apple juice wine flavoring

[Bubbles2]

I used the a 1 gallon apple juice recipe by JKeller I think it is? Yooper had shared the post
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/apple-juice-wine.27602/

I am at the 10 day mark to bottle and airlock, the flavor is lacking sweetness and has a spicy note to it's finish... Are those the Tannins that did that?

On another note, I think I may have allowed free yeast into the process, I read the link above as leaving the lid on loosely and stirring every day to degass...Was I supposed to seal it up every time after stirring to then open, stir and degass, reseal?

I used Côte des Blancs for Yeast in the recipe above (see link first post)

 

[jgmillr1]

I am at the 10 day mark to bottle and airlock, the flavor is lacking sweetness and has a spicy note to it's finish... Are those the Tannins that did that?

You'll be able to stabilize and back-sweeten it to your tastes later. It should be essentially dry now. The tannin will add more of a texture to your wine and give you a sand-paper feel on your tongue. The spicy note may be something contributed by the yeast or apple strain.

.Was I supposed to seal it up every time after stirring to then open, stir and degass, reseal?

Your added yeast strain will far overwhelm any wild yeast present in the juice or environment. It is best to seal up the lid to prevent fruit flies and oxygen from entering your wine but this was such a relatively short exposure, I doubt any harm was done. Probably want to add sulfites ASAP once the fermentation is done. I'm not a fan of degassing since it will happen anyway during racking/aging activities. I never degas and don't have any problems.

 

[Bubbles2]

Thanks jgmillr1, I will continue then. FWIW I used a 1Gallon bucket set inside a 5gallon bucket, with both lids on just not sealed. I think if I were to have left the lid tight, I'd've had a bit of a gusher in the first few mornings at the least. Appreciate the direction.

 

[Bubbles2]

UPDATE, with a couple of questions?

1. The airlock never really had any activity as it does with beer. The airlock has stayed wet and for a couple of weeks without a bubble, as a matter of fact the airlock I have is this type on a 1 gallon glass jug.
https://www.amazon.com/Twin-Bubble-...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00A6TRKO4
The airlock has had starsan in it and when filling to FILL LINE(s) and installing, the pressure only pushed it to the other side as the direction of gas would go, never overflowing, or anything, just pressure pushed it to the "outboard" side... Not sure if the 'Dgass' method I did, made it stay flatter then most ? My question is do I just wait until that airlock liquid STARSAN in my case subsides and is split back to even amounts as in the FILL LINE(s) on each side? I am wondering if it is just pressure from being air tight?

2. The Juice I started with was a Chardonay clean clear looking Organic Apple juice, now I have what looks like a slight greyish tint to it and was wondering if a KLEER is used to take care of that? OR do I just leave it for a couple of months and keep an eye on the airlock liquid?

3. Transfer/clean up? Has the transfer process been antiquated and are most just leaving in Primary jug and being careful not bottle/rack the lees/sediment at the bottom of the primary jug?

4. Back Sweeten? Sulphites are used to kill off any Yeast to be able to back sweeten I am assuming here. Any particular one, or just Goog and buy wine sulphite? OR is there another alternative to Sulphite that will arrest the Yeast to back Sweeten to then bottle? This batch is 1 gal so I can refrigerate instead...Just getting through my first batch and soon to knock of the training wheels.
Thanks in advance

 

[Bubbles2]

Update BAM! Done! Came out nice. K sorbate with 1.5 Tbsp Sugar back-sweetened. Spice is gone too. About 2 months in the Primary, went from 1100 to 0990.

Never did the transfer, instead left it till it was clear and racked then fridge.