1. Set grill to 180F with flame diffuser closed to smoke.
2. Remove the membrane from the rib, and then coat it with barbecue rub.
3. Smoke for 5 hours.
4. Turn the temperature of the grill up to 225F.
5. Remove the ribs from the grill, place them into a large high-sided baking pan that's been sprayed with cooking spray (you'll probably have to cut them into half racks), and pour in the hard apple cider. Rub the brown sugar all over the top of the ribs after they are placed into the pan.
6. Cover the pan tightly with tin foil and place back on the grill for another 4 hours.
7. After 4 hours, remove the foil and place the ribs directly on the grill grate, turning the temperature up to 300F. Brush with barbecue sauce 2-3 times over the next hour, before removing from the grill and serving. The ribs should be fall-off-the-bone tender at this point.
Optional: Add sweet hard liquors for longer smokes to achieve fall from the bone tenderness of your ribs.
Apple, Hickory, Litchee
