Spiced Apple Pie Wine

[Tom_S]

My brother brought down a bottle of what he called "apple pie wine," which was basically apple juice & everlclear with cinnamon red hot candies dissolved into it.

It wasn't bad, but ever the purist I decided to make something a little more natural. I came up with an Apple Pie wine that makes an excellent dessert wine, or a special treat in the fall when warmed up.

Apple Pie Wine

1 gallon apple juice
~3 1/2 cups sugar, enough to get the SG to about 1.082 or better
1 tbsp cinnamon, cinnamon sticks optional
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp yeast nutrient
Potassium Sorbate
Campden tablets
1 pkt Pasteur Champagne yeast


Pour the juice into a 1 gallon jug, leaving enough room to add sugar and spices. Add enough sugar to get the SG up to 1.082, which will provide 11% alcohol. Stir in yeast nutrient. Stir in spices. Add yeast and ferment, racking after 7 days. In secondary, if desired, a couple of cinnamon sticks can be added to the must. Let clear, then rack off lees, add sugar until sweet. Add potassium sorbate and 1 campden tablet to prevent refermentation. Cinnamon sticks can be discarded or added to wine for aging. Let age for 3-6 months, filter or rack, then add campden and bottle after 24 hours.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Very nice - but from experience - I would use cinnamon sticks - they impart overtime and you can remove instantly when you have the right amount of cinnamon smell and flavor...

 

[Tom_S]

Actually my first batch I used both. I added some cinnamon when starting it, and added a couple of cinnamon sticks while aging.

My second batch ended up all over the kitchen counter & floor when my wife went to move the gallon glass jug it was in and the bottom fell out almost in a perfect circle. I guess that jug got knocked around one too many times.

I haven't made any this year but I do still have a bottle or two of the original batch left.

 

[CountryDJ]

I saw this recipe and decided to give it a shot with apple juice concentrate since I had everything but the juice and yeast (and the concentrate was cheap). Here is what I am trying
12 16 oz cans of 100% apple juice
12 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp of nutmeg (1 tsp each in emptied teabags)
6 campden tablets
3 tsp pectic enzyme
5-6 lbs of sugar (to bring specific gravity to 1.080
1 tsp acid blend bringing PH to 3.6
Mixed it al together and letting sit loosly covered for sulfur dioxide to dissapate. Will pitch yeast (Lalvin EC-1118) tomarrow.

Any thoughts or suggestions for this time or next time if I try it again (depending on how this turns out).

 

[Midwest Vintner]

At the winery, we just used mulling spices +cinnamon sticks from penzey's, simmered them in a pan and serve after cooling a little. Works great, but we are unsure of how much abv it has in it.