Newbie apple wine question

[Country Vines]

Masta, thanks for the chart. I can't believe I have lived all these 59 years and I'm just now discovering that I need a "Bung Size Chart" - how have I survived? Then again, I've learned a lot from you guys in the last couple of weeks !!

 

[NorthernWinos]

We bought a carboy at a garage sale that had a smaller bung in it....got it out with no problems using a little hook...

We use only the Universal Bungs...in the Online Fine Vine Wines catalog, item #5148 #5149 #5150 and #5151....

http://www.finevinewines.com/Home-Wine-Making-Equipment-Stoppers.asp
[Copy and Paste...sorry]

Don't think you could push them in if you wanted to...Check them out!!!Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[CajunTim]

Day 13, I racked the apple wine to a clean Gal Jug. Started with a SG at 1.100 and now holding steady at .993. Guess I will just let it hang out for a few months and let it start clearing.








<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />

 

[Wade E]

Looking good there Cajun.

 

[CajunTim]

Update.
Today is day 30. The apple wine is super clear right now. The SG is holding steady. I think I will rack it again today (2ed racking). I might stabilize it and back sweeten also, but not sure if I want to do it now or wait another few weeks.

 

[kutya]

Tim, looks good. That apple really cleared nice....

 

[NorthernWinos]

WOW!!!Is that ever clear....Did it clear on it's own???

 

[PolishWineP]

Pretty...

 

[CajunTim]

Kuta, Polish, Thanks I was surprised at how fast it cleared. After reading some sites I was thinking it would be more like 40 weeks.
<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />
Northern, Yep…… It did it all by its self. I just followed the directions. Hope I don’t mess it up when I add the apple concentrate.

 

[Wade E]

Mine would not clear up on its own, but then again I used mulling
spices, cinnamon sticks, and chopped raisins so one of those caused a
problem. Probably the mulling spices. It came out terrible at first but
after a little while in the bottle its improving incredibly!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Do you ever oak your apple wines????I just started a Crabapple/Apple wine and am wondering what oak would do to the flavor????

 

[CajunTim]

Northern, this is my first try at wine making so I am not sure about oak

. Others I am sure know more.

 

[Wade E]

I have to start another apple wine. I wasnt anticipating doing it again
after my last apple wine. At bottling it was the worst wine I have ever
tasted. All of the wines I have made have been good at bottling and
only improve with time. The spiced apple was another story. It was so
horrible at bottling I thought of dumping it down the drain. It has
been in bottles now for about a month and we opened one the other day
and its already pretty good to my amazement. I cant believe in this
short of time this wine has improved drastically.Just goes to show you
what aging can do.

 

[CajunTim]

Wade, can you describe the taste you encountered at bottling? I am just wounding as to what I might think is kind of ok might be what someone else calls HORRIBLE. I would hate to give a friend a bad wine.

 

[Wade E]

I dont know if I can describe it but youll know if it tasted like mine.
I spit it out on contact. It didnt even taste anything like apple or
even wine for that matter. I sweetened it and that didnt even help so I
just bottled it. My wife is the one that opened one the other day and I
asked her what she was drinking and she said the Apple and I said WHAT,
your drinking that!

 

[Waldo]

Cajun I dont think oak would do much for an apple wine. Now you take a good Muscadine and give it some Medium Toast French Oak and Mmmmmmmm!!!

 

[CajunTim]

Hello all!
OK, so I back sweetened my apple wine and put ½ teaspoon Potassium Sorbate and one crushed campden tablet in two days ago. I notice it still gives off a bubble about every 45 minutes. Should I add more Sorbate and /or campden?

 

[Wade E]

This is probably gas. I would degass it more. If this is a gallon
batch, to find out, sanitize your palm, put it over the top of carboy
and shake. If when you let your palm off you get a puff of air, you
need to degass more.

 

[CajunTim]

Thanks wade, will give that a try today after work.

 

[Waldo]

A better method cajun is to sanitize the lips, place the opening of thecarboy between them, tilt the jug up quickly and.........

Using the same method gave for testing is also a good way to degass a gallon batch