# Waldo's Apple Wine



## Waldo (Sep 16, 2006)

Well, today was going to be the day I started my Apple wine. Now Apple is one wine I have never made except from the Island Mist kits so I started my search for a good recipe. Beginning, as I normally do, on Jack Kellers homepage I immediately ran into a brick wall as I read this:
*"Sour apples, like sour cherries, make the best pies and wines. Jonathan, Winesap, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Gravenstein, and McIntosh are but a few favored for wine. Better than any of these six, however, for winemaking, is a mixture of all. Simply avoid Delicious, Gala, Fuji, and similar sweet apple varieties."*

*There ya have it....I have 3-1/2 gallons of juice and about 25lbs of steamed pulp from apples that Jack say's to avoid making wine from




*

*Any thoughts, Ideas on this...has anyone ever made a wine from Golden Delicious apples and if so..what was the outcome?*


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## Wade E (Sep 16, 2006)

I dont know about these wines but my mom used to make apple pie from
yellow delicious that grew in our yard and they were yellow *delicious!*
Its probably just a matter of others tastes. Besides I bet your going
to add something else like raisins or spices like did that will
probably make up for the (maybe lacking) taste that he's talking about.
My mulled-spiced apple wine in the prim. smells so darn good I'm having
a hard time walking by it without walking over to it a taking a whiff
of it.


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## pkcook (Sep 16, 2006)

Waldo,


I say go for it. People make good wine from apple concentrate and I'm not sure the apples used in it are on the "good" list. You may have to add some acid.


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## jobe05 (Sep 16, 2006)

Waldo: I say freeze half the juice and make it up by juicing granny smiths. If apple is anything like cherry, My best batch came out mixing half sweet cherries and half dark, tart cherries.


DUH!!!!!!! What am I talking about ....... freeze half.............


Double your batch........ Now all you need is 3 1/2 gallons of granny smith apple juice.


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## Waldo (Sep 17, 2006)

I am thinkng about maybe a Cranberry/Apple and having learned patience I shall get onlyenough fresh cranberries to doa, Hmmmmmmm lets see now........
pie are square, apples and cranberries are round so the number I use must equally be sound..Can't be one...and no 2 gallon carboys, gotta skip 3 and the same with 4.. 5 too is a number thats odd so I guess its gonna be a 6 gallon test


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## grapeman (Sep 17, 2006)

Waldo, those varieties Jack recomments are all higher in acid. They taste more tart than the Delicious, Gala, etc. I guess it's like the grapes- you want fairly acidic ones for good wine. I say, use what you have- more than one variety mixed is good. Another chance to play chemist and use the acid test kits you love.



Really though, after you have the juice, taste it-if it's real smooth and tasty, it's gonna need some acid added. Start with double what the recipe calls for. If it puckers your mouth up real tight like you did for yer first kiss- it's acidic enough. Make sure to check SG - the sweeter the apples, they less sugar it is likely to need. I'm gonna press my first batch of the year of cider today to back sweeten and flavor a batch of apple from last November I've been bulk aging and start batch of apple/hot pepper.


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 17, 2006)

Waldo....you asked once about adding water to the juice from the steamer when you make the wine....like I had replied I do add water.... BUT......NOT to the apple wine....I use just the juice and add sugar and and all the other additives....figure there is some steam vapors in the juice....never have figured how diluted the juices are with steam......
When I made Apple Cider [beer method] I didn't use any sugar....just apple juice and got the S.G. [1060] up by adding frozen apple juice concentrate...it had a nice flavor....


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## Waldo (Sep 17, 2006)

Wino..The instructions in the manual for making wine with the steamed juices say to use 1-2 pints of the extracted juice per gallon of wine being made or if your recipe calls for like 6 lbs. of fruit then steam the 6 lbs and add water to make a gallon to whatever juice was extracted as the juice is very concentrated.


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## Waldo (Sep 17, 2006)

appleman said:


> Waldo, those varieties Jack recomments are all higher in acid. They taste more tart than the Delicious, Gala, etc. I guess it's like the grapes- you want fairly acidic ones for good wine. I say, use what you have- more than one variety mixed is good. Another chance to play chemist and use the acid test kits you love.
> 
> 
> 
> Really though, after you have the juice, taste it-if it's real smooth and tasty, it's gonna need some acid added. Start with double what the recipe calls for. If it puckers your mouth up real tight like you did for yer first kiss- it's acidic enough. Make sure to check SG - the sweeter the apples, they less sugar it is likely to need. I'm gonna press my first batch of the year of cider today to back sweeten and flavor a batch of apple from last November I've been bulk aging and start batch of apple/hot pepper.




I think my taste buds work better for me than the ph meter and acid test kit. I do like playing with them though in hopes that some day what I am trying to accomplish will come on like a light bulb in my brain and then I can start making some wine.


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## paubin (Sep 17, 2006)

I think the apples you have will come out fine. The flavor in delicious apples isn't as up front as say granny smiths, but I think that that is mostly acidity.


Pete


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## Joanie (Sep 17, 2006)

Waldo, I wouldn't recommend a McIntosh to anyone unless they were eating it right off the tree. They are a short keeping apple...like 15 minutes short. They break down quickly and get mushy and mealy. That is not my idea of a good apple. I want one to snap when I bite into it then pop off a nice big crisp chunk. That happens with the tart varieties and those bred to store well. 

I don't know how *any* of this info translates to winemaking. I love apples but I've never liked cider or apple juice and don't have a press (yet) so I doubt I'll be making any apple wine...not this year anyway.

FWIW


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## Waldo (Sep 17, 2006)

After a futile attempt to finds some Cranberries at all local stores and not wanting to use the frozen concentrates which contain grape and other juices I settled on Rasberries. I am now making a wine with two fruits I have never made wine from before. So, hang on and here goes.


Got home and steamed the rasberries while I was getting everything else together and ended up with a good 1/2 gallon of Rasberry Juice.














From the odor I am convinced that my choice may turn out to be a good one.


Waldo's Apple/Rasberry Wine.......5 Gallon Recipe


2 gallon Steam Extracted Golden Delicious Apple Juice 


1/2 Gallon Steam Extracted Rasberry Juice


5 Campden Tables


9-3/4 lbs. Sugar


5 tsp. Yeast Nutrient


2-1/2 tsp. Yeast Energizer


5 tsp. Acid Blend


2 tsp. Tannin


1/4 tsp. Liquid Pectic Enzyme


Yeast.....Undetermined at this time....open for suggestions


Everything has been added to the must now except for the Pectic Enzyme and the yeast. The must is at an SG of 1.095 and smelling awesome


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## Wade E (Sep 17, 2006)

I can smell it from here. That sounds like a good combo Waldo. how many different wines do you have going right now.


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## Waldo (Sep 17, 2006)

Lets see wade..I have my Blueberry Port, Plum, Blackberry, Grape, Muscadine and now the Apple/Rasberry...Stand by though, I still have 2 empty fermenters and 3 empty 5 gallon carboys


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 17, 2006)

Apple/Raspberry is one of our favorites...very fresh and robust with flavors...your going to love it...
The recipe I first followed called it a Social Wine....great served with 7Up or over ice on a hot day!!!!Enjoy the fragrance while it ferments....


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## Wade E (Sep 17, 2006)

Have you ever made plum before? I almost made some but opted for the
pear. I think I'm going in for some Plum because I have an empty 1
Prim, 1 empty 6 gal carboy and an awful lot of 1 gal. carboys. So much
to make and so little time to make it due to working overtime.


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## Wade E (Sep 17, 2006)

About how many plums would be needed for one gallons worth?


*Edited by: wadewade *


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## Waldo (Sep 18, 2006)

This was my first Plum also wade and I used a little over 4 lbs per gallon.*Edited by: Waldo *


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## Waldo (Sep 18, 2006)

Northern Winos said:


> Apple/Raspberry is one of our favorites...very fresh and robust with flavors...your going to love it...
> The recipe I first followed called it a Social Wine....great served with 7Up or over ice on a hot day!!!!Enjoy the fragrance while it ferments....




Thanks NW...What yeast did you ferment with? I am leaning heavily to the Lalvin 71B-1122 as I anticipate this wine ending up being a blush with some residual sugar.


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 18, 2006)

Used 1118-Champagne yeast...like it dry.....ours was darker than a Rosé...ours had a beautiful color....I bottled that wine in Flint [clear] bottles....
Made a batch last year with the fall bearing Raspberries...the color wasn't as bright and the flavor wasn't as robust...the fall berries don't impress me.






Guess the wine I made was RASPBERRY/APPLE

[More raspberries than apple, got this recipe OnLine....]

<center>RASPBERRY/APPLE WINE</center>

-16 POUNDS RASPBERRIES [9 quarts of juice from the steamer]
-6 CANS FROZEN APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE
-6 1/2# SUGAR [to desired S.G.]
-3 TEASPOONS ACID BLEND
-2 1/2 TEASPOONS PEPTIC ENZYME
-2 1/2 TEASPOONS TANNIN
-5 CAMPDEN TABLETS [crushed]

LET REST 24 HOURS

ADD:
-2 1/2 TEASPOONS YEAST ENERGIZER
-5 TEASPOONS YEAST NUTRIENT
-REHYDRATE- 1 PK 1118 CHAMPAGNE YEAST..[also see I added 1/2 PACKET PASTEUR RED...just because I had it on hand]

YIELD: 5 GALLONS

This turned out a really pretty color....full of flavor.....






*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Waldo (Sep 18, 2006)

Beautiful.........








As the Apple is dominant in mine I know it will not finish out nearly as dark as yours but on tasting the must this evening I have hopes of how it will be. I did add another 2 tsp acid blend and made a yeast starter which I will pitch before retiring tonight


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## Gelu Liber (Sep 18, 2006)

Would it be ok to make a raspberry wine and an apple wine seperate and then combine them when bottling?


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## Wade E (Sep 18, 2006)

Welcome Gelu Liber, you absolutely could mix the 2. We do it all the
time after we rack tha wine a couple of times and start ending up short
under the airlock. Glad to have you aboard and dont be shy about
picking our brains. Theres always someone who can answer your question
and usually very quickly. The one dumb question is one that isn't asked.


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## Waldo (Sep 20, 2006)

Have a verygood fermentation going. Hardly any foam at all. 

*Edited by: Waldo *


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## pkcook (Sep 20, 2006)

Waldo,


What yeast did you use on this batch?


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## Wade E (Sep 20, 2006)

Thats a mighty pretty color there Waldo.


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## Waldo (Sep 20, 2006)

pk I used the 71B 1122


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## Waldo (Sep 20, 2006)

wadewade said:


> Thats a mighty pretty color there Waldo.




Thanks Wade.It may finish out a little darker than I had anticipated which will be fine with me.


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## Waldo (Sep 22, 2006)

Racked my Apple/Rasberry to carboy this morning. Had a nice fruity flavor and nose with the Rasberry coming through a lot better than I had anticipated. The color was darker than I though it would be too which is fine with me. 






*Edited by: Waldo *


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## paubin (Sep 22, 2006)

Looks great Waldo!


Pete


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 22, 2006)

Looks like your going to get the Rosé you were after...yummmm!!!!The Raspberries really have a lot of flavor in wine....but your apple flavor will be there too....love it!!


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## Waldo (Sep 22, 2006)

paubin said:


> Looks great Waldo!
> 
> 
> Pete




Thanks pete.....Didn't taste too bad either


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## Waldo (Sep 22, 2006)

Thanks wino.......So far so good


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## Wade E (Sep 22, 2006)

Waldo, that looks terrific. I have to start another Vintners Harvest
Black Currant. My wifes only got 7 bottles left. That is her favorite!


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## Waldo (Sep 22, 2006)

Then you better get it going podner..gotta keep the missus happy


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## Wade E (Sep 22, 2006)

You know it. I'm off to Maltose Express tomorrow morning. I'm probably putting his kids through college single handedly.









*Edited by: wadewade *


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## MedPretzel (Sep 24, 2006)

looks fantastic, waldo. 


i'm juicing my sister's apples (tiny little green ones that the horses usually get, if I don't get to it first) bit by bit, and I hope I'll have enough for a gallon. If not, I might just try this recipe, since the color looks so beautiful.


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## Waldo (Sep 24, 2006)

Thanks Martina..I think you would really like this one.


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## R.E.T. (Oct 5, 2006)

WALDO, THAT LOOK GOOD GOOD GOOD 
WHY SO MUCH AIR SPACE IN CORBOY?








cowiche wa st.


R.E.T.


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## grapeman (Oct 5, 2006)

RET,
When you rack to the secondary, the ferment is still going. You want to hold the level down like Waldo has so it doesn't foam out the airlock. Waldo puts the extra from the batch if he has it in a small bottle fitted with an airlock. After you rack it off again after fermenting most of the way, you top the carboy up to about 2 inches below the bungwith the contents of the small bottle. If you don't have enough top up with a like wine or a little water as a last resort.


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## Waldo (Oct 9, 2006)

Racked my Apple/Rasberry Sunday evening and the color has deepened somewhat. 











The nose definately lets you know there is Rasberry present in this one, It has a sharp tartness that was not present before fermenting. I added 5 campden tablets at racking and will let it continue to bulk age. Will get some additional pictures later as the clearing progresses. 
Just to throw it in here, following is a shot of my Muscadine I also racked Sunday. 




This is not from the steamed batch, this one was made the conventional method. I think it is going to bea good batchthough.*Edited by: Waldo *


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## Joanie (Oct 9, 2006)

The color is beautiful and I think I can smell them both from here!!


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## Wade E (Oct 9, 2006)

Hard to tell them apart except for the fact that the Musc. is a tad
darker. I can smell them from Ct. and they smell Gooooooooooood!


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## Waldo (Oct 9, 2006)

It is a wonderful odor too..Or to me it is Joan


They do look similiar wade but the Muscadine is actually a little darker than the picture shows. Now there is wine I will shove my nose deep into


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## Joanie (Oct 9, 2006)

"Odor"???? Don't you mean "aroma"???


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## Waldo (Oct 9, 2006)

Joan said:


> "Odor"???? Don't you mean "aroma"???




My gawdddddddddddd, did I say "ODOR"....



I have yet to learn that feet have odor and wine has aroma.


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## Joanie (Oct 9, 2006)

Maybe your smeller's out of whack!


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## Wade E (Oct 9, 2006)

Maybe we should report him ha joan!


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## PolishWineP (Oct 9, 2006)

Waldo said:


> Joan said:
> 
> 
> > "Odor"???? Don't you mean "aroma"???
> ...


Waldo! Keep your feet out of the wine!



Or at least wash them first!


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## Joanie (Oct 9, 2006)




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## R.E.T. (Oct 9, 2006)

WALDO'S APPLE WINE


I MADE MY LIVING GROWING APPLES FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS. I HAVE MADE LOTS OF APPLE CIDER AND THERE'S NO COMPARISON BETWEEN APPLE CIDER AND STEAMED APPLES. 


I JUST FINISHED STEAMING 46 LBS OF CHERRIES TODAY. I TASTED THE JUICE WHILE IT WAS STEAMING AND IT SURE TASTED DELUTED TO ME. THINK I SHOULD HAVE MADE CHERRY JUICE INSTEAD OF STEAMING. GOING TO SET THIS JUICE BACK FOR A WHLE AND THINK ABOUT IT!


GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLES HAVE VERY LITTLE ACID.


R.E.T.


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## R.E.T. (Oct 9, 2006)

WADEWADE
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR BLACK CURRANT.
ONLY ONE I CAN FIND IS $35.00 FOR CONCENTRATE.
THAT'S PRETTY SPENDY.














R.E.T.


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## Waldo (Oct 10, 2006)

PolishWineP said:


> Waldo said:
> 
> 
> > Joan said:
> ...


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## flgtrn2 (Sep 11, 2007)

Suggestions??
I have 5 gallons of apple wine that has been aging for one year in the carboy. I tasted it and it is very dry and no real flavor, just tastes like alcohol, I did stablizie it yesterday, Can I add anything before I sweeten and bottle it?????????? Thanks


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## dfwwino (Sep 11, 2007)

When you back sweeten, it should bring out some of the fruit. Also, you could add some apple flavoring:


http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=3500


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## grapeman (Sep 11, 2007)

Welcome to the forum flgtrn2. Stay a while and help everyone learn.


As far as the apple wine having no flavor, I'm surprised. Normally apple is full of flavors, some great and sometimes not so great. If it is too dry, it might not be letting the flavors through properly. If you don't mind your wine a little less than clear you can do the following. First- did you stabilise with K-Meta and Sorbate. If not, go ahead and do it now and let it sit a couple days. Then you can pick up a couple cans of apple concentrate. Let it thaw if frozen and come to room temperature. Add the concentrate to the carboy and mix well(remove enough from the carboy first to get it in). Also you might want to try one can first and if still not sweet enough to let the flavors through add the second. You can let it sit a week or so to make sure it doesn't start to ferment. If it doesn't then you can let it age a little more and if you want it clearer, filter it if you can. It may have a bit of a haze from the pectins in the added concentrate but should taste a whole lot better.


Good luck and again welcome to the forum.


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## flgtrn2 (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks for the info. I have found that all the fruit wines I've made ALL taste the same, My Plum/cherry/blackberry all taste just like alcohol with no real fruit flavor. I have never added anything into the wine to enhance it, I thought it would just have the natural flavoring from the fruit, I guess the key is to add the flavoring to boost the flavor? I just didnt want to add anything because I truly wanted it to be "home-made" right from the start of picking the fruit from the trees and stomping and mashing all by myself......Oh well, i guess if it takes adding a little flavor to make it taste better, I just won't tell anyone!!!!!!!!1


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 12, 2007)

How much apple juice and fruit juice do you use per gallon of wine????


For may apple wine the only water added is a very small amount used to dissolve the sugar. with my fruit wine I use 3-5 pounds per gallon and always have plenty of fruit flavor.


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## flgtrn2 (Sep 12, 2007)

Oh Boy, my recipes for fruit wines all call for 4.5-7 qts of water, I had 2qts of juice pressed from my apples., this was suppose to make 1 gallon of wine.....
Can I use pineapple frozen concentrate to make pineapple wine???


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## grapeman (Sep 12, 2007)

When I make apple wine, I press the apples and add no water. It takes about 16 pounds of apples for a gallon of pressed juice. The SG of apples alone is about 1.055-1.065, so I usually add sugar to brin it up to about 1.085.


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## dfwwino (Sep 12, 2007)

Appleman, what do you use to press your apples? Any recommendations?


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## grapeman (Sep 12, 2007)

dfwwino I use a small apple cider press. Here is a link to the post when I made a apple/pepper wine last year. It shows the press. Nothing fancy, just a small press I picked up when I used to go to a farmer's market and I would let folks participate in making fresh cider(before the days of forced pasteurization).


http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1937&amp;KW=Nuclear+Apple&amp;PID=25544#25544


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## Jwhelan939 (Nov 7, 2007)

*


Waldo,


I am surprised Jack said not to use Gala or Fugi apples being as his own posted recipe calls for them? I am on day 6 of this recipe and everything seems to be going very well. The only issue I have is that the recipe is supposed to be for a one gallon batch. I am definitly closer to two gallons or maybe more...
<UL>
<LI>12 lb. mixed Fuji and Gala apples 
<LI>1 lb. chopped golden raisins 
<LI>2-1/2 lb granulated sugar 
<LI>1 gallon water 
<LI>1 oz. cloves 
<LI>2 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces 
<LI>1 oz. shredded ginger root 
<LI>1 tsp. acid blend 
<LI>1/2 tsp. pectin enzyme 
<LI>1 crushed Campden tablet 
<LI>Sauterne or Champagne wine yeast and nutrient *</LI>[/list]


*Quarter the apples and run them through a mincer. Put in primary fermentation vessel with all ingredients except yeast and nutrient, cover, and set in warm place for 24 hours. Add yeast and nutrient, stir, and cover for four days, stirring twice daily. Strain liquor into secondary fermentation vessel and fit airlock. Rack after 30 days and again after two months. When clear, rack again and bottle. Taste after six months, but allow one year for maturity. [Author's own recipe]*


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