Apple wine help

[Skinny5382]

I have my first 6 gal batch for Apple wine made from fresh pressed cider. It has been fermented to completely dry and currently aging. The problem I have with it is it tastes like -- nothing, flat would be another way to describe.

Acid is in the .6 range. What can I do it to give it some flavor kick?

Thanks for the help

 

[dralarms]

What is the current sg? May need to pull a cup out and add some sugar to see if the flavor comes through.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

With apple - I will backsweeten with some frozen apple concentrate that you would make juice with - just don't forget the sorbate.

 

[Arne]

With apple - I will backsweeten with some frozen apple concentrate that you would make juice with - just don't forget the sorbate.

Have you found any apple concentrate that doesn't cloud the wine up? Just have to wait for it to clear again, but all the apple concentrates I have used tend to make the wine cloudy. Makes them taste good, tho, so worth the wait. Arne.

 

[GreginND]

I really like a light crisp dry apple wine. I usually make it dry due to spontaneous MLF. It is a very good food wine.

 

[salcoco]

take a sample about 100ml and sprinkle some malic acid into it. I think you are short acid. if flavor improves do a bench trial to find optimum dosage. I would also follow up with some sugar syrup. residual sugar will also enhance fruit flavor.

 

[bkisel]

You've got me concerned... I've got a 6 gallon apple batch due to be bottled in a few weeks. I need to save the link to this thread should mine also prove to be tasteless. I did back sweeten mine with 2 cups of brown sugar and a cup of honey. Also, had a cinnamon stick in the carboy for a time. I'll post back in a few weeks to let you know how my fresh pressed cider to apple wine has turned out with regard to taste.

 

[bkisel]

With apple - I will backsweeten with some frozen apple concentrate that you would make juice with - just don't forget the sorbate.

Generally how much concentrate do you use for back sweetening your apple wine?

Thanx...

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Generally how much concentrate do you use for back sweetening your apple wine?

Thanx...

I would say 1 can per 2 gallons or so - all depending on taste.

Make sure you let it sit for atleast a week as it gets a bit sweeter over time

 

[Skinny5382]

What is the current sg? May need to pull a cup out and add some sugar to see if the flavor comes through.

Current sg is -2 but I did do some bench tests with a sample. Added simple sugar to +3 then to +7. I have to say the sweeter tasted the best but still flat.

I plan to raise the acid and see if that makes a difference.

 

[dralarms]

Current sg is -2 but I did do some bench tests with a sample. Added simple sugar to +3 then to +7. I have to say the sweeter tasted the best but still flat.

I plan to raise the acid and see if that makes a difference.

Not sure what a -2, +3 or +7 is. Sounds like what you have is not a hydrometer. But yes add some acid, and if that doesn't quit get it use about 3 cans of apple juice concentrate.

 

[JimmyT]

Not sure what a -2, +3 or +7 is. Sounds like what you have is not a hydrometer. But yes add some acid, and if that doesn't quit get it use about 3 cans of apple juice concentrate.

I agree with this but I'd only add one can at a time and try it out. You can always add more but not take it back out.
It sounds like your reading the brix scale and not the specific gravity scale.

 

[richmke]

I made hard cider for the first time a few months ago. I reserved about 1/4 of the fresh cider, and used that to back sweeten. It put back a lot of the apple flavor. I also added some sugar in the beginning to boost the alcohol given that I would be diluting during back sweetening.

It was a quick drinker, so I didn't worry about clearing (other than the normal rackings) and stuff like that. I like the fizz, so didn't worry about degassing either.

 

[Skinny5382]

Not sure what a -2, +3 or +7 is. Sounds like what you have is not a hydrometer. But yes add some acid, and if that doesn't quit get it use about 3 cans of apple juice concentrate.

Sorry, yes using Brix. If I did the conversion correct: -2 = .994, +3=1.010 and +7=1.030 in SG.

Sounds like many people suggest adding juice concentrate, I'm pretty sure I will give this a try.