Apple wine sediment & yeast question?

[HLA91]

Hey everyone

I might be making apple wine tomorrow and I was just looking at my CJJ berry book and I am slightly confused. In the latest edition I have he uses WGC well I don't have that and I was going to use 250g of chopped raisins. Now in the old copy I have he uses 250g of chopped raisins BUT he doesn't add them to the must, they are added to the DJ after the first racking off the lees and then he says leave them in there for 6 months before racking again.

Now I don't mind leaving them in there for 6 months but I would think it would throw another sediment within 3 months and he doesn't say "Rack if another sediment is thrown", should I leave for a whole 6 months or just until there is sediment?

Also in the recipe there is no call for CT's or boiling water in regards to the must

Wash and cut up the apples, skins, brown patches and all. Windfalls will do.
Simmer 10-15 minutes in one gallon of water. Strain liquid on to the sugar, and the thinly
peeled rind of the lemon. Stir well. When lukewarm add the juice of the lemon, and the
yeast creamed in a little of the warm liquid, cover and leave for 24 hours in a warm place,
then pour into a fermenting jar, cover with three layers of clean cotton material, or insert
an airlock. Leave in a warm place to ferment for four weeks

So I cant see anything to kill any wild yeast. Now I would normally just pop in a CT to the must leave 24h then pitch yeast for 24h then strain but we have plans Wednesday & Thursday so could I just pour boiling water into the pan and then simmer to kill of wild yeast?

I have also checked the sugar quantities before hand this time so no repeat of my elderflower balls up, its 1KG sugar and 250 raisins = 167g which is about 1.099 with 1167g IN the gallon.

Cheers everyone

HLA91

 

[ohbeary]

"Simmer 10-15 minutes" methinks that will kill any wild yeast me bucko :rofl:
postcode, chop the apples and put into bucket/bin/FV simmer the raisins and add to bin etc add lemon zest, sugar, pectic enzyme, acid, yeast and nutrient, top up to 1gal? (make 5gal!)ferment covered with cloth(another couple of days won't hurt), strain etc

 

[HLA91]

Postcode

What?
Ok so you suggest putting the raisins in the FV and then straining them out, could do. I could also just pop them in the DJ first off then lose them at the first racking. :hmm:
Another reason I don't want it in the FV longer than necessary is that IF I make it tomorrow it can be strained on Tuesday and those 2 days my mum is in work so it makes my life easier.

 

[Moley]

Postcode

What?

I think OB thought your user name was some sort of post/zip code, but you should know from the other forum that OB gets some strange ideas at times. Alcohol is usually a contributory factor (not that I'm particularly well placed to comment on anything others may post while under the influence).

ohbeary: Wales still uses the same postcode format as the rest of the UK, and even Cornwall. I know the H is his first initial and the 91 is his year of birth, so I'm guessing the LA might be the rest of his name.



Enough of that, back to the question:

That looks to me like a very old recipe which has only been partly (and badly) updated in my 9th edition copy. CJJB also tells you to thinly peel the lemon and when to add the juice, but the recipe only lists 1 tsp of citric acid and no lemon.

If you're using chopped raisins, I think I would be inclined to “pop them in the DJ first off then lose them at the first racking”, because you aren't going to extract all of their sugars if it's only spending a day or two in the bucket.


Why apples though, and why now? This is a free fruit recipe for later in the year.

 

[HLA91]

CJJB also tells you to thinly peel the lemon and when to add the juice, but the recipe only lists 1 tsp of citric acid and no lemon.

I didn't notice that well spotted.

Pop them in the DJ will do.

Why apples though, and why now? This is a free fruit recipe for later in the year.

[Rant] I think I have mentioned in one of my threads somewhere that my granddad who I got the wine making hobby from now lives with me / my parents.

He stuck to the same 5 (elderflower/berry, apple, rose-hip, rhubarb) recipes for 30+ years and I have said to him "I would like to try this this and this, ie other recipes" the reply I get it "Don't you get any ideas from that book (CJJB) my boy, you stick to the recipes I have done and you wont go wrong, those other ones are a waste of time".

He is suggesting making apple wine, alright he pays for everything so no hardshiip to me, I can't say no to him otherwise he will be in a strop for weeks and its just not worth the hassle. Can't wait to go back to Uni so i can make what I like when the feck I like.
Also to top it off, he "helps" me during the straining of the must, he holds the seive, but when he sees me sterilising everything in sight he has another go saying I am wasting my time they are clean, they are good enough. Little does he know that when we cleared out his house recently 70% of the bottles of wine had to be poured away due to "growths" in the bottles. [/Rant]

 

[Moley]

Good rant :lol: :thumb:

Ah well, if he's paying for the ingredients, best to humour the crotchety old fart.

Try to get apples which actually taste of something, and mix in around 25% cooking apples.

 

[HLA91]

Luckily I have managed to fiddle the number of empty DJ's I have, he thinks its 2 but I have one more which I will try and make say Rice and Raisin to go in on the sly as not to upset him. What your recipe of R & R Moley, I remember you saying you have made it.

Well I looked at nice big bramley cooking apples in town, i will look at 3 Kg eating and 1Kg bramley cooking

 

[aberreef]

I amde apple wine last year but the bugger wouldn't clear. For the first time ever I had to resort to using that quick clear stuff. End result is nice though

Strike a deal with your grandad and use some DJs to follow his recipes and keep one or two to experiment. It's good to keep him involved (he'll be enjoying himself at least) and have a common interest. Cherish your time with him :

 

[Moley]

Don't forget the CTs when racking and keep the DJs topped up or it will oxidise.


PMs exchanged about the R&R, I use the recipe straight out of “First Steps”.

 

[aberreef]

Don't forget the CTs when racking and keep the DJs topped up or it will oxidise.

I've never used CTs, what are they for? I've never had problems with oxidation as far as I'm aware :wha:

 

[HLA91]

Strike a deal with your granddad and use some DJs to follow his recipes and keep one or two to experiment. It's good to keep him involved (he'll be enjoying himself at least) and have a common interest.

I have tried to talk to him but sadly its going to have to be kept on the QT

Cherish your time with him

I really do

I've never used CTs, what are they for? I've never had problems with oxidation as far as I'm aware

Never used them in winemaking at all or haven't used them in racking?
CT's stabilise the wine and protect it from infection, and also according to CJJB improve flavour and most people use 1 per racking at every racking.

 

[aberreef]

Never used them in winemaking at all or haven't used them in racking?
CT's stabilise the wine and protect it from infection, and also according to CJJB improve flavour and most people use 1 per racking at every racking.

Never used them at all. I bought Campden powder when I first started a good few years back but never used any, I like to avoid additives of any kind if I can.

Most of my wines don't last long enough to need stabilising :drunk: