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I have 3 gallons of Apple Juice fermenting right now. I'm going to try making a brandy out of it. I made a couple before but I wanted to try something different with this one.

I want to keep a good bit of the Apple flavor but with a kick. My plan was to run through the still to get the initial spirit then lower the ABV down to 80 proof with distilled water and concentrated apple juice and run it a second time.

Then lower the ABV back down to 80 proof again with the water/juice mixture then bottle and age it on charred Apple wood for a few weeks.

Thoughts?

Sometimes I temper with juice or wine/cider. I think it works out pretty good myself but I like a sweet drink.

If you have to "... lower the ABV back down to 80 proof ...." , then you have shut down very early and thrown out a lot of flavor with the backset.

"a few weeks"

Really? Then drink it?
My brandy was on apple wood and now is in an oak cask, I made it in November and it's not ready to drink yet.
See if Cranky has anything to say.
I like the "dilute with concentrate" and run again but why add water, as Alton Brown might say "it brings nothing to the party" if flavor is why you're doing it.
Hope it works out for you, be safe.

I see Cranky posted while I was thinking about it!

In truth I think NZChris and Jimbo are way more up on brandies than myself.

As I said, I temper with juice from time to time with what I think are good results. I use something like that when I make Scumble, although my Scumble recipe is pretty complicated. I do agree that apple needs to sit for a considerable period of time before it is ready to drink. I have found that at about a year or so the mix with juice rather than oaking smooths out and the sweetness goes away leaving a nice apple flavor rather than an overpowering oakiness. In truth you aren't going to get very much from only 3 gallons of apple juice tho and cuts and blending will be very difficult.

Last year I ran my cider through a flute, one run got me somewhere around 80-85% but plenty of flavor carry over so tempering is a concern for me, even when I ran 2 runs it was necessary because of the way I blend.

Thanks for the reminder Cranky. Somewhere in my shed is my version of Scumble, which is apple brandy I blended with freeze jacked apple juice a year ago. I'll have to go Scumble hunting.

NZChris wrote:Thanks for the reminder Cranky. Somewhere in my shed is my version of Scumble, which is apple brandy I blended with freeze jacked apple juice a year ago. I'll have to go Scumble hunting.

Found it.

Even though the bottle was aged full, it still has an oxidized character. Possibly a good ingredient for a Vermouth.

The flavors morph through a variety of experiences, all of them pleasant. Not something for a large glass that's for sure.

I tasted mine according to this description .... "Scumble is unable to be watered down and usually served in small thimble sized metal cups." 40% abv

NZChris wrote:"usually served in small thimble sized metal cups." 40% abv

There's your mistake right there. Scumble can't touch metal either, it must be served in wood or glass

Bugger. Two truths. Who let that happen?