apple-jack
Definition
- Noun (uncountable):
- A type of alcoholic beverage made from fermented apple juice, typically distilled to increase its alcohol content. It is an American term for apple brandy.
Usage Examples
- (A distilled alcoholic drink made from apples.)
- (A historical alcoholic beverage.)
Advanced Usage
- "Apple-jack" can also refer specifically to a variety of apple brandy produced by freezing and concentrating the alcohol, a method sometimes called "jacking." This process is distinct from traditional distillation.
- The homemade apple-jack was made by leaving the cider outside overnight to freeze, then removing the ice to concentrate the alcohol. (A specific production technique.)
Variants and Related Words
- Applejack (alternative spelling): The same beverage, often written as one word without a hyphen.
- He ordered a bottle of applejack from the distillery. (The same drink.)
- Apple brandy (n): A more general term for distilled spirits made from apples, including apple-jack.
- Apple brandy is a common ingredient in many cocktails. (A broader category.)
Synonyms
- Apple brandy: A distilled spirit made from apples.
- Cider brandy: Another term for apple brandy, especially in Europe.
- Jerked cider: An old-fashioned term for apple-jack made by freezing.
Phrasal Verbs
- (This word is a noun and does not commonly form phrasal verbs.)
Related Idioms
- "To be on the apple-jack": An informal, rare expression meaning to be drunk or intoxicated from apple-jack.
- After too many glasses, he was on the apple-jack and couldn't walk straight. (Drunk from the drink.)
- "Apple-jack" appears in historical contexts, such as "apple-jack whiskey" (a blend), but no widely recognized idioms exist.
Additional Notes
- Regional usage: Primarily used in the United States; in the UK, "apple brandy" or "calvados" (from Normandy, France) is more common.
- Cultural reference: Apple-jack was a common drink in colonial America due to the abundance of apples and the simple freezing method for distillation.