Apple Pie Moonshine
A number of years ago, a buddy of mine completely ruined me—in the best way—for alcohol.
At the time, I owned a house with a full basement bar. Not just a couple bottles on a shelf… a real bar. Fully stocked. Built with the help of my best friend, who had been a bartender for years. It was the kind of place where parties didn’t just happen—they grew.
One night we had a big biker party, and some friends showed up with a jar of apple pie à la mode moonshine.
One drink—that’s all it took. I was hooked.
It didn’t taste like alcohol.
It didn’t burn.
It didn’t warn you.
It just tasted like dessert… with consequences.
Up to that point, I’d bounced around. Vodka with orange juice, vodka with lemonade, then tequila shots. Never liked whiskey, couldn’t stand beer, rum was alright. I was always open to trying new things. And I grew up around “real shine”—my uncle made it and called it family tradition—but I never learned how to make anything like that myself.
That changed real quick.
Figuring It Out (and Then Messing With It)
I started chasing that apple pie recipe… then tweaking it… then completely reinventing it.
Batch after batch, dialing it in.
Eventually I had it down to the point where I was making consistently killer batches. I even kept a crockpot going behind the bar during fall and winter parties—low heat, just enough to warm it up without burning off the alcohol. It turned into one of those drinks people didn’t forget.
The “Real Shine” Incident
One day my buddy calls:
“What are you doing before the party?”
“Making apple pie—running low.”
He goes, “You want to use real shine instead of Everclear?”
Of course I said yes.
About an hour later, he shows up with a quart jar. Naturally, we had to “test” it first.
According to my wife… that shine never made it into the batch.
We drank it. Mostly me.
Dave was passed out on the couch within an hour. I made it to the kitchen floor before I went down. We both woke up about 20 minutes before the party—and neither of us could function.
That batch? Worst one I ever made. Dumped it.
Still drank apple pie later that night, though.
The Campout
Another time, I went through about three gallons over a three-day biker campout.
I don’t remember much… except:
Apparently,, aliens showed up and kicked me across the campground
I slept partially in my tent using a log as a pillow (surprisingly comfortable at the time)
So yeah… it’ll do that.
The Game-Changer Combo
At some point we discovered Tippy Cow—a rum-based liqueur in flavors like vanilla, orange creamsicle, and chocolate.
Here’s where things got dangerous:
Take a solid sip of apple pie
Follow it with a shot of vanilla Tippy Cow
Ridiculously good.
Then my wife found those split/twisted shot glasses—apple pie on one side, Tippy Cow on the other.
Absolute game changer.
A Word of Warning
This stuff is sneaky.
You can take a few big swigs and feel nothing… then 20 minutes later it hits like a freight train.
I made a jar for a friend once—meant for her to take home. Didn’t realize she was drinking straight from it during a party.
Later on, someone brought out a breathalyzer and we all started testing each other. She grabs it, starts blowing…
…and drops straight to the floor. Hard.
For a second we thought she was gone.
Luckily, we had a head nurse and a paramedic at the party (they brought the breathalyzer). She was fine—just way, way too much alcohol.
Because that’s the thing about this stuff—
It still just tastes like dessert… with consequences.
The Recipe
Apple Pie Shine (Rebuilt Recipe)
Ingredients
1 gallon apple cider
2 gallons apple juice
1 fifth (750 ml) Everclear 190
1 fifth (500–750 ml) vanilla vodka
1–2 cups white sugar
½–1 cup brown sugar (strongly recommended)
8–12 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp whole cloves
Instructions
1. Combine the base
Pour apple cider and apple juice into a large stock pot.
2. Add sugar & spices
Stir in white sugar and brown sugar until mostly dissolved.
Add cinnamon sticks and cloves.
3. Heat
Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Let it simmer for 20–30 minutes to pull out the spice flavor.
4. Cool completely
Remove from heat and let it cool all the way to room temperature.
5. Add alcohol
Once cooled, stir in Everclear and vanilla vodka.
6. Jar it
Pour into mason jars or sealed containers. Leave cinnamon sticks in if you want stronger spice over time.
7. Age
Let sit at least 1–2 weeks. It smooths out and comes together over time.
What It Should Taste Like
Sweet apple pie up front
Warm cinnamon and clove in the middle
Smooth finish that creeps up on you later
Optional Upgrades
Add 1–2 tsp vanilla extract per jar for more “à la mode” flavor
Add a pinch of nutmeg for depth
Use more brown sugar for a richer caramel body
Pair with a shot of vanilla Tippy Cow
Or use a split shot glass: 1 part apple pie, 1 part Tippy Cow
