Homemade Apple Brandy

This is a fun way to flavor your own brandy; I found the recipe from Taste of Home.  Its great on ice as a sipping drink.  

It is a little sweet for my tastes so I think next time I would cut the sugar to 3 cups; or maybe serve it with club soda or seltzer.

I think it would be great to make this with your home-grown apples or apples from a local orchard!

Ingredients:  {recipe makes about 2 quarts}

-4 cups sugar

-2 cup water

-4 lbs. apples {I used 11 average sized apples}, sliced

-1 liter brandy

-3 whole cloves

-1 cinnamon stick {about 3 inches long}

-Additional whole cloves and cinnamon sticks for storing, optional

Process:

1. In a large pan, combine sugar and water.  Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar.

2. Place apples {I started with only 9 of the apples, just to be sure the container wouldn't overflow from the liquids} in a large plastic or glass container {I used a gallon sized pitcher}.

3. Pour the brandy over the apples.

4. Add the cloves and cinnamon stick.

5. Pour in the sugar and water mixture.

At this point I squeezed in the remaining 2 apples I had saved.

6. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 weeks, stirring or shaking once a week.  {I just placed mine on a shelf in a closet off of the kitchen where I knew no one would knock it over.}

7. Strain brandy mixture; discard apples and spices {I composted mine}.

8. Pour into glass bottles {I used canning jars and the empty liquor bottle below}.

9. Place 3 whole cloves and 1 cinnamon stick in each bottle.  Enjoy!