Apple Brandy Distillation Guide

⚖️ Legal Notice

Home distillation is illegal in many jurisdictions without proper permits. This guide is for educational purposes and jurisdictions where home distillation is permitted. Always check local laws before proceeding.

Fermentation

⏱️ 2-4 weeks

🛠️ Equipment Needed

🍎 5-10 lbs apples (sweet & tart mix)

🧪 Wine yeast (EC-1118)

🥣 Fermentation vessel + airlock

📊 Hydrometer

🧫 Pectic enzyme

💊 Campden tablets (optional)

📝 Steps

Wash and chop apples (keep peels — pectin helps fermentation)
Mash or blend into pulp (applesauce consistency)
Add pectic enzyme per package instructions — breaks down cell walls for sugar extraction
Optional: Add Campden tablet, wait 24 hours to sanitize
Pitch yeast — hydrate per instructions, add to must
Seal with airlock, ferment at 60-75°F
Rack (siphon off sediment) after 2 weeks
Secondary ferment until bubbling stops (~2 more weeks)

🎯 Target Result

6-10% ABV

Use hydrometer to verify before distillation

Distillation

⏱️ 4-8 hours

🛠️ Equipment Setup

⚗️ Pot still or column still

🔥 Heat source (electric preferred)

🌡️ Thermometer

🏺 Collection vessels

🥃 The Run — Four Cuts

☠️ Foreshots — DISCARD

Volume: First 5% of run

Contains: Methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate — TOXIC

Smell: Nail polish remover — NO EXCEPTIONS, DISCARD

⚡ Heads — Optional

Volume: Next 10-15%

Quality: Harsh, solvent-like — Some keep for blending, we discard

💚 Hearts — THE GOOD STUFF

Volume: Middle 60-70%

Quality: Clean apple aroma, smooth taste — KEEP THIS

Stop when: Taste/smell degrades (wet cardboard)

🛢️ Tails — Recycle

Volume: Final 20%

Quality: Oily, wet cardboard smell — Add to next wash for redistillation

Aging

⏱️ 2 months - 2 years

🪵 Aging Options

🌰 Oak Chips: 2-6 months (fastest)

🛢️ Small Barrel: 6-12 months (1-5L)

🏺 Glass + Time: 1-2 years (mellows harshness)

🎯 Target Proof for Sipping

80-100 Proof

40-50% ABV — Dilute with distilled water if needed

Safety Checklist

Never distill near open flame — Alcohol vapor is explosive
Ventilation is CRITICAL — Work outdoors or with strong exhaust
Discard foreshots — NO EXCEPTIONS — Methanol causes blindness/death
Don't drink until proofed — Verify ABV with hydrometer
Check local laws first — Home distillation is illegal in many areas