Applejack

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Morrist259

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So I made some applejack and I'm in the process of getting the water out. I was wondering however if when I'm done concentrating it would it be ok to put some thinly sliced apples in it for a while or will it have adverse affects on it?
 
Just trying to put more of the apple flavor in it. Plus I'm giving it as gifts to some friends and they are more likely to try it if the see fruit in it. Just wonder I ng if the apples would adversely hurt the applejack.
 
Jacking will put the ABV above 20%, doubtful any yeast is surviving to start secondary

I don't think it would hurt the flavor, but the jack itself might take a while for the flavor to really shine

My first attempt took a year. If I were to add any apple slices to mine, it would be after that year
 
I have 5 gal. of 8% cider I aged with cinnamon in the carboy. I was thinking of jacking that. Any try this? Good or bad idea? Will it be too cinn-ful?
 
It probably wouldn't be too bad. I think the cinnamon would get pretty strong in it depending on how long you've had it in it now.
 
Too cinn-ful is definitely a personal taste thing. Not all of the cinnamon flavor will come out in the alcohol, much will stay in the ice. 51 ounces of your 5 gallons is pure alcohol, but you will never get it out that high proof though. :) Over the course of the last 6 or so months, all of my hard ciders become apple jack. Some pure apple, some apple-peach, some apple-apricot, some apple-cranberry. Jacking your hard cider will give you some nice, inexpensive apple schnapps. If you aren't sure, freeze a gallon and see if you like the flavor of it. It does age well, the only reason I had some make it to a year old, was I had forgotten about it. Keep us posted.
 
The closet temp issue is a can of worms, potentially. Is that too hot year round? For a year or less 70-72*F, should not present any problems. We are talking apple jack here, right? If we are discussing something with a lot less alcohol,. Is the closet on the first floor, with a crawl space underneath?
 
I put thinly sliced apples in the applejack about a week ago. It seems like a good move I tasted it a few days back an it tastes great!
 
Way to go, glad you liked your results. I am curious what your added apple will look like in a month, although the alcohol should preserve it.
 
i was wondering about yield. how much do you typically get from a 5 gal batch? ive been thinking about starting a few diffenernt 1 to 3 gal batches, of different things. just to play around with.
 
How much you get is a relative question; what ABV is your cider going to be before you freeze it? I currently have a 1 gallon batch that I have added four 12oz cans of FJC to, hoping for an 18% ABV before freezing. My finished applejack should be about 35% ABV or 70 proof. I have been adding the FJC in stages to not overwhelm my yeast, and fermentation is almost over. I will lightly sweeten it with FJC when done and freeze right away. A little extra sugar at freezing time (IMHO) gives a much mellower drink at 6 months plus.
 
I started with 5 gal. 7% ABV last time. I finished with approx. 1-2/3 gal.

That was a two-thirds loss which should result in a 21 % ABV Apple Jack.
 
What yeast did yall use? Also what yeast tolerates the highest ABV durring fermentation?
 
ive always used champagne yeast. but i like dry ciders. id prolly use something else if i were to try this applejack stuff.
 
Okay, 21% apple jack sounds great, but what does it taste like? Fire water, long burning hooch, or is it smooth as silk?
One of the members of my HBC, uses added sugar to his apple juice, and a strain of yeast than will handle 20% ABV, and usually keeps half the ice behind for an impressive 40% ABV, aka 80 proof apple liquor. I am working on a high proof batch my self, using Red Star Pasteur not-champagne yeast. The alcohol level is way up there, and in a few days I will sweeten it, cold crash it, and then freeze it. This 1 gallon batch contains four 12 oz cans of FJC, so in theory 18% ABV+
 
My last batch was good and smooth. Barely boozy but you could feel the heat. It definitely lacked Apple flavor. This year I have an ale yeast batch at 8% now with cinnamon I'm gonna jack.

I'm tempted with force carbing too.
 
Can't really go by collected volume to determine ABV, the solid part will still contain some alcohol.
 
Having done this and having thawed my leftover ice, this is true, there was a non-trivial amount of alcohol that remained wit the ice
 
GrogNerd is right, you can only guesstimate what the final ABV% will be. There will always be some alcohol left behind in the ice. I don't know if my HB Club member used a Distiller's hydrometer or not, but it was the strongest apple jack I ever sampled. I can't say for sure how much "apple" flavor was there, though.
The batch I mentioned in an earlier post is clearing, and the hydrometer is now a little below 1.000, time to add just enough FAJC to take the edge off of the super tartness, and to bring out even more of the apple flavor.
EDIT: I just added 3/4 can of FAJC to jug. Flavor is significantly better, and doesn't taste "sweet". I will cold crash for a day or so to clear, and then freeze. I will keep you posted on my results.

Tuesday afternoon: jug is over full and dripping liquor down the side in the freezer, so I scooped some out. Very high in alcohol, and apple-y taste is there; applejack is quite viscous, and smooth; I will report back when I remove the ice.
 
beekeeperman said:
The temperature you freeze applejack at should determine you final ABV according to this interesting article on jack. I could get it to 10 below in my chest freezer or wait for some 20 below winter temps to arrive which could be soon.

http://www.eckraus.com/wine-making-applejack/
Click to expand...

interesting point he makes in that article

The alcohol level the wine starts out at is not all that important. Whether it is 8% or 12% the same concentration level will eventually be reached regardless. The only thing that changes is the amount of ice you will need to remove to get to that point.
Click to expand...

I've been adding brown sugar (½ lb per gallon) to my juice/cider, so maybe next batch I'll use less, or just go without.
 
Yes the colder you can freeze it the higher %. I set my freezer for -23C (most freezers are -18C). Starting with a higher % alc makes it alot easier though.

I jacked some 5% cider once and that first thaw took forever because it froze so hard. 18% apple wine is much easier to thaw at the first cycle.

I might try and freeze some at -30C or colder this winter when we get hit with a deep freeze.
 
I did this and at -30 you start getting decent spirit. There's a no-mans-land between fortified wine and a spirit that has this mouth feel of a watered down spirit. Not a great sensation.

The colder you can get the better.
 


For my AJs I typically get a yield about 1/3 the initial cider volume.
 

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