Calvados Cuts and Ingredients

[Kifi]

My father has an apple orchard and I'm looking to make apple brandy this fall.

I've made apple brandy before with an 80% - 60% middle run, which turned out OK, but I'm looking for some detailed knowlege of best practices for apple brandy cuts (ie where the flavor are and why), and suggestions on apple varieties to use, ratios, blending, etc. I'm also generally interested in best practices for making brandy. I've done lots of research, but haven't come across much brandy-specfic literature (at least in English). Do we have any brandy experts who can help?

[cidermaker]

From my experience of making cider I would say to use the greatest variety of apples that you can. There are a whole load of different specific cider apples with all sorts of flavors. I've seen elsewhere on the forum not to bother using the apples with a lot of tannin for distilling but then I've just distilled some with a fair bit of tannin and it didnt seem to do any harm. If you do find any written stuff about Calvados please let me know. The french dont want people knowing how they do it but one thing I do know is that they favour using cider that is at least three months old. By this I mean that it has been fermented out to it's maximum strength and then syphoned off the lees (racking) and left for three months. I have read that they normally do their distilling runs in either late spring or early autumn having done their fermentation the previous late autumn.
I have been making cider for myself for the last 15 years but I'm new to distilling. So if you want to know anything more about cidermaking please ask or I highly recommend a book called; "REAL CIDERMAKING ON A SMALL SCALE" which is where I started.

[cidermaker]

As far as cuts go the aroma of the apples mainly seems to come out at the beginning and end of the hearts. As you probably know you get a lot of heads with apples. I ran 10 gallons(48 litres) of cider thru my still and got 2 1/2 litres of heads on the spirit run. I ended up adding a litre of this to the final blend which seems to give a good calvados flavour and aroma. I'm just about to try adding oak to it. So far not too bad on the hangover score but then I'm not a heavy drinker anyway. The calvados I've tried over the years certainly seemed to have a fair bit of heads in it.
Here is a nice diagram I found of a Calvados Still.

[Bushman]

Good info, I was just this fall given a homemade electric stainless steel, cider press and grinder combination. Haven't had a chance to use it yet with our weather but live in a state that is famous for apples and am hoping to get some of the culls from farms on the east side of the mountain this next fall.

[Tater]

In my area old timers would put apples to ferment in fall and distill in spring.Then dip out the wash leaving what settled in bottom mash box/barrel.Here that's October- April Seems like the long ferments take some bite outta fruits.Ive made it from single apple wash to 7 types.Some time adding some pears with it .To my taste more types used better the brandy.I think fermenting it on the pulp has a tad more flavor then using just juice.However last few years Ive been buying fresh cider juice from the apple orchards I do work at . His blend has 3 types apples and is lot less work for me .Plus I can buy it at same price that the apples to make it would cost.I never hurry any fruit wash.And when running it take it slow also. .

[blind drunk]

The calvados I've tried over the years certainly seemed to have a fair bit of heads in it.

My experience too. I wonder how they get their heads so soft, no bite. Maybe it's how Tater says, long slow ferment, and some aging of the wash and then time in a barrel. I just love the stuff.

[cidermaker]

I have found that Cider which is well aged certainly improves in flavor enormously. As far as fermenting the pulp goes you do get a bit of pulp thru the hessian or netting in the press, so the best of both worlds. Also my experience from cider is that if you are going to age the cider then dont leave it on the lees as this can introduce off notes although how this relates when distilling I am yet to find out. One day though.

[Dnderhead]

with what I know,much of the heads come from pectin. the pulp /skins contain the most.
so as soon as it has fermented rack,do not use pectic enzymes this makes more.cold conditioning makes some acids etc drop out.leaving it with less "bite"

[cidermaker]

Brilliant!!!! So to avoid heads the less pulp in the juice the better but personally I think the skins give more flavor to the juice when pressed.

I know the master of stating the obvious but this is what happens when I drink cider.

[cidermaker]

Also I have never felt the need to use pectic enzyme when making cider. In some home-made wines though it can be useful. Depends on which fruit you are using and what you want to do with it.
By the way please see the post I have left on cidermaking in the Beer and Wine Forum under the Hard Apple Cider thread.

[Dnderhead]

I agree skins have a lot of flavor ,so leave in until after ferment,then rack before they can brake down.Iv made a bunch of wine most the "farmers" way that is nothing added other than sugar/water depending on fruit. I thank enzymes are for those that are impatient.