New winemakers in Alaska

[Anna Nelson]

I came to this site looking for advice on clearing apple wine and I have seen some great ideas - many of which I wish I'd known before I started. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska. My first wine was just this last fall, with our home-grown choke cherries. It turned out great - though by accident, divine intervention, or just plain luck - not sure. Then we found 2 gallons of frozen raspberries from last summer's harvest hiding in the freezer and tried those. My grown daughter tried it and said it paired great with cheesecake! My husband and I don't always agree on sweet vs. dry - so the raspberry wine is on the dry side. My budget is limited, so I am interested in simple and low tech. I will let you know how the Apple wine turns out.

 

[mainshipfred]

Welcome aboard and happy vinting.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome to WMT!

 

[Christopher Anderson]

Welcome!

 

[Brant]

Welcome to WMT! You're pretty far north but I'm actually further right now. I'm on the slope. LOL

 

[cmason1957]

Welcome to WMT. If you find you like the wine dry and your wife likes it sweeter, always remember sugar can be added to the glass.

Oh and most fruit wines generally taste a bit better just a little bit sweeter than you might normally like, it all depends on the acidity of the fruit.

 

[Hazelemere]

I came to this site looking for advice on clearing apple wine and I have seen some great ideas - many of which I wish I'd known before I started. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska. My first wine was just this last fall, with our home-grown choke cherries. It turned out great - though by accident, divine intervention, or just plain luck - not sure. Then we found 2 gallons of frozen raspberries from last summer's harvest hiding in the freezer and tried those. My grown daughter tried it and said it paired great with cheesecake! My husband and I don't always agree on sweet vs. dry - so the raspberry wine is on the dry side. My budget is limited, so I am interested in simple and low tech. I will let you know how the Apple wine turns out.

try adding Chambord to the dry raspberry

 

[Anna Nelson]

Welcome to WMT! You're pretty far north but I'm actually further right now. I'm on the slope. LOL

Thank you. Not too many grapes up there either! Who knows what climate change might bring, though.

 

[Anna Nelson]

try adding Chambord to the dry raspberry

As soon as I learn what Chambord is, I will! To the next batch, I am guessing. I have two precious bottles "aging."

 

[Anna Nelson]

Welcome to WMT. If you find you like the wine dry and your wife likes it sweeter, always remember sugar can be added to the glass.

Oh and most fruit wines generally taste a bit better just a little bit sweeter than you might normally like, it all depends on the acidity of the fruit.

Thanks. I wouldn't have thought of that. Interesting.

 

[Hazelemere]

As soon as I learn what Chambord is, I will! To the next batch, I am guessing. I have two precious bottles "aging."

https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-chambord-liqueur-760266

 

[Rice_Guy]

welcome to WMT

Apple? I have done apple for several years and found it clears well with pectase. My first real crop was in ‘22. It had pH shifting up and some cloud that pectase doesn’t touch and off flavors. At this time it seems that if the pH goes over 3.2 apple is at risk for wild lactic acid bacteria. For me the carboys that were 3.7 I added acid to get it back down. I hope you avoid that problem.

 

[Jovimaple]

Welcome to WMT!