Apple Endeavors

[bilbo-in-maine]

It is orchard picking time in Maine. On Saturday my wife, Sam and I
picked 90 pounds of tart apples with a few sweeter Baldwins mixed in and
started some hard cider and two batches of wine, straight apple and
apple-pear-kiwi (things needed using in the fruit bowl.)

On Sunday it took maybe an hour to crank out 3 gallons of cider with the
press for the hard cider. Sam used a recipe he has from a book on ale and
beer brewing, and used honey as the sweetener. After 24 hours we'll pitch
a champagne yeast in. At some point, when the SG is right, it gets racked
to a 3 gallon carboy to continue fermentation for several months.

The two wines each have solid mashed fruit in straining bags sitting in
the must. Sugar, pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient, a little tannin and acid
blend with a Campden tablet were all added. Each is to sit 24 hours
before pitching the yeast. Each batch should yield a gallon.

Starting SG's were around 1.084 and the wines should be racked to glass
at around 1.02 if I remember right. I'd like to hear from anyone as to how
to handle the fruit in the bag. Should it simply drip overnight, or should it
be vigorously 'squoze? Also, what is a recommended SG to finish at? My
sense is that the wine might benefit from a little sweetness. Anyone's
advice on this would be welcome.

 

[Hippie]

I am thinking I would squeeze the apple pulp at least some.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Thanks Hippie, squeezing it shall be. It seems the only way to get as much must out of the bag as possible.

Sam hard at work (that's not the 90 pounds we picked but it looks productive!)

I picked up three pails from a local whole foods store - previously
used for mayonnaise which was in plastic bags in the pails - pails were
well scrubbed and sanitized

I used clean sanitized wine bottles filled with water to not only
weight the straining bags but to use as mashers to press the fruit
several times a day. As heavy as a full wine bottle is, the bags still
float them up a lot, but it helps to keep the bags in the must.

Here's the applepearkiwi showing the bottle raised right up

Here's straight apple, the bag is still down in the must because I just

pressed it down.



Fermentation has started in each after pitching yest yesterday. Hopefully each will yield a gallon.






Edited by: bilbo-in-maine