Many different types of alcoholic beverages can have apple-like flavors. The apple taste usually comes from adding apple juice, apple cider, apple liqueurs, or actual apple extracts during the production process. The apple flavor gives these drinks a sweet, fruity taste reminiscent of biting into a fresh, crisp apple. Some of the most common types of alcohol that can take on an apple flavor include brandy, vodka, rum, whiskey, wine, and hard cider.
Brandy
Brandy is a spirit produced from distilled wine or fermented fruit juice. Many brandy producers add apple juice or apple cider during the distillation process to give their brandy an apple-like taste. One of the most popular apple brandies is called calvados. Calvados is a French brandy made exclusively from apples. It is produced in the Normandy region of France and is known for its crisp, bright apple aromas and flavors.
Other types of brandy that often have an apple taste include applejack and pommeau. Applejack is an American apple brandy that originated during the colonial era. It gets its signature green apple flavor from being distilled from a combination of apple cider and apple mash. Pommeau is a French brandy blend made by mixing unaged apple brandy with apple cider. The addition of the fresh apple cider gives pommeau a tasting note of baked apples.
Apple Brandy Production
To make an apple-flavored brandy like calvados, applejack or pommeau, the production process starts with pressing apples into fresh apple cider. The apple cider is then fermented into apple wine using yeast. Next, the apple wine is double distilled in copper pot stills. The resulting clear, colorless brandy has concentrated apple notes and roughly 40% alcohol by volume (ABV). It can be bottled and sold immediately as a younger apple brandy. Alternatively, it can be aged in oak casks to develop more complex flavors and a darker golden color over many years.
Vodka
In addition to brandy, vodka is another type of liquor that can take on apple-like flavors. Flavored vodkas infused with essences of apple are quite popular. Two well-known brands of apple vodka are Absolut Berri Acai Apple Vodka and Pinnacle Apple Pie Vodka.
To make an apple vodka, vodka producers start with a base vodka distilled from fermented grains or potatoes. They then add natural apple extracts or an apple liqueur to the base spirit. This provides fresh apple aroma and taste. The level of apple flavor can range from subtle to quite prominent depending on the amount of apple added.
Some flavored vodkas also include extra spices like cinnamon to enhance the apple pie notes. Pinnacle Apple Pie Vodka notably includes notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and real golden delicious apples to create an apple pie in liquid form.
Flavored Vodka Production
Here is a typical production process for making a flavored vodka like apple vodka:
1. Start by distilling a high proof neutral vodka from fermented grain mash. Filter multiple times to remove impurities.
2. Add purified water to dilute the vodka to the desired ABV, typically 70 proof (35% ABV).
3. Infuse real apple flavor. Methods include:
– Adding an apple liqueur like apple schnapps
– Infusing vodka directly with apple slices, juice or cider
– Mixing in concentrated natural apple extracts
– Using artificial apple flavorings
4. For extra flavor, consider adding complementary spices like cinnamon.
5. Bottle the apple vodka and let it rest so the flavors can fully integrate.
Rum
In addition to vodka and brandy, rum is another popular spirit that takes on apple notes well. Apple rum utilizes ripe apple flavors to provide a sweet counterpoint to the punchy molasses notes in rum.
Some of the most popular apple rums include Berentzen Apfelkorn Rum and Rozelieures Neisson Apple Rum. Berentzen Apfelkorn is made by infusing rum with apple liqueur. It has bright green apple candy flavors with creamy vanilla. Rozelieures Neisson is made by fermenting and distilling fresh apple cider into rum. It has pure, intense apple nectar flavors.
Apple Rum Production
Two main methods are used to make rum taste like apples:
1. Apple liqueur infusion – Mix already distilled rum with 20-50% apple schnapps or apple liqueur like Berentzen Apfelkorn. The apple liqueur provides immediate apple aroma and flavor.
2. Fermented apple cider distillation – Make rum directly from distilling fermented apple cider like Rozelieures Neisson. This produces a rum with pure, fresh-pressed apple taste.
Other apple rums use artificial apple extracts to flavor neutral rum. Overall, apple rum tends to have lower proof than traditional rum, around 20-40% ABV, since apple juice or liqueur is added. The apple flavors give rum a gentler, sweeter taste profile.
Whiskey
Whiskey is also adaptable to apple flavors. Examples of apple whiskeys include Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple Whiskey, Skrewball Peanut Butter Apple Whiskey, and Hardshore Freestyle Apple Cider Whiskey.
These products start with a base whiskey distilled from fermented grains. The whiskey is then flavored with essences of apple juice, cider or extracts to give it fruity apple aromas and flavors. Cinnamon spice notes are also sometimes added to complement the apple taste.
The methods for making apple whiskey are very similar to how flavored vodkas are produced. The main difference is using aged whiskey as the base spirit rather than neutral vodka. The sweet, acidic apple flavors help mellow out the robust oak, vanilla and caramel flavors from barrel aging. It creates a more approachable fruit-infused whiskey experience.
Wine
Wine is another type of alcoholic beverage that can have distinct apple characteristics. Hard apple ciders are essentially apple wines made from fermented apple juice. The apples provide cider with its signature apple aromas and tart apple flavor.
In addition, traditional grape wines can sometimes take on apple-like qualities. Wines like Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris can exhibit apple notes when grown in cool climate regions. The cool climate helps preserve the bright, delicate apple flavors during grape ripening.
Winemakers can also add apple juice or apple brandy during fermentation to amplify the apple tastes. The German wine style Apfelwein is made by fermenting a blend of apple juice and grape juice. The apple juice provides crisp green apple flavors that balance out the grape flavors.
Hard Cider
Hard cider is an alcoholic apple cider produced through fermentation. It can range from sweet to dry, but always with prominent fresh apple taste. Hard cider offers another light, fruit-forward, gluten-free option for those looking for beverages that taste like apples.
The production process for hard cider starts with pressing apples into juice. Apple juice naturally contains sugars that yeast can convert into alcohol during fermentation. Traditional hard ciders use a blend of apple juice from cider, culinary and crabapple varieties to provide complexity.
After pressing, the apple juice is fermented for 4-6 weeks with wine or champagne yeast. This typically produces a hard cider around 5-8% ABV. The cider can be bottled immediately after fermentation for a fresher, fruitier flavor. Or it can be aged for a drier, more wine-like taste. Additional sugar or apple juice can also be added before bottling to increase the sweetness and apple flavors.
Other Apple Liqueurs
In addition to adding apple flavors to grape and grain spirits, standalone apple liqueurs are also popular. Two examples are Berentzen Apfelkorn and DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker.
Apple liqueurs like these are made by macerating apples in neutral spirits along with sugar and spices. This extracts the juicy apple flavors into the alcohol. Apple liqueurs often have lower alcohol content, around 20-30% ABV.
They can be enjoyed on their own mixed with ice or other mixers. Their sweet apple taste also makes them popular for mixing in cocktails. For example, sour apple liqueurs like DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker work well in apple martinis and appletinis.
Cocktails with Apple Liqueurs
Apple liqueurs are very mixable and make delicious apple-flavored cocktails. Here are some popular cocktails that feature apple liqueurs:
Appletini
– 2 oz vodka
– 1 oz apple liqueur like DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker
– 1 oz triple sec
– 1 oz lime juice
Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an apple slice. The sour apple liqueur gives a tart apple flavor.
Apple Pie Martini
– 2 oz vanilla vodka
– 1/2 oz butterscotch liqueur
– 1/2 oz apple liqueur
– 1 oz cream or milk
Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Drizzle caramel and cinnamon on top. The apple liqueur provides a nice apple pie flavor.
Berentzen Apfelkorn Fizz
– 1 1/2 oz Berentzen Apfelkorn Apple Liqueur
– 4 oz sparkling apple cider
– 1/2 oz lemon juice
– Apple slices and cinnamon stick for garnish
Pour Apfelkorn and lemon juice over ice. Top with cider and garnish. The Apfelkorn gives bold apple candy flavor.
Conclusion
There are many tasty options for alcoholic beverages that taste like crisp apples. Apple flavor can be added naturally through ingredients like apple juice, cider and liqueurs. Or artificial apple extracts can be used as well. Vodka, brandy, rum, whiskey, wine and cider all adapt well to apple infusions. The sweet, bright apple flavors complement the alcohol nicely. An apple-flavored drink can be light and fruity or rich and spiced like apple pie depending on the recipe. So next time you want an apple beverage, consider one of these delicious alcoholic choices.