Moonshiners Show

[geezerfinneran]

Laird's Applejack is at its best (IMHO), when mixed with a nice semi-sweet grape wine: about 1 oz "Jack" to a glass of Merlot-stir gently with swizzle stick, spoon, fork, Kabar, or fingers. (OK to lick fingers afterwards.)

It is equivalent to a boilermaker. and-even sitting home- I limit myself to one. (If I want a second drink, plain wine will do nicely.)

If you can't find Laird's , Southern Comfort, or one of the "plain" brandies will do as well.

 

[Old Crazy]

It is illegal to make distilled spirits, but there is a way you can legally make your own homemade Applejack at about 40 proof. Just ferment fresh apple juice (without preservatives) exactly as you would ferment fresh pressed grape juice to create wine. The only difference is, you will use a highly alcohol tolerant distillers yeast in your apple juice that will give you a finished product that's about 20% alcohol. http://store.homebrewheaven.com/super-start--distillers-yeast--1lb-p645.aspx

People in New England used to take their barrels of finished apple wine and set it outside in the winter. Then each morning they would skim off the ice crystals that formed on top of their apple wine. Since alcohol doesn't freeze, each time they removed some ice they increased the volume (proof) of alcohol in their applejack. Unfortunately, if they got caught doing that today they could be arrested because once you take any action to separate ethyl alcohol, you are considered under the law to be distilling.

 

[Pine Baron]

It is illegal to make distilled spirits

Only if you get caught.

 

[Old Crazy]

Only if you get caught.

The government will of course say they don't allow home distilling because it's dangerous and needs to be regulated (like our toilets & light bulbs...GRRRR!) But the truth is, they rake in so much tax revenue from the sale of distilled spirits, they don't want to risk losing any of it. Taxes on distilled spirits were first enacted as a "temporary" measure to pay for the Civil War. Boy, you would think it would be paid off by now?