This is a great apple wine recipe that people have been using for generations. You can make excellent wine from fresh apples. We recommend using a more tart apple, such as a Northern Spy or McIntosh. Apple wines are sometimes similar to dry grape wines. It tastes like you have just bitten into a fresh, cool, juicy apple that was picked straight from the tree.
Our homemade apple wine recipe is perfect for fall or you can enjoy it any time of year. You will get the kick of acidity but not overly tart flavors with a nice crisp finish. Pair it with a pear, blue cheese, arugula, and balsamic salad. Get the nice aroma and good fruit flavors of this homemade apple wine recipe.
If you’re interested cider we have a few hard apple cider kits for you to take a look at.
Table of Contents
The Homemade Apple Wine Recipe
Homemade apple wine has a complex flavor profile that is both sweet and tart. On the palate, it has a light and crisp body with a slight citrus note and a hint of honey. The finish is semi-dry and refreshing, with a lingering note of apples.
Ingredients
- 30 pounds (13.6 kg) fresh tart apples (McIntosh, for example)
- 11 pounds (5 kg) sugar (or brown sugar)
- 5 teaspoons (25.5 g) acid blend
- 1¼ teaspoons (5.6 g) yeast nutrient
- 10 drops (0.5 mL) pectic enzyme liquid
- Water enough to make 5 gallons (19 L)
- 1 package (5 g) Wyeast yeast
- 5 Campden tablets or ½ teaspoon (3.1 g) potassium metabisulfite powder
Instructions
- Sanitize all equipment.
- Wash and cut up the apples into small pieces.
- Put the apples, sugar, acid blend, yeast nutrient, pectic enzyme, and enough water to make 5 gallons (19 L) into the fermentation container and stir well. Make sure the sugar is dissolved.
- When the juice is about 70°F (21°C), sprinkle the yeast into the container and stir well to mix.
- Cover the container and allow the juice to ferment. It will take a week or so to complete. The cap (the pulp and skins) will rise to the top, so twice each day you have to push it down with a sanitized spoon. When the specific gravity reaches 1.040 or lower, it’s ready to be racked into another
container. - Press out the fruit and siphon into a sanitized 5-gallon (19 L) glass carboy in which 2½ crushed Campden tablets or ¼ teaspoon (1.6 g) potassium metabisulfite powder has already been deposited.
- Rack again in a month, using the same procedure as outlined in step 6.
- Rack again in 3 months, taste, and make adjustments.
- When the wine is clear and adjusted, bottle and let sit for 6 months before tasting.
Why Make Apple Wine At Home?
If you want to create your own alcohol at home, apple wine is a great option. Not only is it tasty and widely consumed, but it is also rather simple to prepare. Apple wine has a fruity, mild flavor that goes well with a variety of foods and sweets. Making apple wine is a fairly easy technique that includes slowly fermenting squeezed apples.
Making apple wine at home may save money, which is one justification. Homemade apple wine is far less expensive than wine from a shop. The majority of the supplies required to make apple wine may be found at a nearby grocery shop. You may also alter the flavor of the wine to suit your tastes because you make it yourself.
Making apple wine at home also has the advantage of allowing you to regulate the alcohol amount. Many store-bought wines have more alcohol in them than the majority of people would like to drink all at once. You may modify the concentrations to suit your tastes by generating your own apple wine. This is perfect for folks who like wines with less alcohol than those sold in stores.
Another excellent option to cut back on packaging is to make apple wine at home. The majority of wines from stores come in glass bottles, necessitating additional packaging materials. You may prevent this additional waste if you make your own wine at home.
Making apple wine at home is not only affordable and adaptable, but also rather simple. You can make your own apple wine quickly and easily if you have the necessary equipment and supplies. A tasty and reviving beverage may be produced through the straightforward fermentation process and shared with friends and family.
How Hard is it to Make Homemade Wine?
Although it might be challenging, it is not impossible to learn how to make wine at home. Making wine at home requires a lot of time and patience, as well as knowledge of the procedure and the appropriate tools.
The proper grape selection is the first stage in home winemaking. The flavor of your wine will depend on the grape variety you select. A winery may sell pre-crushed grapes, or you may crush your own grapes at home. The must is made by combining the crushed grapes with yeast, sugar, and other ingredients after the grapes have been selected and crushed. The liquid that will be used to make wine is called the must.
The must must undergo a lengthy fermentation process after being produced. The yeast will turn the must’s sugar into alcohol during the fermentation process. It may be challenging to manage the fermentation process, and a variety of factors might have an impact on the wine’s final result.
After the wine has finished fermenting, it has to be matured in a barrel or another container. The wine’s tastes will mature as a result of the aging process. The sort of wine you are creating will determine how long it needs to mature.
The wine must next be packaged and bottled. Making ensuring you are adhering to all rules and requirements while bottling and labeling your wine can be challenging.
Although it is not simple, it is feasible to learn how to make wine at home. Anyone can produce delicious homemade wine with a little time, the correct tools, and the right expertise.
Common Questions About Homemade Apple Wine?
What type of apples are best for making homemade apple wine?
The type of apples that are best for making homemade apple wine are those that are known for having a high sugar content and a good balance of acidity and tannin. Some popular varieties include Idared, Golden Delicious, Rome, Winesap, and Jonathan.
How long does homemade apple wine need to ferment?
The fermentation process for homemade apple wine typically takes between 4 and 6 weeks.
What supplies are needed to make homemade apple wine?
To make homemade apple wine, you will need apples, yeast, sugar, citric acid, yeast nutrient, a fermentation vessel, an airlock, hoses, a hydrometer, and some bottles.
Is homemade apple wine safe to drink?
Yes, homemade apple wine is safe to drink as long as the fermentation process is properly monitored and the wine is stored properly.
Conclusion
The homemade apple wine recipe is a fantastic method to create a tasty and affordable drink. It is a tasty and entertaining method to use apples that can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages. Additionally, anyone may create a wonderful batch of wine. You can create a mouthwatering apple wine that will be the talk of the party and the ideal complement to any event with a little effort and imagination. Therefore, why not give it a go and see what you can think of?
