I brewed dmtaylo2’s recipe for smoked apple ale a couple years ago and was really happy with the results. The key was to brew a good beer in a smaller volume than you want to end up with, and then top off with apple cider as it goes into the fermentor.
Hopefully he can chime in and give you some pointers for converting it to extract. Here is his AG recipe:
Smoked Harvest Apple Ale III
3 gallons
3.75 lb American 2-row
1.25 lb Bamburg smoked malt (do NOT use peated malt)
0.5 lb Carapils
3 oz Gambrinus Honey malt
3 oz Crystal 20
0.63 oz Mt. Hood (5% alpha, 60 minutes)
0.75 oz Mt. Hood (5% alpha, 10 minutes)
WLP400 Belgian Wit yeast
1 gallon fresh orchard cider
Mash in to hit 150 F for 30 minutes. Batch sparge with 185 F water. Bring to boil. During the second half of the boil, bring 1 gal cider to 170 F in a separate pot on the side (do not boil) for 15 minutes to pasteurize and add to the beer at flameout. Ferment 2 weeks at 68 F. Rack to secondary for 4 weeks. Prime with 4.5 Tbsp. table sugar and also add a couple ounces of lactose if required to sweeten (optional, do whatever you like).
