Apple Brandy

How is Apple Brandy made?

Apple brandy starts with fermented apple cider or apple wine, which gets distilled in copper pot stills or column stills to concentrate the alcohol and apple flavors. The clear spirit then ages in oak barrels for anywhere from two to twenty years, where it picks up color, tannins, and vanilla notes while the apple character mellows and becomes more complex. American apple brandies like Applejack traditionally used a freeze-distillation method called "jacking," though modern producers typically use heat distillation for better quality control.

How do you drink Apple Brandy?

Apple brandy shines brightest when sipped neat or on the rocks, allowing its rich orchard flavors and warming spice notes to take center stage. While some folks enjoy it in shots, apple brandy truly comes alive in classic cocktails like the Jack Rose, Applejack Sour, or a sophisticated Apple Brandy Old Fashioned where its fruit-forward character plays beautifully with citrus and bitters. This spirit feels most at home during autumn and winter months when its cozy warmth matches the season's mood, making it perfect for fireside sipping or holiday gatherings where its nostalgic apple notes create that quintessential American comfort feeling.

How do I choose a good Apple Brandy?

Start by considering whether you want American apple brandy (like Laird's) with its bold, rustic character, or French Calvados with more refined, complex notes from specific apple varieties and aging regulations. For cocktails like Jack Rose or Corpse Reviver variations, reach for a younger, more assertive American brandy that won't get lost among other ingredients, while sipping neat calls for an aged Calvados or premium American bottling with deeper fruit and oak complexity. Pay attention to proof too—higher-proof expressions around 100 proof give you flexibility to add water or ice without losing the apple essence, while 80-proof bottles work perfectly for lighter mixed drinks where you want the spirit to play nicely with citrus and sweeteners.

Nutritional Information

Typical Calorie Range per Ounce: 65-70 calories

Typical Carbohydrate Range per Ounce: 0-0.1 grams

Typical Sugar Range per Ounce: 0-0.1 grams

Typically Gluten Free: Yes

Apple brandy is distilled from fermented apple juice or cider, making it naturally gluten-free since it contains no wheat, barley, or rye. The distillation process removes virtually all carbohydrates and sugars, leaving behind pure ethanol and water along with the concentrated apple flavors and aromatics. While most apple brandies are gluten-free, always check the specific product label and manufacturer information to confirm, especially with flavored varieties or those that might include additives during production.

Scrolled this far? Your reward? Apple Brandy Trivia!

1. George Washington wasn't just the father of our country—he was also America's biggest apple brandy distiller. His Mount Vernon distillery produced 11,000 gallons of rye whiskey and apple brandy in 1799 alone, making him the largest commercial distiller in the nation. The guy who crossed the Delaware apparently knew his way around a still too.
2. Apple brandy played matchmaker in colonial America through "bottle parties." Young men would bring bottles of their family's homemade apple brandy to social gatherings, and the quality of the spirit often determined their marriage prospects. A smooth, well-aged brandy could literally help you land a spouse—talk about liquid courage with actual consequences.
3. The phrase "the real McCoy" comes from a Prohibition-era rum runner named Bill McCoy, but here's the twist: he got his start smuggling high-quality American apple brandy, not rum. McCoy's reputation for selling authentic, unwatered spirits made his name synonymous with quality—and it all started with apples from New Jersey orchards.
4. Apple brandy was America's original "liquid savings account." Colonial farmers would distill their apple harvest into brandy because it took up less storage space than barrels of cider, lasted indefinitely, and actually increased in value as it aged. During tough times, families would literally drink their savings—which explains why apple brandy was often called "liquid gold."
5. French Calvados and American apple brandy share more than just apples—they share the same aging secret that most people miss. Both spirits develop their complex flavors not just from the wood, but from seasonal temperature changes that cause the liquid to expand and contract in the barrels. This natural breathing process creates micro-oxygenation that you simply can't replicate in climate-controlled facilities.