TunaTarTar
Member
Hello.I have recently got two used 25 gallon wine barrels.I have been storing them with just water in them so far because I was going to originally use them to make sour beer. I have since been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance and have had to switch up my plans for the barrels. I have an incredible apple orchard right next to my house and got the idea to use the barrels to make an "apple port". I have never done anything like this and was looking for suggestions from anyone with knowledge of the process. The questions I have follow. Should I use sulfites in the barrel before aging the wine? I've read that in regular port that brandy is added to the fermentation to keep it sweet and kill off the yeast. How far into the fermentation do you add brandy? I've also read that some people use an everclear type of product instead of brandy. I am planning on using lairds apple brandy unless someone with mire knowledge has used ever clear with good results. How much spirit per 5 gallon batch? What type of yeast for initial fermentation? Should any sugars be added to the cider before fermentation? I know it's a lot but any help with any of these questions would be much appreciated. This is a whole new world for me. Thanks in advance.
