Types of Alcohol Made From Apples

When people think of fruits that are turned into alcoholic beverages, they might initially think of the tons of grapes that are mashed and fermented into wines of all varieties every year. However, they are not the only fruit that can become an alcoholic beverage, as several types of adult libations can be made with apples as the fundamental ingredient.

Hard cider is perhaps the most common way to turn apples into an alcoholic drink. Ranging in alcohol content from two to eight per cent, there are a number of different flavours and brands of cider. As of 2010, there are a number of national brands of hard cider taking up real estate in store aisles. Like turning grapes into wine, apples are turned into cider by squeezing the juice from them, and then allowing that juice to ferment over time before bottling.

While grapes are the undisputed king of wine, there is no law saying that apples can't also be used to make a nice bottle of wine. Apple wine carries a similar flavour profile to grape-based wine, but is generally sweeter and carries a bit of the apple flavour through the fermentation process into the bottle.

Brandy is another alcoholic beverage that can be made with a number of fruits, including apples. Calvados is a specific type of brandy made from apples in the French countryside, where apple juice is distilled and then stored in oak barrels for years. The end product is a potent liquor where the alcohol content can approach 40 per cent, so drink carefully. Calvados is typically consumed on its own or with some ice, but it can be mixed into any cocktails calling for brandy as a sweet addition.