Freeze concentration of hard cider!

[Sttifyd35]

So ive been reading about ice beer lately and have come across articles on applejack. So i took some of my hard cider at 7% abv and gave this method a try. I filled a gallon jug and put it in the freezer. The next morning it was frozen. Flipped the jug over a mason jar and let the alcohol filter out into it. Collected a half gallon and then froze it again. Did the same thing and collected 32 oz. of cider. When all was said and done, i took out of proof and traille hydrometer. I took a reading and it read 0 proof. Does anyone have any explanation for me of what wrong? Cause im sure it should be reading at least 40 proof?

 

[ericbw]

I don't know about those hydrometers, but what about temperature correction? If it was colder than the hydro was calibrated for?

 

[BILTIT]

At what temp are you freezing it at? What i found for info is 40% will freeze at -24C. My freezer goes to -23 and i freeze/thaw until it wont freeze anymore. i estimate i hit 35%.

Did your cider have residual sugar (sweetness)? You cannot use that type of hydrometer to measure alcohol with residual sugars, it can only be used on distilled spirits apparently.

 

[Sttifyd35]

I used a nottingham ale yeast. To my understanding, ale yeast stops before completely drying out the cider. So because there is still residual sugar, i wont be able to figure it out? Temperature correction? This i am unfamiliar with.

 

[BILTIT]

Yes because there is residual sugar you cannot get an accurate reading. Will it freeze again?

I usually start with ~15% abv and freeze/thaw 3 times and it will just be soupy on the 4rth freeze.

 

[Sttifyd35]

So after 4th time and it only reaches a slush, do you figure ot reaches around 35%? I got to check the temperature of the freezer so i can possibly figure ot out. Im going to throw it in again tonite and see. Mine was 7% at the start.

 

[BILTIT]

Yes the 4th time is too slushy to get any seperation from the ice, it all just pours out of the bottle.

I figure 35% because 40% will freeze at -24c and mine will get to -23, so 35% seems to be reasonable.

 

[Sttifyd35]

Im going to guess that mine is going to be around -18 C. So id estimate that would be between 25 to 30?

 

[BILTIT]

Yes most deep freezes are normally set at -18c, some are adjustable for colder.

Ya 25-30% is probably a good estimate.

 

[Sttifyd35]

Ok thank you. I just threw it back in. I did the same with cheap bottles of pinot grigio. Just running it through once really improved the flavor.

 

[BILTIT]

Yup, the flavour gets concentrated as well as the alcohol content.

 

[Sttifyd35]

So how does your applejack taste in comparison to apple brandy?

 

[BILTIT]

I dont think i have ever had apple brandy so couldnt compare.

 

[Sttifyd35]

I have found that apple brandy is really hard to come across. But if you do find it, its worth it to try. Very unique taste.

 

[MindenMan]

There are few producers of apple brandy here in the US, I have actually only tried one: Laird's Distillery produces an non-aged apple brandy, and IIRC, three different aged ones as well. I purchased a bottle of the non-aged apple brandy and it didn't taste like apples, and it was really harsh and left an odd taste in my mouth. After tasting my my home brew applejack and how smooth it was after aging for 10 months or more, the non-aged apple brandy was flat out nasty in comparison. I wish there was a distillery/cidery that made a real old-school applejack for sale; not what Lairds calls applejack--aged apple brandy diluted with neutral spirits.
I have been making applejack for a few years now, and the differences in the juices sourced do make a difference in flavor. I always leave my hard cider in the freezer for enough days to have the alcohol start to form a distinct (orange,gold) layer on top before I invert the bottles and start collection. Do yourself and your applejack a favor by letting it age at least 8 months before tasting; yes, you can drink it straight from the freezer and a small amount of mine always is--strictly for quality assurance if nothing else. I make very high gravity ciders (technically apple wine) using cool fermentation temperatures and a non-aggressive yeast to prevent the "rocket fuel" burn that many high gravity hard ciders have. Trust me, I have made alcohol burn ciders in the past, and they take a lot more aging than the "low-and-slow-" ciders do before they are worth sharing with family or friends; isn't that really the point, impressing your family and friends with something you made that they wish they could make?

 

[howamidriving]

Not to totally derail the thread but you can make some decent apple brandy by just soaking cut up apples in regular brandy with a little sugar and whatever spices you want. Before I started homebrewing I used to do infusions like that all the time and it turns out pretty good

 

[Sttifyd35]

I agree that apple brandy tastes nothing like apples. Distilling strips flavor from the cider.

 

[Sttifyd35]

However, the applejack i have sampled so far has a tart apple taste which is great and easy to drink.

 

[MindenMan]

S..35 was the applejack you had aged, and if so for how long?

 

[BILTIT]

Some different colors of my applejacks.

From left to right;

Demerara brown sugar, 50/50 light brown/white, white, far right is simple dry cider that has been jacked so no sugar added.

The demijohn i just mixed up and is 100% light brown sugar but at 2.2lbs/gallon (twice as much as the other jacks i have added sugar too).

 

[Sttifyd35]

Now these are all jacked ciders that you have essentially added flavors and different sugars too?

 

[BILTIT]

Cider/wine that have been jacked. Just different sugars, one had a different juice but i am unsure how much it changes things yet.