First Time Apple Wine

[jdeere5220]

I have my own little orchard and lots and lots of extra apples this year... so why not make wine? I've read lots of posts on this forum, but still a couple of questions. I've only made kit grape wines to date.

1) I've got honeycrisp, cortland, and IdaRed apples. Does it matter?

2) Should I have some pulp in my juice, or just clean juice?

Recipe seems to be (6 gallons)

2 TBSP yeast nutrient
1/2 tsp pectin
2.5 TBSP acid blend
1 tsp wine tannin

Sound OK? What SG should I shoot for, something like 1.085?

I guess that's it. I'm pressing apples this Sunday so wanted to bone up on lots of advice, feel free to offer any suggestions. I was going to use EC1118, just pitch it on top of the juice (like I do for the wine kits).

 

[naperwineguy]

Best source I've seen for fruit wines is Jack Keller -

You can find all of his recipies here for apple wines:

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/recipes.asp

He says to avoid using the sweeter eating varieties - - instead opt for the sour and acidic varieties

 

[winemaker_3352]

The apples are fine - get the starting SG up to 1.085.

I would do 1/2 tsp of pectic per gallon.

Acid - measure first before adding.

I would leave out the tannin.

Put the pulp in a mesh bag - and remove it when your SG is around 1.025.

Use Lalvin 71B-1122 - it will metabolize 20 - 40% of the malic acid present in the apples.

 

[docanddeb]

Adding a variety of apples also gives more interesting wine. So don't just pick one kind... throw a little of everything in there!

Debbie

 

[jdeere5220]

Thanks for the replies everyone. We pressed the apples yesterday. It was an old wooden press with a couple of hand cranks on it. Nothing electric or pneumatic on this old girl, but it worked great. We ended up with about 30 gallons, of which 18 gallons went straight into primaries. I've added everything except the sugar. I'll add the sugar to 1.085 and pitch the yeast tonight!

 

[Arne]

Last batch I made was with 5 gal. juice. When done fermenting, I added a half gal. of old orchard apple juice to it. Really bumped up the flavor. I also bumped the sugar up some at the start to make up for diluting down with the old orchard.

 

[Matcarnold]

I have my own little orchard and lots and lots of extra apples this year... so why not make wine? I've read lots of posts on this forum, but still a couple of questions. I've only made kit grape wines to date.

1) I've got honeycrisp, cortland, and IdaRed apples. Does it matter?

2) Should I have some pulp in my juice, or just clean juice?

Recipe seems to be (6 gallons)

2 TBSP yeast nutrient
1/2 tsp pectin
2.5 TBSP acid blend
1 tsp wine tannin

Sound OK? What SG should I shoot for, something like 1.085?

I guess that's it. I'm pressing apples this Sunday so wanted to bone up on lots of advice, feel free to offer any suggestions. I was going to use EC1118, just pitch it on top of the juice (like I do for the wine kits).

Can you want to sell your apple wine? buying address plz. I am buyer.