Apple Juice Wine

[CanadianBacon]

after secondary, Do you have to stop fermentation with sorbate or something before bottling?

 

[ShoeBrewer]

Why don't you use a yeast starter?

 

[Yooper]

Why don't you use a yeast starter?

Because it's not needed. There are plenty of yeast cells, even in a 5-6 gram package, for the must.

 

[Hankhill11]

Rack, top up, and refit airlock every 60 days for 6 months.

I know this is a rather aged thread, but I am on day 3 of this recipe (scaled for 3 gal). I understand mixing for the first 10 days, and I'm familiar with racking and topping up. The questions with this recipe is what do you top up with? How do you manage head space with no odd sized carboys?

If i get three months from completion and have to add more apple juice, it seems like that would compromise the final product, maybe? Any suggestions to managing this?

 

[Yooper]

I know this is a rather aged thread, but I am on day 3 of this recipe (scaled for 3 gal). I understand mixing for the first 10 days, and I'm familiar with racking and topping up. The questions with this recipe is what do you top up with? How do you manage head space with no odd sized carboys?

If i get three months from completion and have to add more apple juice, it seems like that would compromise the final product, maybe? Any suggestions to managing this?

I try to make larger sized batches, like a 4 gallon batch, and then save the leftover in a growler/jug/wine bottle with a stopper and airlock and then use that for topping up.

If you have to top up because you don't have a smaller carboy, you could top up with a dry white commercial wine. It won't be exactly the same, but it shouldn't change it much. If you have to top up more than that, using two gallon sized jugs (the Carlo Rossi wine jugs are a bit larger than 1 gallon since they are four liters) and a wine bottle with stoppers and airlocks will work.

 

[Bubbles2]

Sorry for the ? on this...I could google and read 5 pages or ask here in hopes of an easy answer and have the info attached to this thread for the next guy...
What and Why is Topping of for?

 

[Yooper]

Sorry for the ? on this...I could google and read 5 pages or ask here in hopes of an easy answer and have the info attached to this thread for the next guy...
What and Why is Topping of for?

You want to have no headspace in the carboy, so you'd "top up" to just below the bung, leaving the minimum of headspace possible.

 

[Bubbles2]

"Stabilize, sweeten if desired, and wait two weeks".

Stabilize? What does this mean? I understand waiting two weeks after if sugar added to sweeten.

Also to double check your recipe. .25 lb of Sugar. NOT 1.25lb of sugar correct.... I mean I will check with Hydrometer as I go... AND 2/3tsp of Pectic Enzyme not 1 and 2/3 tsp....
Those dang (1.) bullets.

 

[WTD]

Has anyone tried this with apple/blackcurrant juice? wondering how that would turn out?

Cheers

 

[Blacksmith1]

my guess is a bit sharper/tart. got the wife an apple/ black currant juice the other day and it was strong as heck. Using it as a mixer I had to cut it with water as the black currant flavor was overpowering.

 

[WTD]

i have two 5L demijohns as an experiment of the apple blackcurrant. (also got 2 x 11.5L carboys of one apple and one grape juice)

the 2 x 5L ones...

apple blackcurrant juice,
pectic,
nutrient,
1/4 teaspoon tannin,

adjusted one to 3.4 and one 3.47 PH,
the 3.4 is 1.099 and the 4.47 is 1.073 SG after corrected for temp

the 1.099 has Vinters harvest CL23 yeast and the 1.73 has Vinters Harvest BV7 Yeast.

Temp isnt on my side (little warm) but within the yeast optimal range.

considering the yeast does 23L per packet the 5L demis had one packet each and are going off like crazy. hopefully one of these 4 experiments will give me a cheap and nice drink that ill replicate.