HarryBlueHands
Junior
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2008
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
Hello friends,
Yes, I'm a newbie to this forum and to home wine making as well. I'm posting this to see if what I have done so far is correct. The following recipe was given to me by a local farmer. So here it goes...
I am making 18 gallons of apple wine (three 6 gallon carboys). Everything was sterilized ahead of time. In each carboy I added 5 gallons of untreated cider (3 gallons went into the freezer to be added at later point), 5 pounds of sugar (I added an extra pound and a half of brown sugar to one just for the hell of it), 1 champagne yeast packet, 2 teaspoons of pectic enzyme, 5 campden tablets, 7 1/2 teaspoons of acid blend.
The carboys were placed in a dark corner of the basement at 68/70 degrees with airlocks. The must has been fermenting for 16 days. I stir each one once a day. They seem to be fermenting nicely (every 5 to 6 seconds still). My plan is to make half into wine and the other into hard cider.
Does this sound like I'm on the right track?
How do I know it's time to rack?
How many times should I rack?
Do I add one gallon of cider to the must after first rack? second rack? right before bottling?
Is a hydrometer necessary?
When I plan to make it into hard cider is it really as simple as I was informed? One teaspoon of sugar in a 12 once bottle with 11 onces of apple wine once fermenting is complete?
How long does it take to turn into hard cider?
Has anyone used oak chips to age instead of barrells (I can't afford a barrell at this time)?
Are there any advantages/disadvantages to doing this?
Does anyone know of a good beginer website devoted to making apple wine/hard cider?
I apologize for the long post but I just don't have much time to do any real research between work and the kids.
Yes, I'm a newbie to this forum and to home wine making as well. I'm posting this to see if what I have done so far is correct. The following recipe was given to me by a local farmer. So here it goes...
I am making 18 gallons of apple wine (three 6 gallon carboys). Everything was sterilized ahead of time. In each carboy I added 5 gallons of untreated cider (3 gallons went into the freezer to be added at later point), 5 pounds of sugar (I added an extra pound and a half of brown sugar to one just for the hell of it), 1 champagne yeast packet, 2 teaspoons of pectic enzyme, 5 campden tablets, 7 1/2 teaspoons of acid blend.
The carboys were placed in a dark corner of the basement at 68/70 degrees with airlocks. The must has been fermenting for 16 days. I stir each one once a day. They seem to be fermenting nicely (every 5 to 6 seconds still). My plan is to make half into wine and the other into hard cider.
Does this sound like I'm on the right track?
How do I know it's time to rack?
How many times should I rack?
Do I add one gallon of cider to the must after first rack? second rack? right before bottling?
Is a hydrometer necessary?
When I plan to make it into hard cider is it really as simple as I was informed? One teaspoon of sugar in a 12 once bottle with 11 onces of apple wine once fermenting is complete?
How long does it take to turn into hard cider?
Has anyone used oak chips to age instead of barrells (I can't afford a barrell at this time)?
Are there any advantages/disadvantages to doing this?
Does anyone know of a good beginer website devoted to making apple wine/hard cider?
I apologize for the long post but I just don't have much time to do any real research between work and the kids.
Last edited: