Spicing an Apple Wine

[yoshieslunchbox]

Hey all,

I've got a three gallon batch apple juice concentrate wine made from a recipe in The Joy of Home Winemaking. I've made this before, and it's come out well, but I'm a relatively inexperienced winemaker, and I wanted to try my hand at adding some spice flavors wine. My idea is to split the three gallons up into three 1-gallon batches, and spice each one a different way for comparison. The problem is that I have no real clue what I'm doing. If any of you wine maestros out there has any suggestions on what to add and how much, I would greatly appreciate it.

I'll include the recipe at the end if that helps at all (it's very, very basic).

Thank you all!

6 cans Old Orchard 100% Juice apple juice
6 lbs sugar
3 tsp acid blend
3 tsp yeast nutrient
1 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
71B-1122 Yeast starter

First reading: 1.096 @ 68*F
Now reading: .999 @ 78*F

 

[Unferth]

You might check out the cider forums for ideas. They are real creative with their AJ, and I don't see why you couldn't steal some ideas for your wine.

Personally, I'm going for a dry white style with my AJ wine, but I like my cider with cinnamon, cloves and caramel.

You dont state the yeast you're planning on using, which could make a difference as well. If you use a champagne yeast like montrachet or lalvin ec-1118, it will strip most of those flavors you are adding. So maybe a neutral wine yeast? Like lalvin k1-v116. I'm sure others will chime in with more experience.

I say be creative. It's only a gallon each and AJ is cheap.

 

[Unferth]

You dont state the yeast you're planning on using, which could make a difference as well.

Sorry, didn't see the 71b starter. That one looks good IMHO.

 

[yoshieslunchbox]

Didn't even think about checking the cider forums. Good idea. Thanks.