I Could Ferment That!

Comment

Comment by Pat Johnson on July 31, 2010 at 1:19pm

The apple Juice alone doesn't leave much flavor or sweetness in the apple wine but it does get you the base and the alcohol and at an alcohol level that is shelf stable. Adding additional flavor & sweetness later from unfermented apple Juice or better yet, fresh Cider gives it the strong apple flavor and sweetness it needs to taste like the real Hard Cider which is not fully fermented (Which leaves it semi-sweet and more flavorful than the wine).

Comment by Wendy Hammond on July 31, 2010 at 12:28pm

that sounds a lot like the cider my husband makes - apple juice and champagne yeast. He also recently did a hard cider using cider from a local orchard. I was surprised at how clear and pale it was after fermenting for several months.

Comment by Pat Johnson on July 31, 2010 at 10:17am

Cider means a lot of things to a lot of people. If you are making true straight-from-the-fruit cider you need to do things according to a specific recepe and following the proceedures for processing/pressing the fruit first. However, I make a Hornsby style (comercial bottles) hard-cider using the following recepe and I start with grocery store-bought apple juice (without "Potasium Sorbate").

Below are the instructions for making the Apple Wine. The wine is the base for the Hard Cider and is shelf stable for years (more than 10% alcohol). All instructions are for one gallon. Simply multiply the ingredients by the number of gallons you want to make. When the wine has fermented to dry, it can be stored or used to make Hard Cider.

To make the Hard Cider, simply mix the wine half & half (or to your taste) with more apple juice that has not been fermented and then carbonate. If the Hard Cider is not going to be refrigerated it will need some Potassium Sorbate (after it has finished fermenting) in it to keep the yeast from converting the sugars in the juice. Nearly any juice or soda can be used to make the Apple Wine into a Wine Punch, Hard Cider or Spritzer. Experiment till you get something you like!

Ingredients per gallon
1 Gallon Apple Juice that does not have Potassium Sorbate in it
1 Lb table sugar-per gallon
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme-per gallon
1 1/2 tsp acid blend-per gallon
1/4 tsp tannin-per gallon
1 tsp yeast nutrient-per gallon
1 Campden tablet(crusted)per gallon
1 pack champagne yeast for up to 6 gallons

Mix all integrates except the Champagne yeast
Wait 24 hours then sprinkle the yeast on the top and seal with an airlock
Rack/syphon to secondary container when the specific gravity is 0.1.04 or after 3 to 5 days
Allow 3 weeks to finish & clarify
Rack to final container(s)
Original gravity = 1.085-90 which will yield more than 10% alcohol

Comment by Pat Johnson on July 16, 2010 at 1:51pm

I ferment Jim Dandy Quick Grits to make mash for my "Corn-Wish-Key" (It's illegal to make Whiskey so I make Wish-Key). You just make the grits like you would for breakfast. When the grits are stiff enough that the spoon stands up without falling to the side you cool them down with a little water to 160 degrees. Add malted barley (same as used for making beer) at a ratio of 1 to 7 (1lb barley to 7lb grits). Then cover and insulate for 1 hour. The enzymes in the barley with convert the starch in the grits to sugar and leave you with a very sweet batch of fermentable Corn-mash. If the fermented mash is distilled it will result in raw corn liquor (clear like moonshine), It would need to be aged with oak chips to aquire the full whiskey taste and color. Using Rye instead of corn will result in Rye-Wish-Key!

Comment by Pat Johnson on July 9, 2010 at 9:21am

The following is a link to a winemaking website that I've used extensively. there are recepes for wine made from nearly anything. Jalapeno wine is pretty good if you let it age a year!
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request.asp

Comment by Tory on May 10, 2010 at 9:26pm

making some yogurt as I type this, will post a how to with pics when I'm done

Comment by Trell Johnson on October 9, 2009 at 1:08pm

see now thats what i am talking about

Comment by Brian Gandy on October 9, 2009 at 12:29pm

Excellent Suggestion. I happen to have some bees that are getting robbed in about 3 weeks! Mmmm pear honey brandy...

Comment by Trell Johnson on October 9, 2009 at 12:26pm

maybe replace the sugar with honey. all the phases in your recipe will be the same, and you will end up with a more natural and sustainable product.

Comment by Brian Gandy on October 9, 2009 at 10:36am

I am about to attempt to make a batch of wine using some windfallen pears. Any advice? I have the ole 2 five gallon bucket brew kit that I figure will come in handy.
Following these guidelines
http://www.wineworldfdw.com/fruit_wine.html

Any suggestions or amendments to the recipe are welcome.

Thanks
BG

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