Beer Forum

Lufah wrote:
I thought all home distilling was illegal. Just because your not using a still to achieve the end product I don't see how that would make a difference legally. Also won't that really concentrate any fusel alcohol that is in there?

Travis

I found this on homedistiller.org which doesn't seem to come right out and say it, but produces the general tone that freeze distillation is illegal. Specifically they say that freezing "appears to fall somewhere in-between the legal issues for many areas (eg can you really stop your Applejack from freezing if its left outside ?). Sort it out with your own authorities (or just keep your freezer contents personal)." I read that as, yes it's illegal.

They also add this:

"fractional crystillization, the practice of freezing an alcoholic mash then removing the (concentrated)alcohol was used in ancient times before distilling was known. The problems with trying to purify alcohol this way was that not only did the ethanol come out of the block of ice, but so did all the nasty higher and lower alcohols that cause painfull hangovers, and there is no way to separate them from the ethanol by freezing."

The process is described as this:

"Make a good strong cider, as described in the recipe given, then put it in a sealed cask. Place the cask in some place where it can freeze through very slowly. In Canada this is doen by digging a large hole in the ground and covering the cask about three inches deep. When the thaw comes, the cask is at once dug up, and the contents will be found to have separated into apple water and to pure spirit. The spirit will be in the centre of the cask. The ice must be broken with great care, and the liquid spirit in the centre carefully run off. This is the apple-jack. It should never be drunk undiluted."

I'd take that "SHOULD NEVER BE DRUNK UNDILUTED" under advisement.

Cheers,

brendan

I would be in the camp that is pretty sure it is illegal.
I would say what I made was more like and Ice Cider, similar to an Ice Wine or and Eisbock.
I followed Vicent Sterns (Two River Cider) advice for making cider:
5.5. gallons of Barsotti Apple Juice
Pectic Enzyme
Champagne Yeast
Filtered and then added back 1/2 gal of fresh apple juice.

Before adding the juice back (and the cider that accedently ended up in the freezer) it was really dry and a bit on the sour/bitter side. Finished below 1.000.

Weird thing was when the gallon that was in the freezer was reduced to half I expected it to be a lot sweeter and better tasting. I wasn't it was nasty, that is why I left it in the freezer. When it was reduced down to a quart it is still not sweet but it tastes pretty good.

Brad

Bub, give it a try! I have two batches of cider going right now. One with WLP 005 English Ale yeast and another with Dv10 Wine yeast. Same cider. The DV-10 is a monster!!! Very vigorous fermentation!

Well, as far as the illegality goes, I can neither confirm nor deny the courts' opionions in this matter. However, my LHBS owner says that he has been told that it IS legal, but close enough to the line that he will not do it for sake of losing his liquor license (also sells hard liquor/wine/craft beers/commercial swill). I have also read an email on the Yahoo group/bathtubbrewers that a member there actually asked a BATF agent and he said that BATF takes the stance that freeze distilling in small amounts for your own use is legal. No flaming, please, just putting my 2 cents' forward.

Anyway, I forgot to add that I was passed this applejack tradition down from my Dad and he always sweetens it back a bit, 1/4-1/2 cup corn or cane sugar per 750 ml bottle. Makes a big difference. My last batch was pretty darned good.

Chris

What do you think about sweetening with some frozen concentrate?

Brad

My cider tends to be dryer than sweeter and for those that like it sweeter, I'll do 25%-33% regular cider in a glass with the hard cider.

Bub, the hef yeast sounds interesting, I would try it (and just might next year.)

Since you already did it, I am all for trying anything in a cider.
It's going to stink up your place big time fermenting!!!

Yeah a cider fermentation isn't nearly as obvious so i gave the carboys a bit of a shake... Damn it stunk like Oz just walked into the room.
BUB