by Woodsbum
With Christmas right around the corner, it is time for me to start making my specialty booze. I normally make Apple Pie, Amaretto, and Kahlua. This last weekend was my Apple Pie run.
My recipe is essentially the following:
- 3 frozen apple juice concentrate cans
- Apple cider
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 cups Capt Morgan Spice Rum
- High proof grain alcohol
- Cinnamon sticks
What I do is the following:
- Mix the apple juice cans, about a quart of the apple cider (if using 180+ proof grain alcohol), and the brown sugar in a large pot and bring it to the spot where it is almost, but not quite boiling.
- Add your Capt Morgan Rum
- Remove the pot from heat and move it to a place AWAY from flame or hot burner. Add your grain alcohol. If you are using single run moonshine, you might want to cut down on the apple cider at first. Try to eyeball a mixture that will give you about 45% – 50% alcohol by volume. If you are running 180-190 proof booze, you need to just do about a 50/50 mix. If you are using 120 proof stuff you might want to sub out some the cider for an additional concentrated juice can to do a more 2/3 booze to 1/3 boiled stuff mix.
- When you get it all added and mixed, move the pot back to the heat. Heat it up again to the point where you are starting to get some decent steam, but NOT boiling.
- Take off the heat and put in Mason jars with a cinnamon stick or two. I use 1 stick per pint of Apple Pie. This seems to give the best flavor in my opinion.
(Optional) You can add a vanilla bean or two to each jar if you wish. This gives is a nice, smooth finish. When I use vanilla beans, I go big and put in several. I figure the cinnamon and vanilla can just fight it out to see what flavor rules.
Once in a jar, make sure you let it sit for a few days at least. The longer that it sits, the more mellow and smooth the drink is. Some stuff I have had that was sitting for almost a year was so smooth that you couldn’t taste the alcohol, but was still sitting at over 100 proof.
When I start on my other boozes, I will add those recipes as well. My Kahlua is really incredible.