Granny Smith Apple/Sugar Shine

[DrewHD]

I am currently mixing up a new concoction I just thought of, I like to experiment with a bunch of different mashes. Anyway here is my ingredient list for a 5gal mash...

10lbs of Granny Smith Apples
8lbs of Regular Sugar

I diced all of the apples into small chunks then added just enough water to where they started to float in the pot. I let them simmer/boil for roughly 5-6mins (just til they were soft) and took off the heat. I then strained the water out and put the hot water into my fermenting bucket and added the 8lbs of sugar to the hot water. Next I mashed the soft apple chunks into just a half applesauce/half chunky mix and also put the mush into the fermenting barrel. Top off with water and let sit for about a week.

I plan on letting this sit til i get my new still and run it in pot still mode, then if it tastes like apple I may leave it alone or make it into apple pie.

Thats it really, just simple for a newbie like me and I'm sure its been done before I just figured I'd share and let y'all know how it goes...

[NcHooch]

sounds pretty tasty , keep us updated on this please

[DrewHD]

The bubbler is slowing down now, but it was goin a mile a minute for the last 2 days. I would like to run this through the new still if it ever arrives (should be next week at latest) so im gonna let it sit til then...

[ABURLEIGH]

So you just let the apples supply the alcohol instead of adding yeast.

[Dnderhead]

"apples supply the alcohol instead of adding yeast."
it don't work that way.you need yeast and as he boiled he had to add yeast

[JrShiner]

This is insane! I was just about to post on here about my bubbles slowing down after 2 days. The only difference, and I mean only, is that you used 10 lbs of granny smith, I used 15 pounds of Gala. Let me know how this turns out for you so I can know if i'm doing well comparatively or if I need to fix something!

[DrewHD]

admittedly I did use yeast! haha you kind of need to with apples, I figured it was a given.. but anyway I just used about a half or a little more of a packet of turbo. I know a lot of ppl will despise me for this and its ok ive read up on it and am planning on going to bakers on my next batch anyway, but it shouldnt alter the flavoring too much. Ive done this mix before but with nearly 12lbs of sugar and 3lbs or so of GS apples and i could get a hint of GS apple aftertaste and it smelled a little like GS apples so i just jacked up the apples and decreased the sugar...

This is insane! I was just about to post on here about my bubbles slowing down after 2 days. The only difference, and I mean only, is that you used 10 lbs of granny smith, I used 15 pounds of Gala. Let me know how this turns out for you so I can know if i'm doing well comparatively or if I need to fix something!

Well i figured while apples are in peak season why not? haha I also looked into trying gala and I would of, but I think GS has a bit stronger flavor to it so I wanted to make sure the flavors would come through first before I tried sweeter/lighter flavored apples. I have yet to distill because im still waiting on my Mile Hi to arrive.... should be by this weekend or so. In the mean time the ferment is just concentrating its GS apple flavors!! (theoretically..)

[JrShiner]

Yeah mine is slowing down quite a bit too, i've been shaking it every day to keep them going. Not sure if it's the cool weather here (I do keep it room temp, 76 or so) or it's just slowing down.

Did you strain the fruit out of yours? I did mine in the beginning, I heated the water up quite a bit then put in sliced/chopped apples (without peels or cores) into a pot and heated it until all the apple sugars and flavors were in the water and the apples themselves tasted terrible. Then I repeated that process several times to get an apple wash from 15 pounds of apples. I added a bit of water so the sugar could disperse easier, then I put in 8 pounds and let it sit.

I chose gala over GS because where I live, gala were on sale for 78 cents a pound, and GS were 4.25!

[JrShiner]

Also - I used just regular feldman's dry active yeast. A whole ounce of it. Hoping that there are enough nutrients in the apple wash for the yeasts to be happy!

Thought about playing classical music for them like babies, haha.

[DrewHD]

I just chopped all the apples up into small cubes (skin, seeds, stems and all) then heated them in a pot with water until soft. I then strained off the hot water into my fermenting bucket. Then took the soft apple pieces and smashed them up (I used a potato masher) and added them to the hot GS flavored water. I only added about 5lbs of sugar to the bucket to help boost the fermentation.

Today I strained my mash and squeezed out the liquid from the floating apple mush so there was no particulate except the liquid mash did have an off-white hue to it once I finished straining, then added it to the pot.

I am distilling now with only a proof of only 165, but I'm using my new Mile Hi, 3gal w/ mighty mini tower in full reflux mode. I am only running about 1/1.5 gallons tops of the mash because I already ran the other part of the 5 gal mash in my old still (sorry I couldn't wait the full 2 months it took to get my still ). Anyway with such a small amount I just topped off one pint already, but..... the taste....

This was the biggest pain in the butt to do from start to finish, but let me say it was sooo worth it!!! smooth and not harsh, It taste more like 80 proof apple flavored vodka!! I couldn't believe how well the apples infused and I could still taste them even when the still is in reflux mode. (I shouldve run it in just pot still mode, but I was more interested in trying the full set up haha)

End result: TRY THIS! My results were great and I am definitely doing this again possibly with more apples..... Good luck!!

[bht9665]

I am making a similar mash. 15lbs apples, half Granny Smith and half red. I have a apple slicer that takes the core out. I run the slices in my blender and made apple sauce. This took a little time but wasn't to bad. I boiled two gallons of water and dissolved 6 pounds of sugar. I put my apple sauce and sugar water into my carboy and filled the rest of the way with cold water. My temp was 97, so I pitched my bakers yeast. I will give a update on mine tomorrow. I forgot to say that I also used lemon juice . Good luck with your mash

[DrewHD]

I am making a similar mash. 15lbs apples, half Granny Smith and half red. I have a apple slicer that takes the core out. I run the slices in my blender and made apple sauce. This took a little time but wasn't to bad. I boiled two gallons of water and dissolved 6 pounds of sugar. I put my apple sauce and sugar water into my carboy and filled the rest of the way with cold water. My temp was 97, so I pitched my bakers yeast. I will give a update on mine tomorrow. I forgot to say that I also used lemon juice . Good luck with your mash

I think Im going to core and blend my apples next time, hopefully it will be a bit cleaner than what I did haha. thanks for the idea!!! I should be starting another batch tomorrow.

[bht9665]

I woke up this morning to a complete mess. I filled it up to far and you probably know the rest. I always try to get that extra bit of water in their so I can get more alcohol to run. This is the second time this has happened to me and will be the last I hope. My wife woke me up this morning and she was pissed. The apple sauce was all over the walls and took the paint off. Y'all keep me in your prayers.

[Durace11]

It happens, I've seen tons of pics of clogged airlocks and fruit on the ceiling. Clean it up and move on.

[Scrap dogg]

Y'all keep me in your prayers.

This reminds me of the time I tried to put about a gallon spent grain down the garbage disposal right after my wife told me it would probably clog it up. Yeah, two hours and a huge grain bomb later, I told her to remind me of this next time I get a bright idea.

[bht9665]

I am starting another mash tonight. This time I am going to try two different batches in two different carboys. I am going to put 3 gal in each of them, so I should be safe this time.

[Up In My Still 40]

I'm not sure where some of this info comes from, but you absolutely can make alcohol without yeast!!! Real apple cider has been made for centuries without yeast; only mashed apples and sugar. I have made apple, plum, peach, muscadine, scuppernong, watermelon, and several other wines without ever using yeast. The process is much slower, but you can get 14 to 16 % with no problem.

[Dnderhead]

" but you absolutely can make alcohol without yeast!!! ""
NO you cant,you was using "wild" yeast.

[bcboyz86]

Is there a certain type of Apple that's better over other apples? If I'm going for flavor and a higher ABV. Because granny smiths aren't as sweet at red/yellow delicious; they are a lot bigger... I live in the Pacific northwest and have all kinds of produce for about 80 miles in every direction. Even know some folks with orchards, so that will be nice this fall... Also, the selection of apples was a question I've had. I've read that as soon as its off the tree, the Apple starts turning to sugar, so the fallen, but not yet rotten ones are the best to use? Is that true or should I just buy a big ole box of picked apples and call it good? The end result will most likely be hard Apple cider for the misses and Apple pie for me for the winter. If that makes a difference in type of apple, and what stage of ripeness the use them at...

[midnightmaraude]

I would suggest using a juicer to juice the apples and then boil the pulp left behind. That way you're extracting all the sweet sugary goodness of the apple. I'll be giving this a shot soon after I run this rum this weekend.

[bcboyz86]

Since apples have about 24% yield from nature...would I just need to bump up the sugar content, or just use a poop-ton of them to get enough sugar, and not as much water to get the SG where I would want it? And how close is tree top to actual fresh pressed/juiced Apple juice? Or is treetop no good to use because of the preservatives in it? And if that's the reason I'm guessing all fruit juices like that are a no go as well... Maybe I will have to do some calling to see if the local orchards put chemicals in their juices before shipping them out...and what's the taste difference between making brandy, and flavoring neutral spirits? Is there an actual flavor difference...or just a different path to get to the same place.(fruit flavored booze)

[FitterSteve]

Couple years ago I did an apple recipe like this. I used various apples from my trees, delicious and grannies smiths.... I think . I used an apple machine that peels, cores and slices them into thin spirals. Filled up a turkey fryer pot, added a water to top it off and cooked it to a boil. Cooled and pitched champaign yeast. Ran it one time super slow through the pot still.
After about 3 months on oak it was good, after 8 it was the best stuff I ever made, and I can honestly say through Luck or divine intervention it was one if the best spirits I ever had. I'm new at this to so it wasn't anything special I did on purpose! I wanted to run this again but this Michigan spring ruined the apple season. Hopefully this fall will be different. This time I'm gonna make a lot more!

[NcMoonLight]

So what was the total ingredients / water amount?

[FitterSteve]

I would say about 8 gallons of apples, processed. Water added to make 12. I had 2 6.5 gallon fermenters. I really never measured anything to be honest.

[Bubba Q]

Anyone ever think of using pear? I've got a source who wants to give me 100# or more of pear and not sure what to do with them. They need to come off the tree now and they complete ripening around Dec. I've got a 50gal barrel, just nowhere inside the wife will allow for it to go.
What to do what to do

[squeezins]

I have made pear wine before and loved it. I've never distilled it but I'm sure it would be great on a single run pot still.

[Jlee]

I'll be making an apple mash tomorow, gonna make up the amounts depending on apple prices, but I'm curious if you guys are distilling once or making a strip run first? Does the second distilling reduce the apple flavor too much?

[SmokyMtn]

Is there a certain type of Apple that's better over other apples?

Can't speak for abv. But my folks old apple butter recipe calls for winesap apples. Might give them a try.

[cranky]

I'll be making an apple mash tomorow, gonna make up the amounts depending on apple prices, but I'm curious if you guys are distilling once or making a strip run first? Does the second distilling reduce the apple flavor too much?

To save myself a lot of typing you can find my input here
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=68085

The short version is the best thing to do is use straight apple juice, no sugar. It takes about 16 pounds of apples to make a gallon of juice, a gallon of juice doesn't make a lot of brandy but the more sugar you add the less flavor you get. The biggest problem with apple brandy is the ghost of the fruit may take a very long time to show itself and it can be difficult to make cuts and blend it back together because of this. Double distilled or 1.5 is better than single due to roughness of the final product.

The really short version is, if you are buying apples, don't, buy juice with no preservatives instead. Don't add sugar. Make your first ferment with EC-1118 yeast, double distill, be loose with your cuts and let it age a long time.

[8Ball]

I'll be making an apple mash tomorow, gonna make up the amounts depending on apple prices, but I'm curious if you guys are distilling once or making a strip run first? Does the second distilling reduce the apple flavor too much?

To save myself a lot of typing you can find my input here
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=68085

The short version is the best thing to do is use straight apple juice, no sugar. It takes about 16 pounds of apples to make a gallon of juice, a gallon of juice doesn't make a lot of brandy but the more sugar you add the less flavor you get. The biggest problem with apple brandy is the ghost of the fruit may take a very long time to show itself and it can be difficult to make cuts and blend it back together because of this. Double distilled or 1.5 is better than single due to roughness of the final product.

The really short version is, if you are buying apples, don't, buy juice with no preservatives instead. Don't add sugar. Make your first ferment with EC-1118 yeast, double distill, be loose with your cuts and let it age a long time.

Thanks Cranky!