I just finished the first ever run through my still - a batch of thin crabapple cider (fortified with sugar to ~6%). The run went perfectly, apart from my thermocouple having some issues.
The first 50 ml smell and taste (taste, not swallow) absofreakinlutely fanTAStic... It would be the esters, I guess, Aidas' candy-store smell. After that it mostly went downhill. I'm going to blend with some apple cider made from sweet apples due for stripping next and then redistill. The output is definitely going to be drinkable, and even pleasant, but throwing out that little sampler bottle of liquid sunwarmed orchard is going to hurt... Maybe more flavour carries through from the second batch?
DM
APPLE BRANDY II
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