MAKING APPLE WINE

Here is some general information for making your own apple wine. It is a

very easy and straight forward process. If you have never made wine

before, you may find this to be a good wine to start with.


- What Kind Of Apple Cider Should I Use?

The first issue at hand is obtaining the cider. This shouldn't be to hard.

Any roadside stand will do. The type of apples used for making apple

wine is not to critical. Some winemakers are of the opinion that a blend of

several apple varieties is best for the sake of balance, but in my opinion

any common variety seems to stand well on its own.

It is important however, to make sure that no preservatives have been

added to the cider that might interfere with the fermentation. Cider that

contains preservatives like "Sodium Benzoate" and "Potassium Sorbate"

should not be purchased for making wine - Ascorbic Acid is okay. If the

labeling doesn't say, then ask.


- What Equipment Will I Need?

The equipment you will need is no different than any other wine making

endeavor. You'll need a Primary and Secondary fermentation vessel,

air-lock, siphoning equipment, hydrometer, etc. For more information

about wine making equipment, see the article, "How To Get Started In

Home Wine Making" at the link listed below:

"How To Get Started In Home Wine Making"


- What Ingredients Will I Need?

For every gallon of cider add to it:
* 1 Pound of Cane Sugar
* 1 Teaspoon of Yeast Nutrient
* 1/8 Teaspoon of Pectic Enzyme
* 1-1/2 Teaspoon of Acid Blend
* 1/4 Teaspoon of Wine Tannin
* 1/8 Teaspoon of Ascorbic Acid
* 1 Campden Tablet (crushed and dissolved)

A little later, you will also be adding 1 Package of

Lalvin EC-1118 for every batch up to 5 gallons in

size. All of the above items can be found on our web

site at: www.eckraus.com


- Basic Process

1. Mix together everything listed above in an open container (primary

fermenter), EXCEPT for the yeast. Cover with a light towel and let sit for

24 hour.

2. After 24 hours, add one package of Lalvin EC-1118 Yeast for each

batch that is 5 gallons in size or less. Batches larger than 5 gallons will

require a minimum one package of yeast for every 5 gallons.

3. Allow to ferment 4 to 5 days or until your hydrometer reads around

1.030 to 1.040 on the Specific Gravity scale.

4. After 4 or 5 days, carefully siphon the wine into a Secondary

Fermenter so as to leave most of the sediment behind. This is called

"Racking". The Secondary Fermenter should be some type of food-grade

container that will allow you to attach an Air-Lock to it.

5. Allow the wine to ferment another 2 to 3 weeks under air-lock, or until

the hydrometer reads .998 or less on the Specific Gravity scale. Now the

wine needs to clear. This usually takes at least and additional 2 to 3

weeks.

6. Once the wine is completely cleared, add a second dose of Campden

Tablets at the rate of 1 tablet per gallon. And it is then ready to be bottled

and aged.

For a little more information on the fermentation process and how to

avoid any pitfalls, you might read the article, "The Top 10 Reasons For

Fermentation Failure" listed at the link below:

"The Top 10 Reasons For Fermentation Failure"


- If You Like Your Apple Wine Sweet . . .

You can sweeten it with more sugar, honey or whatever. But, three things

have to happen first:

* One, the fermentation needs to have already stopped completely and

the wine given a couple of weeks or better to completely clear.

* Two, you need to carefully siphon the wine off the sediment into a clean

container. Otherwise, this sediment will be stirred up again when you mix

in your sugar.

* Three, Potassium Sorbate needs to be added to the apple wine as a

stabilizer. Otherwise, the fermentation will eventually start up again when

the sugar is added.

For more information on sweetening your wines see the article, "Making

Sweet Wines" listed at the link below:

"Making Sweet Wines"
 

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E. C. Kraus

Home Wine & Beer Making Supplies

Address: 733 S. Northern Blvd. - P. O. Box 7850 - Independence, MO  64053

Phone:(816) 254-7448  Fax:(816) 254-7051  Toll Free: (800) 353-1906

Email: customerservice@eckraus.com

Copyright (c) 2003, Kraus Sales, L. L. C. All rights reserved. This article may be passed

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