Did a search. Found nothing. Has anybody made an infused bourbon with apples at the forefront?
Our local moonshiners add flavor via an inline chamber at the top of the still stack. Literally a glass jar they fill with what they wish to add. Most run two distillation runs and then the flavoring if chosen.
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I know a few generational shine makers here (Minnesota 13) who would find adding any fruit/odd flavors to be anathema to the craft. I agree with them from a purity standpoint, but for a non generational shine maker with no pride to sacrifice, a bit of apple and spice added to some mass produced bourbon wouldn’t be terrible.
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These folks are not traditional. They will put all sorts of things in the infuser. I’m amazed how much flavor the 1/2 quart size device imparts. I’m not much for moonshine. But their honey vanilla bean is very good. So is their fireball cinnamon.
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Try out some apple jack or apple brandy.
I prefer this over bourbon and whiskey.
Makes an excellent apple old fashioned.
Reduced apple cider over low heat by 1/3-1/2 with a knob of ginger. Let cool and put into a container with the knob to continue infusion.
Add a large ice rock to a glass and pour 3oz of apple jack. 3oz of reduced cider, 3 dashes of cherry bitters 2 of Angostura bitters and simple syrup to taste (I add none). Finish with a real maraschino cherry, a fresh grating of nutmeg, a slice of ginger and an optional orange peel twist. You can play around with ratios to taste, but I do not like sweet drinks all that much so I keep it dry.
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Yeah this is a good point. I see a fair few people on the forums have made their own cider.
Has anyone frozen it to concentrate it into Applejack?
It sounds incredible but who knows
The disadvantage of freeze distillation, also called fractional crystallization, is that the substances remaining after the removal of the water include not only ethanol, but also harmful methanol, esters, aldehydes, and fusel alcohols.
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Ahhhhh, that’s why the hangovers have been made into song
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I made applejack a few years ago. The hangovers were not worth it, I ended up putting most of it down the drain.
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Well, I threw a bunch of cut up apples, a few vanilla beans, a few cinnamon sticks and about .75 liter of 100 proof Evan Williams bourbon in a 2 qt. Mason jar. We’ll see what it’s like in a couple weeks.
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I adore Applejack. But it hates me…lol
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i did the same even with the same whisky using instead the 80pf. didnt add the vanilla bean though. it was very good after a month of infusing. did a new batch last year and did 1.5 gal. drank 1 after a month and let the other 2 go 3 months. the 3 months was even better. the alcohol seems to concentrate in the fruit. dont throw them out. use them in a recipie or eat them with your drink… if you like this, try making martha washingtons cherry bounce. that stuff is so good its almost dangerous. says to use brandy but whisky tastes great as well. i got a batch soaking right now. about 3 gal. i give out fifths of it to friends and family over the holidays. i let it infuse at least 3 months. i dont even bother pitting the cherries. i just lightly crush them just to break the skins to allow the booze to get in the fruit.
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I need to pick up another 1.75 of the 100 proof Evan Williams. I can only get the 80 proof in the town closest to me, gotta drive about 45 minutes to get the high test stuff.
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same here except its 1.5 hrs to get anything but the easy to find stuff. i bet wild turkey would be phenominal but cant find in 1.75l. here and a fifths pretty pricey. for family i just use the christian bros. brandy at $23 a 1.75l. its pretty affordable and many dont like whisky.
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Wild Turkey 101 is much (much) better than Evan Williams 100. If I could source it within an hour’s drive I would.
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I’m a Ezra Brooks 99 fan. A good spicy bite.
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Not the same, but for years, I made ‘crabapple brandy’ by filling 1/2 gallon canning jars with Kerr or Bastian Orange/Trailman crabs, cut into quarters, add 1/2 to 1 cup white granulated sugar, then q.s. to fill with the cheapest vodka I could buy. Screw on the lid, and allow to sit for at least 3 months, agitating daily - or whenever I happened to think of it. Had some that sat for over a year before I got around to opening the jar.
Have done the same with Chojuro Asian pears, blueberries, and Aronia berries.
Watermelon & strawberry didn’t work very well, but I tried them once.
For a ‘flavored’ whisky, my #1 pick is Revel Stoke ‘Shell-Shocked’ roasted pecan Canadian whisky. Head and shoulders above any other pecan-flavored liquer I’ve sampled.
My current favorite bourbon is Buffalo Trace, but I’m a threat to drink cheap stuff like Kentucky Gentleman or Old Crow, unless I’ve got company coming…
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my fave is wild turkey but my regular is evan williams. used to be a big jack daniels fan but it got too expensive for a casual drink. i still order it occasionally at bars and resturants .
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Ahh… Evinrude… I gotcha, buddy!