Papa's hot apple cider

[Papa Tom]

8 cups apple juice (2 quarts)
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries or 3/4 t ground allspice
1/4 orange peel (zest only but you don't need to grate it)
Option 1/4 t gound nutmeg.

Directions
1 Pour the apple juice, and cinnamon sticks
into a large stainless steel saucepan or a crock pot.
2 Place the spices, sugar and orange peel in the center of a
washed square of cheesecloth, fold up the sides of the
cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a
length of kitchen string. It takes a 10" square of cloth.
Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
3 Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10
minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
The longer it sets heated the better it gets.
4 Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh
cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

[JamesB]

Hey Papa... Planning on making this for the upcoming holidays. Do you use the option 1/4 t ground nutmeg?

Also, have you ever spiked it with a bit of booze?

Thx for the recipe! I know it's good...

[ChileFarmer]

PT, sounds good to me. I will be making some. CF

[Papa Tom]

Yes I usually do the nutmeg. I have never added any liquor however if a person does I recommend adding it to the cup when you serve else all the alc will evaporate in the heat. I also recommend making this a day or so before serving and let it steep two reasons 1) it just keeps getting better 2) it smells soooo dang good (especially if you accidentally let it come to a boil).
I just made 13 gallons of this for our local winterfest celebration, big hit. And for all of you that were at the last GTG at Bluz this is the recipe.

[JamesB]

Yeppers, the memory of it from the GTG is what sent me on the search for it...

Makes sense about adding the booze at serving time. Maybe a touch of good Jamaican rum or a splash of good Irish whiskey...