bucket chemist wine making.

[Lesley]

I'm not very good at monitoring my wines precisely, and now I have an apple wine - it was a lot of work to make - that is not high enough alcohol content to keep well.

 

[Rice_Guy]

A normal apple can be 1.050 to 1.060 (5% plus alcohol) and have a pH under 4.0. This is a better preservation system than beer has. From a microbiology point of view apple cider works. Oxidation is a secondary issue, developing burn in the back of the throat of flavor. Traditional cider has tannic varieties which are antioxidants. Off the shelf tannin could be added and potassium metabisulphite is used in modern cideries.

One of the best wine makers in the club does NO testing, he just tastes it. Tasting works! Welcome to Wine Making Talk

 

[Lesley]

ahha, you make me realize that it has alcohol content high enough to keep, though maybe not long term. I've been struggling with the math ratios, but you are right, thanks, you give me hope!

 

[Rigney]

ahha, you make me realize that it has alcohol content high enough to keep, though maybe not long term. I've been struggling with the math ratios, but you are right, thanks, you give me hope

I have used everclear to bump up alcohol before with success if you don't go crazy, used a high proof maple bourbon on a test batch of coffee wine too... Added some flavor and burn

 

[Rice_Guy]

you make me realize that it has alcohol content high enough to keep,

Shelf life is partly due to having no microbiological contamination. Shelf life is partly due to having no oxygen. It is easy to remove microbiological contaminants by pasteurizing or sterile filtering. For us as wine makers, whether 12% or 5% alcohol, the oxygen problem is the biggest determinant of shelf life.