Apple Wine

A great way to use a glut of windfall apples. Clean, crisp, and versatile — apple wine is the blank canvas of country winemaking.

Apple Wine (4.5L / 1 Gallon)

Ingredients

• 2 kg apples (mixed varieties for best flavour — windfalls are perfect)
• 1 kg white sugar
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 tsp pectolase
• 1 tsp acid blend
• 1 Campden tablet
• 1 sachet white wine yeast
• Water to 4.5 litres

Instructions

Preparation: Wash apples thoroughly. Core and roughly chop — no need to peel. Remove any badly bruised or mouldy sections. Apples go brown quickly, so work fast.

Day 1: Process apples through a juicer if you have one, or crush by hand and press through muslin. Place pulp (or juice) in sterilised bucket. Dissolve sugar in 2 litres of water, pour over apples. Top up to 4.5 litres. Add Campden tablet. Cover for 24 hours.

Day 2: Add pectolase (important — apples are high in pectin), yeast nutrient, acid blend. Check SG (aim 1.080). Add yeast.

Days 2–5: Stir daily.

Day 5–7: Strain into demijohn if fermenting on pulp.

Maturation: Apple wine is excellent at 6 months — clean, dry, and gently fruity. Excellent with pork dishes.