Home Distiller

Everyone has their own spin or "secret" to making good apple pie.. I'm no different except I'll share mine.. But whats good for me might not be good for you.. All my friends and family can't get enough of mine and have been my taste testers as I refine my recipe..

1 Gallon of Apple Cider
1 Gallon of pure apple juice (I use Motts)
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (not packed)
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar (also not packed)
9 Cinnamon sticks
6 to 8 oz of clover honey (its not a lot but adds to the overall flavor).
20 whole cloves
2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract (the gourmet kind)
1 quart and 1 pint of 170+ proof corn likker (I have tried a neutral but the corn alcohol adds to the flavor) I use UJSSM doubled distilled

I combine the cider, apple juice, cinnamon sticks, vanilla and cloves to a large pot and bring to a boil, just before it boils I usually add the honey. I let it boil (covered) for 10 to 15 minutes then turn off the heat and invert the sugars. Once it cools down to under 100F I add the likker. I use 1 quart mason jars and take out the cloves and sticks before pouring into the jars. You get about 9 quarts and a nice coffee mug full to enjoy right away.. It tastes GREAT when you make it but left alone for a couple weeks tastes even better.. if my friends or family know I'm making it, it won't last but a couple days.

I don't like a lot of sugar as the cider and apple juice are sweet as it is.. I have tried various amounts and to my taste this is the perfect amount to use. I've also tried allspice but didn't like the flavor profile it had. I would love to try some vanilla bean but its too damn expensive!

Very close to what I have been making, I don't use honey and my cinnamon sticks are 8" long so I only use 3. I also use jamacin alspice and just a little ground clove. I also use about a 5" long vannila bean split in half by length. Might have to try with corn likker run refluxed. I have been using birdwatchers for mine. It ends up a very tasty apple pie, not too sweet like some recepies I have tasted.

I made that as well but one time I didn't have any on hand, just some UJSSM.. made a difference! I had a jar of the old stuff and hands down, UJSSM was the winner.. I'll have to break down and try some vanilla bean, just afraid I'll like it and my cost will go up making "gifts" for friends and family! lol I did try ground cloves but did not like the taste it gave it without filtering it out over time, though I probably added too much. The whole cloves are easy to get out of course and adds just the right amount of flavor for me.

I agree, the other recipes on this site are far to sweet for me.

I have a run that I plan to use on an apple pie recipe, I have two yours makes three I think I will do a taste test with all three and cut the recipe down to 3 quart jars for comparison!

Wavfact wrote:I let it boil (covered) for 10 to 15 minutes then turn off the heat and invert the sugars.

I'm confused about this part, can you elaborate on what you mean by inverting. Do you actually boil the brown sugars in water with lemon juice? or is the hot apple cider mix suffice in acids to invert?

I meant "dissolve the sugar in the hot liquid".. sorry for the confusion..

do you refrigerate this when done?? I have been trying to figure this out

You can for the ones you want to drink but will take longer for the flavor's to meld together. You can leave then site on the shelf for quite some time. Just don't sit them in direct sunlight.. Mine doesn't last too long so the longest I have had one sit was 3 months but I know people who's had some stored for a year and was still awesome if not better.

Can use a graham cracker sugar head to give it that lil extra also....Carries over kinda nice the graham cracker does.......potstilled.

Gee,

I just add a tsp of cardamom.

that sounds pretty tasty,,, doing a run this weekend and will defiantly give this a try,,, thanks

will have to try this once i get mine built. sounds really good

What proof would the final product end up? I am going to be making this next weekend and was just curious about the final product. Thanks.

I think this recipe ends up around 13% ABV. I just made this a couple of weeks ago (although I didn't have apple juice so I used 1/2 gallon of cran-pomegranate juice). I also only used one L of the bourbon run that day because it's all I had left after filling one f my oak barrels. I put mine at 20% ABV. It came out fantastic.

How much likker did you use to get it to 20%? I wan wanting to try some at 40% but I think I read that a alcohol proof hydrometer will not work because of the juices and the sugar added. I'm looking forward to trying it this weekend!

Here is the calc I used from the parent site.

Dilution Calculators

I don't mean no disrespect, but where I'm from, we make our apple pie 60-80 proof ...like regular likker .
you're adding 3 pints of 170proof to 2 gallons of juice...I think that comes out to about 25 proof.
I'd recommend trying tryin that recipe with 2 gallons of the 170 proof and see how ya like it.

2 gallons sounds more like it! Maybe is a NC thing . Haha

I made a batch at 20% abv, with corn, as a panty dropper. Real good chilled in a wine glass. Think I'll try that high proof approach with rum and see how it comes out. The (free) StillMate app for Android phones does the dilution calculation without running to the computer. Like to see a TV commercial with a stiller checking his phone, "There's an app for that".

OMG! 2 gallons of 170 hooch to 2 gallons of juice?!? You'd need a chaser! lol I guess it would make a good shot..

I like to drink mine like a fine wine.. most people at a party wouldn't want it in shot glasses.. at least the ones I go to..

Try the Peach Pie recipe I posted also, the girls LOVE it.. That usually disappears long before the Apple Pie does.

I made 2 gallons of your Apple Pie recipe but I'm at 80 proof too and it is amazing. Keep it in the freezer and put on a couple cubes to drink. Can't keep my dick beaters off it. As a matter of fact I am on my last quart! I guess it is time to fire up some UJSSM.

Stillmate app! time to figure up my 80 proof recipe.

alright im definately gonna give this a try!!

Down at the grocery they sell small 296ml jars of pure 100% (no added sugar & not from concentrate) apple juice. I add enough of it to 120 proof clear to get it down to 80 proof (which isn't a whole lot), toss in 2 cinnamon sticks per quart. Then put them in a nice cool, and dark place for 5-7 days. Shake them up 1 time per day. Fantastic if you ask me. Stiff but smooth, doesn't take much to do the job and tastes just like apple pie...