using CO2 to make applejack

I don't really know much about freeze distilling. But I know a friend of mine tried this with his freezer and homemade cider. He froze and drained off the liquid, and repeated. He said it tasted good but was a ticket to headache city. My guess is fusel alcohols, but im no expert. I'm not sure how you would be sure to avoid this problem.

john

Vic, you may want to ask in Rec.Crafts.Distilling. They seem to be knowledgeable on this procedure.

Brian

Vic Whirlw> I am making apple cider and am very interested in making a strong, intensely

I am just getting into all of this, but I will look into it, for sure. Thanks.

In those lands north of most of us, you can leave the bottle of wine in the trunk of the car and the cold will drive off about half of the volume.

If you set your freezer for max. cold and wait several days for each container to freeze, the ice crystals are bigger and can be separated without melting. I used a sanitized stainless strainer over a large funnel and small portions of the frozen stuff to avoid melting. The flavor is as intense as you could want--remember that the acid is also concentrated by removing water.

The headache comes if you add the full amount of metabisulfite before you freeze the batch. Freeze first, decant off the ice, then stabilize and clarify if necessary (you might have to give the conc. a month in a carboy to rack).

Irene

Thanks, Irene. What you say is very helpful. I have already put a crushed Campden tablet per gallon of cider. I see that they are potassium metabisulfite. Does that mean that I shouldn't make them into applejack, or is that a different metabisulfite you mean?

Vic

Don't add any more. Make sure the fermentation is completely done (at least 2 months in the secondary) and then freeze away. After you have separated the ice, put the liquid into a carboy with airlock and give it a month to let it throw any sediment. If it needs clarification, use a light amount of bentonite (5-10 grams in 5-6 gallons).

Irene

That could work, but a low tech approach would work as well. Unlike a pot still which boils at the average temperature of the various chemicals it contains, an ice still has lots of ice crystals. Essentially, the frozen cider is mashed up and it drips out from the frozen water crystals. The crystals colder than the freexing point of water freeze water out of the mix. More like a column still in that respect. Of course, some water gets through. If you repeat the process on the result, more ice crystalizes because the mix goes below the freezing point of water again. Strain out the water (ice) and repeat.

If you want greater efficiency or want to freeze out something other than water, try a lower temperature.

I don't know how much concentration you want, but I've never had apple jack so good off the shelf. Not even close. I never understood Steinbeck's fondness for it until I had some of the homemade variety a friend made using that method:)

Don't tell the government. Culture is basically illegal in America now.

Hmm. Makes me think of a subject on topic for this group. Since the distillation intensifies the flavor and alcohol aspects, I be there's a dodge to make it legally too (but not quite as strong). If the apple elements were freeze concentrated before fermentation, distillation might be avoided. As long as the alcohol was then below 25%, it would be wine with no gov't issues. Hmmm. Yum, slurp :)

Worth a try!

Duh! It just occurred to me the work is already done! I bet that taking frozen apple juice and preparing it at a triple concentration, then fermenting will make an awesome apple wine.

Has anyone tried this?

Fermentation is much harder with concentrated fruit juice/syrup. I tried twice, and found that the primary lasted three weeks and I was worried about undesirables starting to grow.

It is much more efficient to ferment first and then to freeze. Once the sugar is gone the ice separates very well from the other components.