Apple wine, 5 gallons ~= 80+ bottles

[montanaWineGuy]

Looks like this is going to work. I put the two halves of the 5 gallons of picked apples into two primary ferm buckets and moved them to carboys today. Apple flavor is strong. To top off the carboys I put about 48oz of Apple Cider into each so the apple flavor has been increased.

Now I'm doing a reuse with both halves into a single fermentation bucket, which should give me about another 4+ gallons to move to a carboy in a couple of weeks.

A few good apples, is going to be a lot of great wine.

 

[newBendOrfanatic]

Interesting. I followed your comments in an earlier thread, but I am puzzled as to how you have any material remaining for another 4 gallons. With the frozen-thawed-pectic enzyme method, I usually don't have much material remaining even before the initial fermentation. The Volders experiment resulted in about a 75% yield before fermentation, and my small scale batches somewhat mirror those results. Do you have an approximate weight for the material that will provide the base for the second batch? Type of apple?

 

[montanaWineGuy]

My guess was 30 lbs. I can't crush or process the apple, so I spent an hour plus carving the apple, so the pieces are small to medium in size.

When I did an apple before and used close to what was recommended the added water didn't even cover the apples in the fermentation bucket. Pretty simple to conclude that much of those apple will make no difference in the wine.

Ive no idea what kind of apples they are. Green I can say with assurance.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I just stirred the must. The apples are very soft. I'll skip adding any pectin enzyme tomorrow, and just pitch the yeast.

 

[GreginND]

You got 16 gallons of wine from one 5 gallon bucket of apples? How much water did you add? I find apple wine is very light unless using straight apples with no added water.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I add all the water needed to fill the fermentation bucket, 4 gallons maybe per fermentation bucket. I don't have any comparison to make with my apple wine. It might not be any good, but I like it and my neighbors also. A small crowd, more excited that wine can be made in a garage in the middle of no where in the Lolo National Forest, then fine wine sipping experts.

Taste the same 5 gallon -> 80 bottles as 5 gallon -> 30 bottles.

 

[newBendOrfanatic]

I was not judging the wine at all. It may very well be better than my apple wine. I am just trying to understand the apple preparation process that you use as well as visualize the remains left for the second batch. In addition, I will assume that that the apples are a tart variety. Correct? The sweeter apples really disintegrate with most processes.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I was not judging the wine at all. It may very well be better than my apple wine. I am just trying to understand the apple preparation process that you use as well as visualize the remains left for the second batch. In addition, I will assume that that the apples are a tart variety. Correct? The sweeter apples really disintegrate with most processes.

Apple flavor is strong in the last combined bucket. SG is 1.08 before pitching the yeast. The previous 2 are in their carboys and are bubbling away like crazy.

My plan and being implemented is to add quality Apple Cider to make up for any shortage of apples being used. And the 3nd batch, whereas the apples are very soft and perhaps indicating that a lot of the flavor is gone, the 2 halves are now combined to double up the juice remaining and only working on about 4 gallons of wine yield.

Yeah, the apples are tart(er), but not as tart as Granny Smiths, or Crab Apples, but more so then the apples I picked in August, which still made some good tasting wine.

 

[newBendOrfanatic]

So the second batch will be the lees from the first fermentation mixed with apple cider? Any additional water? I think that I understand your process. Any additional nutrients? Any other additions to the second batch? No new yeast, correct?

 

[montanaWineGuy]

With this latest batch I did everything like it was a fresh batch (added yeast, lees were racked away), but doubled the fruit (all reuse) and did not add any pectin enzyme (apples are very soft). Apple cider is added to reduce carboy head space.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I have confirmed something, that I have for awhile suspected. Less sugar = less alcohol = less fermentation time. Seems obvious now. This is why I was able to make so much wine this year, with so little equipment. Weak Wine.

I racked and started clearing the Apple wine I began a month ago. The one with the higher SG, had more bubbles, and is now slower to clear. They are both still fermenting, but I decided to start the clearing early, as another experiment.

 

[wineforfun]

Less sugar = less alcohol = less fermentation time = less work to do.

You are correct sir.

 

[DoctorCAD]

If the wine comes out thin, frozen apple juice concentrate added will up the flavor without adding much volume.

 

[JohnT]

If the wine comes out thin, frozen apple juice concentrate added will up the flavor without adding much volume.

A warning though.. If you add more apple juice, it is a given that fermentation will kick back off again (unless you have treated with sorbate or some other method of prevention).

 

[montanaWineGuy]

About another week. I took a hydro reading last week after a racking, and both carboys read 1.01, and today the reading is the same.

Carboy #1 started at 1.1 so that is 12.2% ABV.
Carboy #2 started at 1.09 so that is 10.8 ABV.

Both are sweet tasting requiring no additional sugar. It is a wee bit flat tasting so I added a TBS of acid blend to each. If the Hydro reading is still at 1.01 next Friday, it's bottling time. My 2nd run with the fruit from carboy #1&#2 is also nearing completion and has the same strong apple flavor. I'm now estimating 27+27+14 = 68 bottles of apple wine from a 5 gallon bucket of apples picked in early Oct.

Apples picked 12 Oct. (Notes to self)

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I bottled up batch #1 and #2, 25 and 28 bottles respectively. I had 1 of the 28 tonight, and it's a bit more sweet then I care, but the apple flavor is strong and the taste is smooth.

I added Bentonite to the 3rd rerun batch and it cleared up right quick. I took a sip and is real sweet, so I added some Acid Blend. I suspect not enough to really change the flavor, so tomorrow I will rack off the Bentonite and add more AB to move the taste further from the sweet scale. Easily another 15 bottles, so it will be 68 bottle total of fine tasting apple wine.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

A picture of the #2 batch.