Apple Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads
- 2 lb. apples
- 1 lb. parsnips
- 1 lb. golden raisins
- 2 lb. granulated sugar
- 1 oz. gypsum
- 1/2 oz. cream of tartar
- 1/2 oz. pectic enzyme
- 1/2 oz. tartaric acid
- 1 gallon water
- Sherry wine yeast and nutrient
Before beginning, core and slice apples, scrub and chop parsnips, chop raisins. Dissolve sugar in 2 cups boiling water. Allow sugar syrup to cool and store in jar for future use. Boil parsnips in 5 pt. water for 10 minutes. Strain over sliced apples and chopped raisins in primary fermentation vessel. Add all ingredients except yeast, pectic enzyme and half the sugar syrup. Cover and allow to cool, then add pectic enzyme and activated yeast, cover, and ferment on the pulp four days, stirring twice daily. Strain through fine nylon sieve and add 1/2 cup sugar syrup. Cover and add remaining sugar syrup in 1/2 cup increments whenever S.G. drops to 1.005 or less (approximately every three days). When all sugar syrup is added, add sufficient water to bring to one gallon. When fermentation is complete (additional 10-14 days), rack into large enough secondary fermentation vessel (1-1/2 to 2 gallon) to allow fair amount of air above wine. Plug opening with cotton. Normally, that is the only racking in sherry production, but if pulp particles appear in sediment, rack again after two weeks and plug again with cotton. Store secondary fermentation vessel in cool (55-60 degrees F.) place and leave undisturbed. Flor may form in 3-4 weeks or as late as 4 months. If flor forms, leave undisturbed until all flor has sunk to bottom. Carefully siphon off lees through double layer of fine muslin into bottles. If flor does not form, allow to sit six months, carefully siphon into clean gallon bottle, sweeten with sufficient white grape concentrate or sugar water (1/3 lb. sugar dissolved in one cup water) to top up to one gallon, and then bottle. Allow two or more years to mature. [Adapted from Bryan Acton and Peter Duncan’s Making Wines Like Those You Buy]
- 4 lb. apples
- 1-3/4 lb. parsnips
- 1 lb. bananas
- 1 lb. figs
- 1-1/2 lb. granulated sugar
- 1 pt. white grape concentrate
- 1/4 oz. pectic enzyme
- 1/4 tsp. tartaric acid
- 1 gallon water
- Sherry wine yeast and nutrient
Before beginning, scrub and chop parsnips, slice bananas (throw away skins), core and slice apples, and wash figs, removing stems. Dissolve sugar in 1-1/2 cups boiling water, allow to cool, and store in jar for future use. Boil the parsnips in 6 pt. for 10 minutes. Strain off pulp and boil bananas in same water for 30 minutes. Put apple slices and figs in primary fermentation vessel and strain liquid from bananas over apples and figs. Add tartaric acid, nutrient, and half the sugar syrup. Cover and allow to cool, adding pectic enzyme and activated yeast. Cover and allow to ferment five days, stirring daily. Strain liquor carefully through fine nylon sieve and add the grape concentrate. After further 10 days, add 1/2 cup sugar syrup and repeat every three days until all has been added. Add sufficient water to bring to one gallon. When fermentation is complete (additional 10-14 days), rack into large enough secondary fermentation vessel (1-1/2 to 2 gallon) to allow fair amount of air above wine. Plug opening with cotton. Normally, that is the only racking in sherry production, but if pulp particles appear in sediment, rack again after two weeks and plug again with cotton. Store secondary fermentation vessel in cool (55-60 degrees F.) place and leave undisturbed. Flor may form in 3-4 weeks or as late as 4 months. Flor should not form, but if it does, leave undisturbed until all flor has sunk to bottom. Carefully siphon off lees through double layer of fine muslin into bottles. If flor does not form, allow to sit six months, carefully siphon into clean gallon bottle, sweeten with sufficient white grape concentrate or sugar water (1/3 lb. sugar dissolved in one cup water) to top up to one gallon, and then bottle. Allow at least four years to mature. [Adapted from Bryan Acton and Peter Duncan’s Making Wines Like Those You Buy]
- 2 lb. apples
- 1 lb. bananas
- 1-1/4 lb. granulated sugar
- 1 pt. white grape concentrate
- 1 oz. gypsum
- 1/2 oz. cream of tartar
- 1/2 oz. pectic enzyme
- 1/4 tsp. tannic acid
- 1 gallon water
- Sherry wine yeast and nutrient
Before beginning, core and chop apples and dissolve sugar in 1-1/2 cups boiling water. Allow to cool and store in jar for future use. Slice bananas with skins and boil in 4 pt. water for 30 minutes. Put apple pieces in primary fermentation vessel and strain liquid from bananas over apples. Add grape concentrate, cover, and allow to cool. When cool, add gypsum, cream of tartar, pectic enzyme, tannic acid, activated yeast, and nutrient, stirring well. Cover and allow to ferment three days, stirring twice daily. Strain off apples, add 1/2 cup sugar syrup, and continue fermentation. Add 1/2 cup sugar syrup each day until all has been used, then add sufficient water to bring to one gallon. When fermentation is complete (additional 10-14 days), rack into large enough secondary fermentation vessel (1-1/2 to 2 gallon) to allow fair amount of air above wine. Plug opening with cotton. Normally, that is the only racking in sherry production, but if pulp particles appear in sediment, rack again after two weeks and plug again with cotton. Store secondary fermentation vessel in cool (55-60 degrees F.) place and leave undisturbed. Flor may form in 3-4 weeks or as late as 4 months. If flor forms, leave undisturbed until all flor has sunk to bottom. Carefully siphon off lees through double layer of fine muslin into bottles. If flor does not form, allow to sit six months, carefully siphon into clean gallon bottle, sweeten with sufficient white grape concentrate or sugar water (1/3 lb. sugar dissolved in one cup water) to top up to one gallon, and then bottle. Allow two or more years to mature. [Adapted from Bryan Acton and Peter Duncan’s Making Wines Like Those You Buy]
- 12 lb. mixed Fuji and Gala apples
- 1 lb. chopped golden raisins
- 2-1/2 lb granulated sugar
- 1 gallon water
- 1 oz. cloves
- 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
- 1 oz. shredded ginger root
- 1 tsp. acid blend
- 1/2 tsp. pectin enzyme
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- Sauterne or Champagne wine yeast and nutrient
Quarter the apples and run them through a mincer. Put in primary fermentation vessel with all ingredients except yeast and nutrient, cover, and set in warm place for 24 hours. Add yeast and nutrient, stir, and cover for four days, stirring twice daily. Strain liquor into secondary fermentation vessel and fit airlock. Rack after 30 days and again after two months. When clear, rack again and bottle. Taste after six months, but allow one year for maturity. [Author’s own recipe]
- 1 gallon pure apple juice (no preservatives)
- 1 lb. granuated sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp. acid blend
- 1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
- 1/4 tsp tannin
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- Champagne yeast and nutrient
Put juice, sugar, crushed Campden tablet, pectic enzyme, acid blend, and tannin into primary fermentation vessel. Stir vigorously to dissolve solids and cover. After 24 hours, add yeast and nutrient and cover. Stir daily. When S.G. reaches 1.040 (3-5 days), rack into secondary fermentation vessel and fit airlock. Rack again after 30 days and again after two months. When wine is clear, rack again and bottle. Taste after six months. [Adapted from Raymond Massaccesi’s Winemaker’s Recipe Handbook]
- 6 lb. windfall apples, mixed varieties
- 1/2 lb. chopped golden raisins
- 3 lb. granulated sugar
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
- yeast and nutrient
Chop the apples into small pieces and bring to simmer in 1 gallon water, holding simmer for 15 minutes. Strain liquid onto the sugar in V, adding the zest of the lemon and stirring well to blend. When nearly cool, add lemon juice and pectic enzyme, stir well, cover, and set in warm place for 24 hours. Add yeast and nutrient, again stir well, cover again, and set in warm place for an additional 24 hours. Strain again into secondary fermentation vessel and fit with airlock. Rack after 30 days, add chopped raisins, and allow to ferment under airlock for six months. Rack and bottle. Taste after six months, or allow one year to mature.[Adapted from C.J.J. Berry’s First Steps in Winemaking]
- 12 lb. windfall apples, mixed varieties
- 3 lb granulated sugar
- 1 gallon water
- 1 tsp. pectic enzyme
- Sauterne wine yeast and nutrient
Quarter the apples and run them through a mincer. Bring pulp to simmer in 1 gallon water, holding simmer for 15 minutes. Strain juice onto the sugar in primary fermentation vessel, stirring well to dissolve, then reintroduce the strained pulp and, when cool, the pectic enzyme, stirring well. Cover, set in a warm place for 24 hours, then add yeast and nutrient, cover, and set in a warm place for four days, stirring twice daily. Strain pulp and pour liquor into secondary fermentation vessel and fit with airlock. Rack when clear and fermentation has ceased. Rack again in 30 days and again in another 30 days, then bottle. Allow one year to age. [Adapted from C.J.J. Berry’s 130 New Winemaking Recipes]
- 24 lb. windfall apples, mixed varieties*
- 3-6 lb. granulated sugar
- 1 gallon water
- 1 tsp. pectic enzyme
- Sauterne wine yeast and nutrient
Chop the apples into small pieces, put into primary fermentation vessel, add the pectic enzyme and water and cover the mixture. The water will not cover the apples, so stir several times a day to bring bottom apples to the top. After 24 hours, add the yeast and nutrient. Keep covered (a bath towel held fast with a large rubber band works well if the primary fermentation vessel doesn’t have a lid) and in a warm place for 7-10 days. When the vigorous fermentation of the pulp subsides, strain the juice from the pulp and set aside, then press the juice from the pulp and add to the set-aside liquor. Measure and add 3 lb. sugar per gallon of liquor. Put into carboy or gallon secondary fermentation vessel and fit with airlock. Rack when clear, allow another 60 days, then rack again and bottle. Allow six months before tasting, one year for best results. [Adapted from C.J.J. Berry’s First Steps in Winemaking]
*For this and all apple wine recipes, unless varieties are specified, the more acid and sour varieties are preferred and the sweeter eating varieties are to be avoided. Winesap, McIntosh, Jonathans, and crab apples are best. Delicious apples should be avoided.
- 6 lbs ripe Asian apple-pears
- 1/2 lb chopped golden raisins
- 1-1/2 lbs finely granulated sugar
- 3-1/4 quarts water (more or less)
- 2 tsp acid blend
- 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1/4 tsp grape tannin
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1 packet Champagne yeast
Boil the water and dissolve the sugar. Wash, destem and core the apple-pears, being sure to remove all seeds. Chop roughly and put in nylon straining bag with chopped (or minced) raisins. Tie bag and put in primary. Mash apple-pears with 4″x4″ piece of hardwood or by other means and pour boiling water over crushed pulp. Cover primary and set aside to cool to room temperature. Add crushed Campden tablet, acid blend, tannin and yeast nutrient. Recover primary, wait 12 hours and add pectic enzyme. Recover primary, wait another 12 hours and add yeast. Cover with muslin. Stir daily, squeezing bag gently to extract flavor. After 7 days, remove bag and let drip drain one hour. Do not squeeze. Return drained juice to primary and allow to settle 24 hours. Siphon into glass secondary, top up if required, fit airlock, and set aside. Rack after two weeks, top up, and refit airlock. Rack again every two months (at least twice) until wine clears. Rack again, stabilize, wait 10 days, and add 1/8 to 1/4 pound sugar (depending on your taste) dissolved in water–2 parts sugar to one part water. Bottle and age 6-12 months before tasting. Serve chilled. [Author’s own recipe]
- 4 lbs ripe crabapples
- 2 lbs granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp tannin
- 1/2 tsp acid blend
- 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- 7-1/2 pts water
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- Champagne wine yeast
Clean and crush the crabapples as above. Boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. Pour over crushed crabapples in primary. Cover with cloth and allow to cool to lukewarm. Add all ingredients except yeast and set aside for 12 hours. Add yeast and recover. Stir and knock down cap 2-3 daily for one week. Strain through nylon straining bag and let drip drain (do not squeeze). Let stand additional 24 hours and rack off sediments into secondary. Top up if required and fit airlock. Rack every 2 months. After third racking, check specific gravity and taste. If dry, stabilize, sweeten to taste, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. Allow to age at least a year. [Adapted from Terry Garey’s The Joy of Home Winemaking ]
- 2 12-oz cans frozen apple concentrate
- 1-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
- 1 tsp acid blend
- 1 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- 1/4 tsp tannin
- 3 qts water
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast
Bring 1 qt water to boil and stir in sugar until completely dissolved. Pour frozen apple concentrate in primary and add boiling sugar-water. Add remaining 2 qts cold water, acid blend, tannin, yeast nutrient, and crushed Campden tablet. Stir well, cover primary and set aside for 12 hours. Stir in pectic enzyme and recover primary. After additional 12 hours, add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir daily for 10 days, keeping covered. Rack into gallon secondary, top up if required and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit sirlock every 60 days for 6 months. Stabilize, sweeten if desired and wait 2 weeks. Rack into bottles and set aside one year. [Adapted recipe from Terry Garey’s The Joy of Home Winemaking ]
- 1 gal fresh or bottled apple juice
- 1-1/4 lb granulated sugar
- 1 tsp acid blend
- 1-2/3 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp tannin
- 1-1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast
In a primary, stir in sugar until completely dissolved. Add acid blend, 1/4 teaspoon tannin, yeast nutrient, and crushed Campden tablet. Stir well, cover primary and set aside for 12 hours. Stir in pectic enzyme and recover primary. After additional 12 hours, add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir daily for 10 days, keeping covered. Taste wine to determine tannin adequacy. If not adequate, stir in 1/8 teaspoon additional tannin and set aside 4 hours. Taste again to determine if another 1/8 teaspoon is required. When satisfied, rack into gallon secondary and fit airlock. Any additional wine can be poured into small bottle for topping up later and airlocked using #2 or #3 bung. Rack, top up and refit sirlock every 60 days for 6 months. Stabilize, sweeten if desired and wait 2 weeks. Rack into bottles and set aside one year. [ Author’s own recipe ]
- 4 pts canned apples
- 1 lb 14 oz finely granulated sugar
- 2 tsp citric acid
- 1 tblsp powdered pectic enzyme
- 3/16 tsp grape tannin
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- water to one gallon
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- sherry wine yeast
Boil one quart water and dissolve sugar in it thoroughly. Set aside covered to cool. Meanwhile, drain apples, remove any canning spices and reserve canning syrup in refrigerator for later use. Put apples in blender and set on coarsest setting. Run blender just long enough to chop the apples, not make a puree. When sugar-water cools to room temperature, put it, another quart of water, and all remaining ingredients except yeast in primary and cover. Set aside 12-16 hours. Add activated yeast and cover primary. Stir daily until vigorous fermentation subsides (about 10-14 days). Strain through finely-meshed nylon straining bag, squeezing only lightly. Pour liquid into secondary and add one cup reserved canning syrup and water to fill secondary to mid-shoulder (leave 4 inches head-space). Attach airlock and set aside. Rack after 45 days, topping up with water or apple wine so as to leave only 3/4 inch of headspace. Refit airlock and set aside. Repeat racking every 45 days until wine clears, adding additional crushed Campden tablet at 2nd and 4th racking. If wine fails to clear after two rackings, add additional teaspoon of pectic enzyme. Rack and stabilize after wine clears and bulk age 60 days. Sweeten to taste and rack into bottles. If spiced apples were used, this wine is excellent served warm after aging 9 months. [Author’s own recipe]
- 7-8 lbs sour or cooking apples
- 2 1/2 lbs cranberries
- 1-1/2 lb finely granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- 1/2 tsp ascorbic acid
- water to make 1 gallon
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast
Use only ripe fruit. Wash and core apples, then mince (or chop) both apples and cranberries. Add ascorbic acid immediately and toss to coat, then tie in nylon straining bag and place in primary. Add all remaining ingrdients except yeast. Stir well to dissolve sugar, then cover with sanitized cloth for 18-24 hours at room temperature. Add yeast. When fermentation is vigorous, ferment for about 9 days or until s.g. is 1.020. Press pulp and add juice to liquid, discarding pommace. Transfer to secondary and attach airlock. Rack after 30 days, top up and refit airlock. Therafter, rack every month until wine is clear, still and no new sediment forms. Add crushed Campden tablet and 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid at 2nd and 4th racking. Stabilize, sweeten to taste if desired, and set aside 3 weeks. Bottle and age 6 months before tasting. [Author’s own recipe]
- 1 gal fresh or bottled apple juice
- 8 large jalapenos
- 1 lb granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp acid blend
- 1-2/3 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1 crushed Campden tablet
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp tannin
- 1-1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast
In a primary, stir sugar into juice until completely dissolved. Add acid blend, 1/4 teaspoon tannin, yeast nutrient, and finely crushed and dissolved Campden tablet. Stir well, cover primary and set aside for 10 hours. Wearing rubber gloves, wash jalapeno peppers and cut off stems. Slice length-ways and remove seeds for mild heat, leave them in for hot wine. Chop coarsely and add to primary with pectic enzyme and recover primary. After additional 10 hours, add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir daily, keeping covered, until vigorous fermentation subsides. Taste wine to determine tannin adequacy. If not adequate, stir in 1/8 teaspoon additional tannin and set aside 4 hours. Taste again to determine if another 1/8 teaspoon is required. When satisfied, rack into gallon secondary and fit airlock. Any additional wine can be poured into small bottle for topping up later and airlocked using #2 or #3 bung. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 60 days for 6 months. Stabilize, sweeten if desired and wait 2 weeks. Rack into bottles and set aside 3-6 months. [Author’s own recipe]