Apple Wine

[mannytheseacow]

I've got lots of apples... Anyone care to share wine recipes?

So if I stick them in the freezer for a while, bring them out, throw them in a bucket, add champaign yeast... Anything else? Do I need to fortify it with sugar?

[matt walker]

I usually do my standard sugar ratio, which is in the range of 7lbs to 5 gallons. Of course, I'm usually going for max potency as it sometimes becomes other products over the winter. I have considered doing some without but the apple wines I've tried I didn't care for. I think hard cider is probably a better choice if you are going to drink it as is. However, that said, wine sure is easy. I freeze 'em, then hit them with a paint stirrer in the bucket to mash them all up. I don't bother to strain, just go right from there adding in the yeast. In the past I would add boiling water, but I haven't had one go vinegar on me yet so I skip that step these days in my quest for crappy methods.

[DrewInToledo]

Seach google for "apfelwein". Its simple to make.

[matt walker]

Wait, I made that apple wine I had all this winter the way I described above. Scratch the part about not liking it, I forgot about that success already. That was a good batch, I think you guys had some as it was getting a bit older. I'd do that again for sure.

[mannytheseacow]

Thanks guys. Yep, that apple wine you made was awesome, Matt. That's what I was thinking of. I kind of remembered how you did it but I couldn't remember how much sugar or if you added any spices or anything. I was also wondering if anybody else had any experience with it. I figured I'd try one Matt's way and then some others as many as people had input to share.

Thanks for your help, Drew. Are you German or just an alcoholic? I'm both. I read a couple of homebrew forums with recipes for apfelwien and apple juice seems to be the common ingredient though whole apples would work just as well. Most of the apfelwein recipes I saw use significantly less sugar. Some call for sweetening afterwards and preserving to prevent further fermentation.

I really like the lazy way of throwing the mush in a bucket and ladling out a drink as needed. That will probably be my method regardless of the recipe.

[matt walker]

Yeah, that was a great batch I made last year. It wasn't too long after you guys were here that it turned though, you were getting it right at the end. There's still a couple gallons left in one bucket, but it's pretty dang tangy at this point. It went through some great phases, from sweet to dry to vinegary. I am still using what's left for things like pot roast broth and mustard/apple deglaze sauces and the like, but it did eventually turn there in the bucket. It did make it probably nine months though, and if I hadn't made 15 gallons at once I'm guessing none of it would have made it to spring anyway. I do hope to progress a bit and do some cider, but now that you reminded me I will definitely do a bucket of the straight apple wine again. I have a LOT of plums this year for wine as well, which is my favorite of my fruits to make wine with. I'll send you some pits when I send the wheat, you need some of these mirabelle trees for sure.

[DrewInToledo]

[matt walker]

Well, you motivated me Manny. I've got 20 gallons sitting over there, about 4 days in. Man, it is sooo good already. Just fizzy cider, but I have to be careful I don't drink it all. Did you get around to making some?

[mannytheseacow]

I got in late in the game. I had a hard time finding any apples left but managed to fill a 6 gallon bucket with frozen apple mush. I left it for 2 weeks with the sugar and yeast, and just racked off the liquid into a 5 1/2 gallon glass carboy yesterday. Even after pressing the fermented mush through a muslin bag, I had to add over a gallon of water to top the carboy up to the neck. Now it's fizzing away and like yours, mighty tasty already. Pressing the mush I was nearly breathless from the ethanol fumes. That 5 1/2 gallons won't last long.