Thirsty Thursdays — Apple Pie Moonshine

Have you missed me?  Wondered if I had given up cooking AND sewing?  Never fear, I’m still here stitching and sautéing up a storm, but some intercontinental travel and work-related busy-ness have kept me from sharing my progress in this little neck of the web.   To make up for my absence, I am offering you the recipe for a much-requested liquid delicacy — Apple Pie Moonshine (hereby known as APMS) — just in time for your fall festivities!

APMS really does taste like apple pie in a glass — it is so smooth and delicious.  I have been racking my brain trying to recall who first turned me on to this tasty treat, but old age has gotten the best of me and I just can’t remember. Nevertheless, I first made it last winter for our annual holiday party and it was a huge hit.  I made a single batch and the dispenser I served it in was drained dry in no time.  While it is called “moonshine,” a quick use of some grade school mathematics will reveal that the final product is only about 20-25 proof, less potent than regular vodka or bourbon, so there is no risk of getting busted by the sheriff.  I guess it is called “moonshine” because it is made from pure grain alcohol and served in Mason jars?  Having made this now three times, I can tell you that it tastes fine right away, but the flavors mellow and it gets smoother if you let it sit a week or two in a cool, dark place.  In case you were wondering, the alcohol content is not changed by letting it sit, so don’t worry about it getting stronger.  But do keep in mind, because it is so smooth, it is easy to drink straight, so be careful — it will sneak up on you!

So, for all you girls who are always begging me to make you more Apple Pie Moonshine, now you can make your own! 🙂

Apple Pie Moonshine

Yield:  Approximately 9 quarts

1 gallon apple cider

1 gallon apple juice

3 cups granulated sugar

9 cinnamon sticks

1 liter 190 proof pure grain alcohol (aka moonshine or Everclear)

9-1 quart Mason jars

In a large stock pot, stir together the cider, juice, sugar, and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the alcohol. Pour into jars, making sure each jar gets a cinnamon stick. Apply lids and store in a cool, dark place for a week or two before serving. Alternately, you can pour it back into the cider, juice, and alcohol bottles if you are planning to serve it at a party from a large dispenser.

P.S.  If you can’t buy pure grain alcohol where you live, you can use vodka instead.  To achieve the same final alcohol concentration, you will need to use 2-3/8 (that’s two and three-eighths) liters of 80 proof vodka and keep the cider, juice, and sugar measurements as listed.

P.P.S.  If you prefer your APMS to not have sediment in it, substitute another gallon of juice for the cider.  Basically, apple cider is just unfiltered apple juice, so opting for 2 gallons of apple juice will yield clear Apple Pie Moonshine.

Adapted from Moonshine Heritage.

Tags: apple, cocktail, mason jar, moonshine