Apple Wine / Cider Questions, help please.

I keep looking around, and really cant find the answer to this question.

I have 5gallons of apple wine going, fermentation is going fine... probably a week in so far so not very far along.

I hear that it should be at its maximum alc % after about 2-4 weeks, when the yeast die off.

Here's my questions, and thank you ahead of time for the help. Just getting into this as a hobby, loving it so far!

1) Why, if its at its maximum alc % at about a month, does letting it age make it taste better?

2) Iv read that letting it sit upwards of a year makes it taste better, some people have suggested removing the fruit before letting it sit and age extended amounts of time... saying if you leave the fruit it will end up making the mix go bad? Yet Iv seen recipe after recipe that says nothing about removing it. Whats best practice here and why?

3) Lastly, iv seen different recipes (not nesissarily apple wine) that say you can bottle it after a month or two and let it age that way. Iv seen "Add a pinch of yeast but not too much". Is it better to leave it in the carboy, or can I bottle it up and still get the benefits of letting those bottles sit and "Age". If so, is there any point to the pinch of yeast? If yes, how much is a pinch? Im using 1118.

Again, thank you. I know questions get irritating sometimes but I did do a fair amount of looking and google work before posting this.

Bump.

1.It is something to do with the organic chemicals, and how the volatile ones dissipate over time, allowing the mellower(better tasting) ones come out.

2.Think of it like smelting, the yeast eats all the good stuff and puts it into the wine. the rest that isn't used is bad and needs to go.

3.Depends on who you ask. Try both ways... In theory the larger amount that is aging young, the easier it ages(hence why wine is aged in large oak barrels). But I know beer makers that love to age in the bottles. It is up to you.

Randzor said:

1.It is something to do with the organic chemicals, and how the volatile ones dissipate over time, allowing the mellower(better tasting) ones come out.

2.Think of it like smelting, the yeast eats all the good stuff and puts it into the wine. the rest that isn't used is bad and needs to go.

3.Depends on who you ask. Try both ways... In theory the larger amount that is aging young, the easier it ages(hence why wine is aged in large oak barrels). But I know beer makers that love to age in the bottles. It is up to you.

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Thank you .

Sounds like ill keep it in the carboy, I plan to get a few more of those anyway.

Sounds like once the fruit settles and it goes clear (Which iv read means primary fermentation is done) ill strain out the fruit, put it back in the carboy and rack it up.

If anyone sees anything wrong, or something better to do, let me know, thanks!

tnecnivx said:

Thank you .

Sounds like ill keep it in the carboy, I plan to get a few more of those anyway.

Sounds like once the fruit settles and it goes clear (Which iv read means primary fermentation is done) ill strain out the fruit, put it back in the carboy and rack it up.

If anyone sees anything wrong, or something better to do, let me know, thanks!

Click to expand...

You can rack off the fruit into a new carboy, and then top up the headspace. You don't want to strain/splash cider once fermentation has slowed, as you risk oxidation. Simply rack to the new sanitized carboy, and let it clear.