Crab Apple

[klaus]

I subscribe to the local Freegle group list and a member was offering crab apples, for jam makers. So thought I could use them for wine.
Saturday morning quick trip and collected about 8 kg, about half already fallen and the others plucked from the low hanging branches.
Had already scoured the web for recipes, quite a few so making it up as I go along.

Method for 1 gallon - started yesterday:
- graded and de-stalked 4 kg (put another 2 kg in the freezer for another time and the remainder was too bad to bother)
- washed with cold water in garden bucket
- mashed up the fruit as best as I could using a piece of fence post(!) left over from new fence . Nice aroma and surprisingly juicy for such small apples.
- pulp into fermentation bin - add 5 pints cold water
- add 30g of sultanas (washed of the oild coating first)
- add crushed Campden tablet
- add 1 tsp Pectolase
- leave in fermentation cupboard to stew for 3 days

then proceed as follows:
- add to pulp 1 kg sugar dissolved in a couple of pints of hot water
- leave to cool
- add 1 tsp of nutrient
- 1 tsp of tannin
- 1 tsp of yeast compund
- leave for 1 week to ferment on the pulp
- then strain into DJ to ferment out

Hope this works!

Pic of the pulp:

 

[klaus]

The crab apple fermentation is on the way and bubbling away steadily.
Forgot to take the SG reading, too many distractions ....
Here a quick view into the fermentation cupboard - temp is about 22C should be fine.

 

[klaus]

This morning strained the wine off the pulp. The fermentation had calmed down considerably after a week. Actually got 1 1/2 gallons as I put in too much water! First taste impressions: dry (not tart), nice apple taste, good mouthfeel, good strength (FG tbd). Pic below. For the water bottle I used a bung wrapped with cloth tape to fit the opening (after taking pic).

 

[klaus]

There was next to no activity since straining off the pulp on Monday and with the FG around 0.95 (don't have the SG) put in the stabiliser. Colour is now a shade of gold, no doubt due to the sultanas. Tastes great - dry and strong I guess about 15%, with a hint of apple. Note the white specks are stabiliser bits not yet dissolved.

 

[SMP Brewery]

I’ve made some for the first ever time and it’s now sat in the garage, but has a layer of sediment in the bottom should I now rack it off this?

 

[klaus]

I’ve made some for the first ever time and it’s now sat in the garage, but has a layer of sediment in the bottom should I now rack it off this?

If fermentation has stopped/you stopped it then I would rack it off the sediment and let it clear further. You don't want that much sediment when you are bottling. I was in a hurry and bottled it when it was still a bit hazy, but I call it "naturally hazy" Looking good - hope it came out nice, defo a nice tipple.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I’ve made some for the first ever time and it’s now sat in the garage, but has a layer of sediment in the bottom should I now rack it off this?
View attachment 77649

If you are bottling soon i would say it doesn't matter but if you are ageing then yes.

 

[SMP Brewery]

Thanks both, think I’ll transfer it and then try and leave it for 12 months.

 

[SMP Brewery]

Another question when I do, should it be topped up with water?

 

[Tommo 2]

Another question when I do, should it be topped up with water?

Another question when I do, should it be topped up with water?

Cooled boiled water is what I personally do, or you top up with a good quality unsweetened apple juice