %.

Degassed and did all that fun stuff, put in 1 gallon jugs in basement and waited. It tasted good on its own as a high gravity applewine, No prison hooch here.

And I'll be darned, i have no idea why I forgot them on my temperature controlled, super scientifi-brew exterior cooling device!!!

Low and behold, you get ice crystals at 30 below. I was ascared so i pulled out the ice crystals and was left with something very tasty.

I believe i read somewhere (a generalization not super science) that -20 will yield approx 20 per and -30 will yield about 30%.View attachment 170576

I'm extremely interested in doing this with one of my hardcider..... I live in canada so are laws are slack, they don't care what you distill if your not selling (atlest thats what the rcmp said), i do live up north.... Anyone know if the methanol in this would be concentrated to high?

 

[Descender]

Oops!

rhino farts and rocket fuel!

 

[woggers]

Quick update: it has been months and my JACK tastes awesome. The apple is comming back out. I dont know if the methanol is concentrated but it messes you up quickly. I added some cherry bounce i had made a year earlier to it and it tastes sooooo good

 

[madwilliamflint]

I have GOT to get on this bandwagon. Is there a jacking process write-up someplace that I can stuff into my brainhead?

 

[waarhorse777]

I am also interested in this. Anyone have a good procedure to share and is it legal?

 

[hunter_le five]

Freeze it. Drain it until the ice is clear. Repeat.

You might have to use progressively colder temps to freeze as it gets stronger, if it stops freezing. Or you might just be done at that point.

I've only tried it once. It tasted awful. But I didn't age it, and I won't swear that the starting product/cider was great to begin with. I suspect you had better have a pretty damn-good cider to start, otherwise you're just amplifying the off-flavors.

It did get me thoroughly drunk, though.

 

[RPowell]

The thing about applejack is that, from what I read, most folks are looking for a really high alcohol content. That means using a yeast that will produce high amounts of alcohol - like ec-1118. I'm told that yeast could potentially produce up to 18 or 20% alcohol, so if your going for the powerhouse brew, you'll need to add a bunch of sugar to the primary to get it that high. Once it's done fermenting, you freeze it. I just started my first batch of 'jack this week, so I haven't gone through the freezing process yet. I only have a residential chest freezer to work with, but it'll do the trick, I suppose.

If you look for my "Yet Another Applejack Thread", you'll see a little more detail on what I did.

 

[madwilliamflint]

hmm... I must be doing something wrong then, because when I freeze it...it freezes. It takes a long time and spends a while being slushy. But there never seems to be enough discrete differentiation of states for me to filter anything.

ABV must be really low.

 

[hunter_le five]

hmm... I must be doing something wrong then, because when I freeze it...it freezes. It takes a long time and spends a while being slushy. But there never seems to be enough discrete differentiation of states for me to filter anything.

ABV must be really low.

Unless the ABV is high to begin with, it will freeze pretty darn solid the first couple times. A lot of the alcohol will be trapped inside the frozen water. As it melts and releases alcohol, you will be getting a lot of water as well, hence the need to repeat the process many times. As it gets stronger it will get more "slushie".

I like to freeze in a 3L soda bottle, then just turn it upside-down over my receiving vessel until the ice turns clear, repeat.

 

[madwilliamflint]

Unless the ABV is high to begin with, it will freeze pretty darn solid the first couple times. A lot of the alcohol will be trapped inside the frozen water. As it melts and releases alcohol, you will be getting a lot of water as well, hence the need to repeat the process many times. As it gets stronger it will get more "slushie".

I like to freeze in a 3L soda bottle, then just turn it upside-down over my receiving vessel until the ice turns clear, repeat.

*scribbles some notes*

I see, so you don't try to capture the difference as it freezes, but as it melts. yeah. Seems like I should have thought of that... didn't.

Thanks. I think that's the missing data I needed to start goofing around with the 8 gallons of cider I've got kicking around.

 

[hunter_le five]

*scribbles some notes*

I see, so you don't try to capture the difference as it freezes, but as it melts. yeah. Seems like I should have thought of that... didn't.

Thanks. I think that's the missing data I needed to start goofing around with the 8 gallons of cider I've got kicking around.

I don't know if the method I'm describing is the best or most efficient method, it's just what I found that worked for me (and I believe I have read others describing very similar methods).

My first thought was to try "scooping" out ice as it formed in the cider in a freezer (as it froze instead of as it melted), but it proved to be impractical (for me).

 

[Descender]

I use a 2 liter bottle, freeze for a couple of days, then invert it over a Gatorade bottle, which fits perfectly. I have found that poking a couple of holes in the 2 liter with a pin helps it to drain faster. Faster allows less water to thaw.

 

[Fedora]

Freeze concentrating is legal.


I'd also like to add that your applejack appears to be, in no way, accidental... lol

Could you or someone else please back this statement up with some evidence of the legality of freeze jacking? Not trying to be argumentative but that goes against every thing I have read regarding distilling laws... Please enlighten me...

 

[RPowell]

you're not using a still, so it's not distilling illegally.

 

[hunter_le five]

Could you or someone else please back this statement up with some evidence of the legality of freeze jacking? Not trying to be argumentative but that goes against every thing I have read regarding distilling laws... Please enlighten me...

It is not distilling, by definition. "Freeze distillation" is a misnomer. You literally cannot distill something by freezing it.

There are literally dozens of threads on this subject. It is very well established that there are no US federal laws against home Fractional Freezing/Freeze Concentration, and has been confirmed with the BATFE.

 

[MindenMan]

As far as legality goes in the US, heating a liquid until it evaporates, and then condensing it is illegal, unless of course you have a distillation license. There is zero tolerance for distillation discussions anywhere on this website, ergo, freeze concentration is legal and discussable. When I make cider or AJ, I don't use sugar, I use frozen apple concentrate to fortify. As the proof increases, it seems to lose the apple flavor up front. As time goes on, the flavor will return, but it may take months for some. My first batch of hard cider took at least 3 months in the bottle to start to taste like cider again. I ferment my ciders between 55- 60* F, and I use ale yeast. I open a gallon jug of cider, pour out 16 oz's, and pour in a 12oz can of FAJC, pitch yeast, and wait until the sweetness is almost gone, top up with the leftover juice, and freeze. Knowing I will collect between 12 and 30ozs, I allow 12 or so oz into my first collector, bottle it, and keep tasting the drippings from the bottle until it tastes thin. In my experience, the first 20 or so oz's are the best with both flavor and ABV, and after that there is still alcohol left to collect, but it gets really watered down. There is still alcohol left in the ice, but it isn't much. I will usually let the ice completely melt, put it back in the freezer, and drink what is left. Last September, I collected two glass flasks full of the first run of a semi-sweet cider. Until a month ago, (thanks to ADHD) I completely forgot about the two flasks in the back of the bottom of the closet, (it was a good hiding place) I opened one, poured a small sample for both my wife and I, and holy cow! The apple flavor was there again, the "hot" alcohol taste was gone, and the little bit of leftover sweetness had so rounded out the other flavors and mouth feel, I wish I would have stashed a gallon. If you can put away a couple of good sized bottles left in a cool dark place, you will be rewarded with something epic, that can't be bought anywhere. I will admit I have never had store bought AJ, so I don't know if the two products are similar or not if flavor, but I do know the price for home made can't be beat. And, of course, when someone asks, where you bought it, you just smile and inform them you didn't.

 

[madwilliamflint]

you're not using a still, so it's not distilling illegally.

Disclaimer: Entirely Anecdotal (on my part.)

My read on it is that you're still concentrating alcohol, so they'll tag you on it.

Not a lawyer. Haven't read the law. I'm just spouting.

Either way I'd bias towards "illegal until proven otherwise" in this case.

 

[madwilliamflint]

As far as legality goes in the US, heating a liquid until it evaporates, and then condensing it is illegal, unless of course you have a distillation license. There is zero tolerance for distillation discussions anywhere on this website, ergo, freeze concentration is legal and discussable. When I make cider or AJ, I don't use sugar, I use frozen apple concentrate to fortify. As the proof increases, it seems to lose the apple flavor up front. As time goes on, the flavor will return, but it may take months for some. My first batch of hard cider took at least 3 months in the bottle to start to taste like cider again. I ferment my ciders between 55- 60* F, and I use ale yeast. I open a gallon jug of cider, pour out 16 oz's, and pour in a 12oz can of FAJC, pitch yeast, and wait until the sweetness is almost gone, top up with the leftover juice, and freeze. Knowing I will collect between 12 and 30ozs, I allow 12 or so oz into my first collector, bottle it, and keep tasting the drippings from the bottle until it tastes thin. In my experience, the first 20 or so oz's are the best with both flavor and ABV, and after that there is still alcohol left to collect, but it gets really watered down. There is still alcohol left in the ice, but it isn't much. I will usually let the ice completely melt, put it back in the freezer, and drink what is left. Last September, I collected two glass flasks full of the first run of a semi-sweet cider. Until a month ago, (thanks to ADHD) I completely forgot about the two flasks in the back of the bottom of the closet, (it was a good hiding place) I opened one, poured a small sample for both my wife and I, and holy cow! The apple flavor was there again, the "hot" alcohol taste was gone, and the little bit of leftover sweetness had so rounded out the other flavors and mouth feel, I wish I would have stashed a gallon. If you can put away a couple of good sized bottles left in a cool dark place, you will be rewarded with something epic, that can't be bought anywhere. I will admit I have never had store bought AJ, so I don't know if the two products are similar or not if flavor, but I do know the price for home made can't be beat. And, of course, when someone asks, where you bought it, you just smile and inform them you didn't.

That's a lot of awesome data. Thanks o7

 

[hunter_le five]

Disclaimer: Entirely Anecdotal (on my part.)

My read on it is that you're still concentrating alcohol, so they'll tag you on it.

Not a lawyer. Haven't read the law. I'm just spouting.

Either way I'd bias towards "illegal until proven otherwise" in this case.

Why are you spouting if you have not read the law?

As I said, this subject has been discussed to death. The law has been reviewed, the authorities asked, and the answer is clear: not illegal, at least on the federal level.

It has already been proven (insofar as these things can be proved). Search the forum and quit spouting unfounded opinions.

 

[Fedora]

It is not distilling, by definition. "Freeze distillation" is a misnomer. You literally cannot distill something by freezing it.

There are literally dozens of threads on this subject. It is very well established that there are no US federal laws against home Fractional Freezing/Freeze Concentration, and has been confirmed with the BATFE.

Me being new here I obviously did not know to what length it had been discussed. The way the OP posted about his " obviously not accidental" apple jack also helped lead to my confusion and asking for what I thought was pertinent info. Thanks for the reply.

@ the OP. Sorry for dragging your thread off topic. Enjoy your jacking. I'm sure it's tasty stuff.

 

[hunter_le five]

Me being new here I obviously did not know to what length it had been discussed. The way the OP posted about his " obviously not accidental" apple jack also helped lead to my confusion and asking for what I thought was pertinent info. Thanks for the reply.

Completely understand. I was not trying to rag on you or come across as a dick, just trying to get the point across in a succinct manner. This topic comes up a LOT, and it's easier to just nip it in the bud before the legality question derails yet another thread.

Whoops.

 

[MindenMan]

madwilliamflint, thanks for the quote. Looking back, I now realize how long my post is, and I hope it wil be informative to anyone with questions. If anyone has related topic questions, PM me.

 

[Fedora]

Completely understand. I was not trying to rag on you or come across as a dick, just trying to get the point across in a succinct manner. This topic comes up a LOT, and it's easier to just nip it in the bud before the legality question derails yet another thread.

Whoops.

We're cool. Cheers.

 

[phug]

Distillation is removing the alcohol from the water. What this is doing is removing the water from the alcohol. Not distillation, though it's sometimes called freeze distillation. This is fractional freezing. Or an odd ball method of freeze concentration.


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