Tenth Ward Bottle Club Release: Applejack
Written by Monica Pearce, Boss Lady
APPLEJACK IS BACK! YASSSSSSS! For any of our OG Tenth Ward customers, you might remember one of our FAVORITE barrel aged spirits that we stopped producing years ago. Well, I love brandy and I’m so excited it’s back. AND I’m not even a grandma. Yes, there is a misconception that only your grandparents drank apple brandy back in the day but that doesn’t mean it’s not delicious! It also doesn’t mean that if you are a grandma you don’t have to stop drinking it!
Why call it Applejack? When Tenth Ward opened our doors, we were always inspired by traditional spirits local to Frederick, MD and we always wanted to put our own spin on something class. Applejack technically began with a process called “jacking” otherwise known as freeze distilling.
Fermented cider was left outside while the frozen water was progressively scraped off the top of the cider slowly condensing it into stronger and stronger alcohol. While this process is not a legal way to commercially produce spirits, the term Applejack carried through time and can also be the name for a barrel aged apple brandy.
How It’s Made
This delicious and delicate spirit is as local as you can get! We sourced cider from McCutcheon’s, fermented it for about a week using a champagne yeast. Then distilled it in house on our 2,000 L pot still named Mama Bear here at Tenth Ward Distilling Company! It had been aging in American white oak sourced from our favorite barrel cooperage West Virginia Great Barrel Company for almost two years until we just transferred it last month to quickly rest in our very own used Tenth Ward Smoked Bourbon barrels.
Believe it or not, everything all comes back around full cycle! The leftover stillage is picked up by one of our farmers who feeds it to his livestock. The barrels will be reused by another distillery or brewery. Lastly, we will all get to sip on this classic, crisp, brandy that our team put all their love into.
Of the brandy fam, Calvados is one of my personal favorites. Calvados is an apple brandy that can only be produced in Normandy (just like champagne has to be produced only in Champagne, France for ex) and tends to have a distinct sweet pear and floral note to it. I like to consider Applejack the American version of a Calvados. It is specific to the mid-Atlantic area where apple orchards were always prominent and I believe should have more of those bourbon and heavier oak notes because us folks here in the US like our big bold flavors. Due to the classic history of this spirit, I also listed some of the more popular Applejack cocktails from the early 1900’s, along with a few notes to modernize them, so make sure to keep reading! Also make sure to pop into our Cocktail Bar and Tasting Room to try my own twist on the Jack Rose.
Tasting Notes: Clean and light in appearance. Tangy and fruity on the nose. To the taste, tart fruit, granny smith apple, champagne yet oaky chardonnay both at the same time, with a crisp smokey fall finish.
On another note, this spirit is whiskey forward! So please don’t feel the need to go all martini style here. These are just the drinks they were making back in the day. Being a whiskey woman myself, I’ll also be mixing our Applejack into an old fashioned or a hot toddy and even drinking it neat or on the rocks. Drink it how you like it, there is no wrong way.
Signing off now from brandy land…
Monica
How to Mix It
Jack Rose
1.5 oz Tenth Ward Applejack
.75 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Grenadine
Lemon twist garnish
Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish.
Mon’s notes: Find a good quality grenadine that doesn’t look and taste like cough syrup!
Applejack Rabbit
2 oz Tenth Ward Applejack
.75 oz Lemon Juice
.75 oz Orange Juice
.5 oz Maple Syrup
Lemon Twist Garnish
Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish.
Mon’s Notes: I prefer tangerine juice so this cocktail doesn’t always taste like breakfast but if that’s what you’re going for, do your thang. I also suggest turning the maple syrup into a simple syrup by heating equal parts syrup and water to make it easier to mix.
Pink Lady
1 oz Tenth Ward Genever Gin
.5 oz Tenth Ward Applejack
.75 oz Lemon Juice
.25 oz Grenadine
1 Egg White
Brandied Cherry Garnish
Dry shake egg white. Add remaining ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish.
Mon’s Notes: Substitute .75 oz aquafaba for a vegan option!
How do I get my hands on it???
You might be wondering how to get your hands on this amazing product. If you’re already a bottle club member, you’re all set! If not, what are you waiting for? Hint: This month’s can club release is the Apple Pie blended with the same spirit! Be sure to join both clubs this year to enjoy everything we have to offer. Check out our website for all the details! https://www.tenthwarddistilling.com/clubs/
