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March 19, 2013
Last updated

How to Make Apple Pie Moonshine

Owner of Clawhammer Supply
Apple Pie Moonshine

So, you want to know how to make apple pie moonshine, eh? You've come to the right place. Apple pie shine is probably the most popular and sought after type of bootleg whiskey ever made, and for good reason - it's delicious. Here is our favorite (high octane) apple pie moonshine recipe.You can use any type of high proof alcohol you want to make these recipes. We used store bought moonshine from the Ole Smoky distillery.

What is Apple Pie Moonshine?

Simply put apple pie moonshine is moonshine that has the same flavors of an actual apple pie. Think cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. As we see it, there are 4 different types of apple pie moonshine:

  1. Super Easy Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe
  2. No Boil Apple Pie Shine
  3. Gourmet Apple Pie Moonshine (our favorite)
  4. Hot Apple Pie Moonshine

These will varying in taste, color, as well as temperature. Here's each type, along with a brief description, list of ingredients, and recipe directions.

Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe Ingredients

  • 1 quart of 150 proof, pure corn whiskey moonshine (everclear could be used as a substitute).
  • 3 cans of frozen apple concentrate.
  • 8 cinnamon sticks.
  • 0-2 cups brown sugar*.
*Depending on how sweet you want it to be, you may add up to twice as much of these particular items (in other words, 1 or 2 cups of brown sugar instead of none).
 

Super Easy Apple Pie Moonshine

This recipe is called "instant" because it takes less than 30 minutes to make. This version of apple pie moonshine is the quickest to make, but it will have more bitterness and will lack a depth of flavor compared to the other options.

First, add the apple concentrate, cinnamon sticks and brown sugar to a pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer on very low heat, covered, for 20-30 minutes. Stir a few times as it is heating up to dissolve the sugar. Heating causes the cinnamon sticks to release their flavor very quickly, allowing you to be able to drink it immediately. I like to call this the "instant satisfaction" method.

After simmering, remove the pot from heat and let it cool.  Make sure it is completely cool, and none of the burners on the stove are on before moving on to the next step.

After the mixture has cooled, split it between 4 pint jars (or 2 quart jars). Top the jars off with 150 proof corn whiskey. Remember, 100+ proof moonshine is flammable. You do not want to do this anywhere near a heat source.

If you completed all of the steps, congratulations, you just made your very own apple pie moonshine. You can start enjoying the fruits of your labor immediately.

The “No-Boil” Apple Pie Moonshine

This method of making apple pie moonshine is extremely simple and does not require any cooking. This recipe does require at least 12 hours but we recommend letting it steep for up to 48 hours for best results. This apple pie moonshine recipe does take more more time to make but the flavors are worth the wait.If you want to make a truly supreme batch of apple pie shine, you'll want to use something similar to this method.

The "instant satisfaction" method listed above causes flavor to be rapidly released from cinnamon sticks, making your batch instantly drinkable. However, "steeping" the ingredients overnight, without boiling, produces a better product. Why? Well, we aren't exactly sure, but we think that boiling the cinnamon sticks cause additional flavors to be released, making the final product ever so slightly bitter.

The "no boil" method provides 100% of the flavor with none of the bitterness. Beware, this recipe is high proof. A lot of recipes call for adding a gallon apple this and a gallon of apple that, but by the time you're done adding all that liquid, you've dropped your proof down into the baby formula range. Apple concentrate provides apple flavor without compromising proof. This stuff sneaks up on you - and then it punches you in the face! But it's oh, so good.

Gourmet Apple Pie Moonshine

The gourmet apple pie moonshine recipe is easy to make and requires no fancy equipment. In our opinion it tastes better than any store bought bottle. This recipe uses the same base ingredients as the "no boil" method,  but the addition of spices turns a basic apple pie moonshine into something amazing.

apple pie moonshine spice mixThe above mentioned recipe (cinnamon, sugar, and apple juice concentrate only) will make a great batch of apple pie moonshine. However, add spices like ginger, orange peel, cloves, allspice, vanilla bean, peppercorn, etc... and you'll have something that will make your tastebuds do backflips.

There are plenty of recipes on the web for more complicated versions of apple pie moonshine. Some of them are great, others are OK, but most are sorely lacking. We know this firsthand here at Clawhammer Supply, because we've tried a lot of them out. We did this because we've been working on a top secret project for a while now - the creation of a perfect blend of apple pie moonshine spices.

After making many, many test batches, and drinking a lot, lot, lot of apple pie moonshine, we finally landed on a recipe that we're 100% sure will melt your tastebuds into a puddle of awesomeness. We proudly present to you our very own apple pie moonshine spice mix.

Hot Apple Pie Moonshine

Not many people drink hot moonshine but it is delicious and underrated. This style of moonshine is best served during the winter months when the days are short and the nights are long and cold.

If you would like to serve up some hot apple pie moonshine, here's what we would suggest. Use the recipe above to make standard apple pie moonshine.  Then, buy a couple of gallons of apple cider and spice it to taste using the same ingredients above. Heat it in a crock pot WITHOUT the apple pie moonshine.  (You don't want to add the moonshine because you'll vaporize all of the alcohol if you heat it over a long period of time.)  Just set the jar of apple pie moonshine next to the crock pot and let your guests add a bit (or a lot) to each cup of cider they pour.   

We hope you enjoy this post on how to make apple pie moonshine.  This is how we like it, but we'd also love to hear your thoughts.  Let us know your opinion on this recipe, or share your own apple pie moonshine recipe below.

Please read our complete legal summary for more information on the legalities of distillation.

Kyle Brown is the owner of Clawhammer Supply, a small scale distillation and brewing equipment company which he founded in 2009. His passion is teaching people about the many uses of distillation equipment as well as how to make beer at home. When he isn't brewing beer or writing about it, you can find him at his local gym or on the running trail.

  • if using bought shine like through the place in gatlinburg double up on amounts,, theirs are drinklable but not as potent as the good stuff,, most be the goverment selling cheap shit while real people has the best,, who knows but when making original apple pie the gatlinburg stuff does not measure up as an ingredient

    Posted by violet smith on February 01, 2013
  • Can you send me ur moonshine recipe or repost it please and ur peach shine recipe too.

    Posted by sandy vincent on February 01, 2013
  • I made a lot of hooch in a past life. (50 years ago) and I don’t see anything like the still we used. We had a bonnet on top of our pot that was shaped like a magicians hat. It was a copper cone 18" wide at the botom and two" wide at the top, reduced to one inch. It had a two inch coupler at the botom that screwed into the cooking vessel. Ever see one?’ They work great and eliminate the Thumper. Thanks, Bill

    Posted by bill dwyer on January 24, 2013
  • All the recipes I read talk about simmering for 60 minutes for immediate satisfaction or 20 minutes if your willing to let it sit and age. Just when does it go into the still and when is it put in the charred barrel?

    Thanks,

    Jim

    Posted by James Marcello on January 23, 2013
  • I want to make 40 gallons of mash. What will be my measurments on my corn, sugar, ect.

    Posted by bruce on January 22, 2013
  • Just wondering once you’ve made your apple pie shine, how should it be stored? Does it need to be refrigerated?

    Posted by Jay on January 20, 2013
  • Are your kits available for pick up?

    Posted by JEFF on January 18, 2013
  • Order? Cost?

    Posted by Donna on January 16, 2013
  • i`m thinking a blackberry recipe basically like the apple but use fresh picked blackberrys any opinions ? or tips

    Posted by big o on January 16, 2013
  • Im a motorcycle club member looking for a apple pie shine distributor in OKC area. We sell to bars and restraunts.

    Posted by Trey on January 11, 2013
  • these are all good drinks ive tried several, im from a family of shiners an i love the stuff

    Posted by jeff ducote on January 04, 2013
  • WOLD LIKE A GOOD MASH RECIPE

    Posted by STEVE on December 24, 2012
  • great recipe if you have some good south georgia shine

    Posted by ricky on December 21, 2012
  • I came up with a Christmas Apple Pie. 1 gal apple juice, 1 cup honey, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground nutmeg, 4 cups brown sugar. Heat miture to 150 degrees (don’t want to burn or boil). Allo mixture to “cook” at 150 for 15-20 min stirring evry few minutes to dissolve sugars. Allow to sit covered overnight. Strain mixture thru cheesecloth or similar staining device. I used a pillowcase do to the volume i was making. You will notice that the cinnamon and nutmeg will be strained out along with any other solids. Fill quart jars 1/3 to 1/2 full (depending on shine proof and particular taste). The lower the proof the more you shine you will need. Top off with apple mixture. Ready to drink or store in a cool dark place for a week or so allowing ingredients to marry into each other.

    Posted by blanketbottomshine on December 19, 2012
  • How much water and does it need ti be distilled water

    Posted by kirby on December 15, 2012
  • Hey chad I also live in Okc u can email me I can fix u up on the apple pie a friend of mine gets it an its not made from everclear either it’s sum of the best apple pie that I’ve had

    Posted by Dustin on December 15, 2012
  • yall need to quit calling that moonshine. it dont have any moonshine in it. yankees

    Posted by yomama on December 06, 2012
  • Can you cook the corn mash without separating

    Posted by chuck on December 04, 2012
  • we own antique store 85 booths we also sell wine but want to draw tourist makinng moonshine installing a still doing tastingsetc.can you help?

    Posted by Ann Eichorn on November 10, 2012
  • we own antique store 85 booths we also sell wine but want to draw tourist makinng moonshine installing a still doing tastingsetc.can you help?

    Posted by Ann Eichorn on November 10, 2012


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