Apple Wine

E
by @essesser
12.7%
ABV
1.092
OG
0.995
FG
4.5 litres batch · target 12.5% ABV

About this recipe

Easy homemade apple wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Mixed apples, sugar and patience. Not cider, a proper white wine from orchard leftovers.

Ingredients

mixed apples4 kg
sugar900 g
water4.5 l
acid blend1 tsp
wine tannin0.25 tsp
pectic enzyme1 tsp
campden tablet1
yeast nutrient1 tsp
sachet Lalvin 71B1

Method

1
Chop the apples, skins on and cores in, and freeze overnight
2
Thaw and mash in a sterilised bucket
3
Dissolve the sugar in hot water, cool, and pour over the fruit
4
Add the acid blend, tannin, pectic enzyme and a crushed campden tablet, cover and leave 24 hours
5
Add the yeast and nutrient
6
Ferment 7 days, stirring daily
7
Strain into a demijohn, top up to 4.5 litres and fit an airlock
8
Ferment out for 2 to 5 weeks
9
Rack off the sediment after 2 months
10
Age at least 6 months before drinking

Brewer's notes

A mix of apples beats any single variety, mostly eaters with a few Bramleys or crab apples for bite. Skip the acid blend if Bramleys are in the mix, they bring their own. Windfalls are fine with the bruises cut out. Freeze the chopped fruit first, it mashes far easier. Do not skip the pectic enzyme, apples are full of pectin. Drinks more like a dry white than a cider.

Want to brew this?

Clone this recipe, track your fermentation, and share your results with the Demijohn Journal community. All for free.

Open in Demijohn Journal