Apple Wine

[pete1325]

Hi all, just wondering if I can ferment pasteurized 100% apple juice?

 

[Scooter68]

No reason why not - Of course if there are significant additives like sorbate or sulfites that could cause issues with fermentation. Since it's pasturized you will need supply the yeast for fermentation or take your chances on whatever might be floating in the air. (The latter probably not the best idea)
The issue is more about if they add any water to their apple juice. Unless they say "No water added" you cannot be certain of that.

Other than those things no reason not to give it a try.

 

[pete1325]

Thanks for the quick reply.....I just read the jug.....it has Pot Sorbate and Sodium Benz added to preserve the cider. I plan on buying two-three gallons, check the SG, add sugar if needed to bring it to 1.090 or so and pitch some RC-212 or EC-1118 and let her cook.

 

[Scooter68]

That changes the picture a lot. Going to be tough to get it started if that is a fresh batch. It might be possible but it could be a lot of work to do it. I'd look around for something else if possible. The good news is that this is the right time of year. Apples ripen late and you might find a stand or retailer with a fresh juice that isn't loaded with preservatives. The fact that it was pasturized AND has those preservatives is almost like 3 strikes against it working. It MIGHT work but again it could be a lot of frustration too.

 

[crooked cork]

I just started a 1 gallon batch of holiday cider, i used Musselmans pasturized cider all american apples no crappy China stuff. i used lalvin D47 yeast and its bubbling away nicely.

 

[Scooter68]

OH ! Don'rt forget to hit it hard with Pectic Enzyme BEFORE you add any yeast - give it a day or more to work on it - Unless you like drinking a cloudy wine.

 

[meadmaker1]

Scooter is right

Thanks for the quick reply.....I just read the jug.....it has Pot Sorbate and Sodium Benz added to preserve the cider. I plan on buying two-three gallons, check the SG, add sugar if needed to bring it to 1.090 or so and pitch some RC-212 or EC-1118 and let her cook.

Scooter is right. It is possible to still start it but youll need to have a fair sized starter, and it will still probably stall.
Pure cider isnt that hard to find. Whole foods sells it in 1 gallon glass jugs. Then you can choose a yeast and not be so limited.
Apple flavor is easy to loose
D47 is a good choice

 

[brcfarmer]

Hi all, just wondering if I can ferment pasteurized 100% apple juice?

I've done it a handful of times with the 100% pasteurized apple juices you'll find at big discount chains.

Something I've done with those juices that works out alright is adding raisins in primary and whiskey-soaked oak chips in secondary ....can give a subtle scotchlike profile after sitting for a good spell, but nothing that really accentuates the apple itself.

 

[winemaker81]

It's possible to get musts containing sorbate to begin fermenting, but the yeast is not happy about it. In my experience it won't ferment out dry, and you'll need to add more sorbate to avoid a renewed fermentation in the bottle.

If it does ferment, report back on your progress. This is good information for others.

 

[ASR]

Hi all, just wondering if I can ferment pasteurized 100% apple juice?

On a similar note I am looking to make cranberry wine form cranberry juice. The bottle says 100% juice but among the ingerdients (at the end) are fumaric acid and ascorbic acid. Ascornic acid can be an anti-oxidant, but not sure what fumaric acid does. Will these prevent fermentation?

 

[Scooter68]

Best way to answer such question is a simple google of Fumaric acid purpose and you get results like:

"Fumaric Acid powder, E297,CAS No.110-17-8, food acidulent, a common food additive included in many processed foods to keep them stable and to add tartness. Fumaric acid is used as a flavoring, because it is the sourest tasting of the organic acids. used as a food acidulent, in Bakery:Tortillas,Breads; Beverages: Fruit Juice Drinks, Wine; Confectioneries:Jellies and Jams;Desserts:Alginate Based Desserts,Gelatin Desserts,Pie Fillings,Egg White Foams; Animal Feed and Industrial Uses." (https://www.foodsweeteners.com/products/fumaric-acid/)

Nothing I saw in my quick search indicates it will prevent fermentation - unless of course the resulting liquid was too acidic for yeasts. If that was the case though, I don't think most folks would drink that cranberry juice.

 

[stickman]

Fumaric acid is listed as a ML fermentation inhibitor, but not sure if that has anything to do with why the producer used it.

 

[Scooter68]

Doubt that MLF is a great concern for making wine from Cranberries. Otherwise perhaps a problem.

 

[winemaker81]

My experience with fermenting commercial drinking juices is that they don't ferment easily nor to the same level of completion as "normal" wine (final SG is above 1.000). My assumption is that additives inhibit fermentation and that some sugars added to the juice may not be fermentable. However, 100% cranberry juice with no additives other than ascorbic and fumaric acids should ferment as expected.

IMO it's worth the experiment. Create a thread under Country Fruit Winemaking and record your progress.

 

[michael77]

...Making Apple Wine for first time...I will be freezing 30 lbs of cored fresh Macintosh apples for my fruit base....
How much Pectic Enzyme should I use to break down these 30 lbs of apples after freezing and starting the must?....Any suggestions would be helpful...Thanks

 

[Farmside]

Hi all, just wondering if I can ferment pasteurized 100% apple juice?

This is a very simple apple cider recipe that tastes smooth and has a carmel taste. Take 1/2 cup juice and add the sugar in a pan over med heat, carmalize for 12-14 minutes before adding to the rest of the juice. Gives it a nice dark color also. Back sweeten (if you want) with honey. You can also bottle before fermentation is complete, filling an empty 12 oz plastic soda bottle for your carbonation tester. When plastic bottle is firm (you can also unscrew and test) cold crash the bottled cider in the fridge. Stuff don’t last long around here.

For a 1 gal batch:
Ingredients:
2 cups raw sugar (light brown sugar)
250 ml honey
1 gal Apple Juice/Cider (preservative free)
Any standard wine/champagne yeast.

Edit: found a footnote on this recipe. Add 1/4 tube frozen apple concentrate in the beginning for more Apple flavor. Add 2-3 shots caramel infused vodka just before botteling to really make it pop.

 

[Farmside]

On a similar note I am looking to make cranberry wine form cranberry juice. The bottle says 100% juice but among the ingerdients (at the end) are fumaric acid and ascorbic acid. Ascornic acid can be an anti-oxidant, but not sure what fumaric acid does. Will these prevent fermentation?

I just finished a batch of cranberry using Ocean Spray 100% juice from concentrate. 1 gal test batch then back sweeten with 32oz bottle of tart cherry concentrate. Here are my notes from that.
Ocean Spray cranberry

Started 8 Aug SG 1.072

1 gal added
2 cups sugar
1/2 tube frozen apple concentrate
4 cups water
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Yeast


Used wide mouth primary to start with cheese cloth cover 4 days rack to carboy. OG 1.010
Stabilized @ 1.000 and mixed 1 gal cranberry with 32 oz tart cherry. Good stuff! Deep red wine, dry.

 

[winemaker81]

How much Pectic Enzyme should I use to break down these 30 lbs of apples after freezing and starting the must?

What is your recipe? Are you juicing the apples and fermenting juice, or chopping/crushing/shredding the apples and adding water?

Either way, look at the total volume of the must and follow the package directions on the pectic enzyme. E.g., if you have 6 gallons of must, add pectic for 6 gallons.