ALTERNATIVE FERMENTATIONS - the best of - Brew Your Own
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ALTERNATIVE
FERMENTATIONS
Please note all file contents are Copyright © 2021 Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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MAKING MEAD BY BRAD SMITH
M
ead, which is a fermented
beverage made from honey,
is one of the oldest alcoholic
beverages. Vessels found in
China dating back to 7000 B.C. have
organic compounds consistent with
fermented honey and rice. Mead was
the revered “nectar of the gods” in
ancient Greece and the “drink of
kings” throughout history, though
it has faded to obscurity in modern
times.
For homebrewers, mead is a great
addition to complement your other
fermented offerings. Many of your
guests may have never tasted a good
quality mead or melomel (fruit mead),
but almost everyone enjoys this
sweet beverage. Using some modern
methods, mead is also relatively easy
Photo by Charles A. Parker/Images Plus
and quick to make, and you can use
equipment you already have on hand
for homebrewing.
MODERN MEADMAKING
TECHNIQUES
When I started homebrewing back in
1987, the fermentation of mead was
a very slow process, taking 12 to 18
months for a mead to fully ferment
and age. Honey has antibacterial it highlights the flavor of the honey country may have additional variants.
properties and is poor in nutrients, varietal itself. In the US, a lot of honey production
particularly nitrogen, resulting in a The variety of honey and strength is still done by small, independent
very slow fermentation. you use will largely determine the beekeepers. The National Honey
Over the last 10-15 years, however, flavor of the finished mead. Honey Board runs a honey locator at http://
meadmakers have made significant varieties are determined by the honey.com/honey-locator that can
advancements in speeding the blossoms the bees feed and pollinate. help you find local honey in your area.
fermentation and aging process For example, I enjoy the flavor of In addition, many commercial vendors
through a combination of techniques orange blossom honey with fruit sell honey in bulk; 60-lb. (27-kg)
and utilizing yeast nutrients. It is meads. Orange blossom honey is made pails typically offer the best price and
now possible to complete a primary from bees that pollinate orange trees, volume for a serious meadmaker.
fermentation in two weeks or less, and this variety also makes a nice show Once you have found a source
even for a high-gravity mead. Some mead. Another honey varietal I enjoy for your honey, the next decision to
low-gravity meads can be enjoyed in is Tupelo, which is made by bees that make is how sweet you want to make
as little as a month, and even high- pollinate white (Ogeche) Tupelo trees your mead. The basic guidelines for
gravity meads can be cleared and aged in the swamps of the Southeastern straight mead is based on the final
within three months, though many US for two weeks every spring. Other gravity, which is mainly a function of
will continue to improve with age for varieties such as clover or wildflower the original gravity and the alcohol
years to come. can have more variation in flavor tolerance of the yeast used. Dry mead
depending on where specifically the is generally below 1.010 finishing
CREATING A MEAD RECIPE honey is harvested and the mix of gravity (FG), semi-sweet runs up to
For the first time meadmaker, I flowers found near the beehives. about 1.020 FG, and sweet can run into
recommend making a straight honey There are at least 40 widely available the 1.030s, though very sweet “sack”
mead, also called a show mead, as honey varieties, and your local area or meads may be as sweet as 1.040.
1 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
RESIDUAL SWEETNESS FRUIT MEADS (MELOMELS) homebrewing. You will need to degas
One critical point to understand when AND ADDING SPICES the mead twice a day during the early
making any mead is the fermentability In order of preference, I always try to stages of fermentation, and this is
of honey and the concept of residual work with fresh, ripe, whole fruits first much easier in a bucket than a carboy.
sweetness. Honey is composed of a as they provide the biggest, freshest For melomels with fruits like
variety of simple and complex sugar flavor impact. Fruit juices, particularly blackberries, raspberries, or currants,
chains and will ferment to a dry pure fruit with no preservatives can it is often best to freeze the fruit first,
finish much like grapes ferment into also work very well. I generally stay which will break down the cellular
dry wine. The implications of this is away from purees only because they walls. I typically wash, dry, and then
that, in general, yeast will continue are very difficult to separate from freeze the fruit on a cookie sheet.
to ferment away almost 100% of the the mead resulting in quite a bit of After the fruit is frozen you can bag it
sugars in your mead, leaving a very loss. I prefer to add all of my fruit in to prevent freezer burn if you are not
dry beverage with a final gravity below the primary. using them immediately. When you’re
1.000. The dry mead won’t taste much As with straight honey meads, ready to make your mead, thaw the
like sweet honey, as it has almost no fruit meads will generally ferment fruit. You will have much less waste
remaining sugars. very dry finishing below 1.000 specific in the fermenter if you bag the fruit in
If you want a semi-sweet or gravity (SG) unless you make the a large grain bag before adding it, just
sweet finish to your mead you need effort to introduce residual sweetness. as you would for dry hopping. Bagging
to use one of two methods. The first I personally prefer to make a high- the fruit also makes it very easy to
is simply starting with an original gravity mead and ferment it to its remove after a few weeks.
gravity high enough to exceed the alcohol tolerance. Keep in mind that When mixing the mead to create
alcohol tolerance of the yeast. In this many big “fruit bomb” meads require your must, the critical point is to hit
case, the yeast will ferment until it additional residual sweetness to offset your target original gravity. With
reaches its alcohol tolerance level and the acidity and tannins from the software or an online mead calculator
then stop and leave residual sweetness fruit and may therefore need an even you can calculate the amount of honey
because the yeast itself can’t tolerate higher finishing gravity than sweet and water needed. I generally add the
the high alcohol environment. Wine meads. Many of my big fruit meads bulk of the honey and all the water and
yeasts used in mead generally have a finish in the 1.030s and even 1.040s if then slowly add the remaining honey
high tolerance of 15% ABV or more, so using acidic fruits. until I reach my target gravity. When
this means starting with gravity that If you are making a mead with working with real fruit you can crush
may be 1.100–1.150 to end up with spices, it is often best to make the a bit of fruit to get juice and measure
meads in the 0.996-1.040 final gravity mead and then create an infusion or the gravity of the fruit juice to get an
range. tea from spices and add them to taste accurate number before mixing it.
The other option you have to make to get the best balance of flavor. Keep in mind when you mix fruit in
a semi-sweet or sweet mead is back For yeast, my go-to mead strain is with the mead it will often come in a
sweetening. This method involves Lalvin 71B Narbonne dry wine yeast, bit below your predicted gravity until
adding both sulfites and sorbates to which many commercial meadmakers the fruit dissolves into the must.
inhibit fermentation after your mead use exclusively for all of their meads. When measuring high gravity
is complete and then adding additional This yeast performs particularly well meads: Always use a hydrometer
honey or sweeteners to bring it up to in fruit meads in part because it can instead of a refractometer to measure
your target final gravity. Many mead process some malic acids common the gravity. Refractometer equations
purists avoid this method as the fresh in fruit, and also it has a predictable used to adjust for fermenting beer
honey added does not have the same attenuation of just over 15% which is or wine simply do not work well and
flavor and finish as residual fermented important for reaching a target final you will get an inaccurate reading.
honey added in the primary. gravity and residual sweetness level A hydrometer, as long as it has a
For large fruit meads, I’ve found critical for these fruit meads. scale high enough for your starting
that fruits high in acidity and tannins gravity, will work well through-
such as raspberries, blackberries, tart PREPARATION OF out fermentation.
cherries, red and black currants, and INGREDIENTS
cranberries work best as they provide Many older meadmaking books and YEAST PREPARATION
the acidic/tannic structure to offset articles recommend heating your Because most meads have a very high
residual sweetness in the honey. honey and fruit (if making a fruit starting gravity, yeast preparation is
Variants like loganberry, elderberry, mead), or heating the must. Today, the very important. If you try pitching
and boysenberry also work well. vast majority of meadmakers mix the dried yeast directly into a high gravity
Unfortunately, many sweet and stone honey and water at room temperature mead you can shock the yeast due to
fruits like peaches, strawberries, before pitching yeast. an effect called osmotic shock. The
plums, etc... tend to ferment away I recommend using a large plastic sugar will pass directly into the cell
leaving very little fruit flavor in the fermenting bucket for primary before the yeast is in a state to regulate
finished mead. fermentation, just as you would for its cell wall resulting in a strong shock
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that may even kill the yeast cell. To When you prepare the mead must, recommend using an oversize 8-10
prevent this, dried yeast should be the pH should be in roughly the 3.6- gal (30-40 L) bucket, even if you are
added to warm water at about 104 °F 4.2 range. The pH of the must will making a 5-gallon (19-L) batch.
(40 °C) with Go-Ferm yeast nutrient often drop once fermentation enters There is some controversy over
at the manufacturer’s recommended an active phase. If the pH drops whether it is good to add additional
dosing rate of 1.25 grams of Go-Ferm below 3.4 it can start to affect the oxygen by splashing at this point.
per gram of yeast. Next, slowly bring speed of fermentation, and if your pH Some meadmakers say that the
the temperature of the mixture down falls below 3.0 it can actually inhibit additional oxygen will be metabolized
to the temperature of your mead must fermentation and also stress your by the yeast to promote fermentation.
by adding small quantities of must, yeast. As a result, monitor the pH of The counterpoint is that fruits, in
making sure you don’t change the the must with a pH meter once a day particular, are prone to oxidation
temperature of the must more than during early fermentation to make so adding free oxygen may not be
5-10 degrees °F (5 degrees °C) at a time. sure it stays above 3.4. a good idea after fermentation has
This gives the yeast the nutrients Monitoring pH is particularly progressed. While I don’t have
and time needed to adjust to the high important if you are using a large the final answer, I generally avoid
gravity must before pitching. portion of acidic or tannic fruits. Fruits splashing too much when working
If you are using liquid yeast, such as black currants and cranberries with large quantities of fruit and focus
osmotic shock is much less of an issue, have a pH as low as 2.4 and can on degassing instead.
but I do recommend using a yeast significantly lower the pH of the must, Most sources recommend you con-
starter as high gravity musts certainly inhibiting fermentation. Straight tinue degassing until about 2⁄3 of the
benefit from a high yeast cell count honey meads are less likely to reach sugar has fermented away. This means
and active yeast culture. very low pH levels, but I still monitor that when you get 2⁄3 of the way to
them just to be sure. your expected final gravity you stop
AERATION OF THE MUST If your pH drops too low, you will degassing, though I will often degas
Proper aeration of the must when need an alkaline additive to raise one final time after fermentation is
pitching is critical for a mead. Yeast the pH back above 3.4. My preferred entirely complete because I prefer still
will quickly absorb the oxygen during additive is potassium bicarbonate, meads (no spritz).
the early growth stage, result-ing which comes in a powdered form. Since
in a robust fermentation. There are it is difficult to predict the buffering STAGGERED
two methods for aerating your wort: capacity of the must, the best approach YEAST NUTRIENTS
Vigorous stirring, and direct oxygen is to add a little at a time. I generally The addition of staggered yeast
injection. mix in 1⁄2- to 1-tsp. increments (into nutrients — small nutrient additions
Vigorous stirring is usually done a 5-gallon/19-L batch) and then wait added during fermentation — literally
with a wine-whip (degasser) device an hour or two for the chemistry to revolutionized meadmaking over the
or paint stirrer driven by an electric settle before measuring and adding last 15 years by allowing meadmakers
drill, which you can find at most more if needed. to make mead in months instead of
well-stocked homebrew and home In the later stages of fermentation years. A variety of nutrients have been
winemaking suppliers. This is the the pH will often slowly rise, and at that used in that time, though most provide
same setup you will use over the next point you will not need any additional critical nitrogen needed to promote a
week or so to degas the must while it additives and can stop monitoring the rapid fermentation of the honey.
is fermenting. Stir the must at high pH daily. The current “state of the art”
speed with the wine-whip near the nutrient schedule is called TONSA-2
surface to get as much oxygen as DEGASSING THE MUST (Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient
possible into the must, and continue DURING FERMENTATION Addition) and uses Fermaid O, an
for at least one or two minutes. As the mead ferments it builds up a lot organic yeast nutrient, along with the
If you have access to pure oxygen of carbon dioxide. Much of the carbon Go-Ferm addition discussed earlier in
from an oxygen tank or small welding dioxide will end up in solution within the section on hydrating yeast. Go-
tank (make sure it is food-grade), then the must as carbonic acid, which Ferm is added when hydrating the
direct injection is the best option. I can actually inhibit fermentation. yeast, and then Fermaid O is added in
use an aeration wand for about two To promote rapid fermentation, equal size increments at 24, 48, and
minutes with pure oxygen for a typical meadmakers now “degas” the must 72 hours after pitching, and lastly at
5-gallon (19-L) batch of mead. twice a day during active fermentation. either one week or when the 2⁄3 sugar
White Labs also recommends a To degas the must, I use a simple break is complete. In my experience,
second injection of oxygen at the 12- wine whip and electric drill as this combination can result in a
hour point for high-gravity musts discussed earlier. Vigorous degassing complete fermentation even for a high
(above 1.080 SG). running a cordless drill at high speed gravity mead in as little as two weeks.
to get all of the CO2 out of solution I covered the Go-Ferm addition
MONITORING THE can result in a huge amount of foam for hydrating yeast earlier, but the
pH DURING FERMENTATION on the top of bucket, which is why I Fermaid O amount is governed by the
3 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
nitrogen requirements of the yeast, to three weeks. I’ve done a few very
original gravity of the must and batch
size. The formula for grams of Fermaid
high-gravity meads that have taken
a bit longer, and it is not a bad idea
FAST MEAD
(5 gallons/19 L)
O is: to let the mead sit for a month or
OG = 1.126 FG = 1.035
so before adding clarifying agents
ABV = 13.9%
Fermaid O = BS x YR x Brix / 5 and sulfites.
When working with fruit and
This is a simple and straightforward
BS = Batch size in gallons certain yeast strains like 71B Narbonne, mead recipe that should have your
YR = Yeast requirements. This is 0.75 I generally try to separate the fruit fermentation finished within a few
for low nitrogen, 0.90 for medium, and and primary yeast from the mead as weeks.
1.25 for high nitrogen strains. I get close to completion of primary
fermentation. Depending on how INGREDIENTS
For practical purposes Brix and Plato much sediment accumulates, I may 18 lbs. (8.2 kg) Orange blossom
are the same, so for example a big rack it again before attempting to clear honey
1.140 SG show mead would be 32.2 it. While a bucket works well for active 2 packages Lalvin 71B-1122
Brix/Plato. My go-to yeast, Lalvin 71B/ fermentation, I recommend racking Narbonne yeast
Narbonne, is a low-nutrient strain to a closed glass or plastic carboy with 12.5 g Go-Ferm (when hydrating)
and I generally make 5 gallons (19 L) an airlock for aging as many meads 6.2 g Fermaid-K (at 24 hours)
of mead at a time. So, running the are still subject to oxidation. 6.2 g Fermaid-K (at 48 hours)
numbers I have, the equation is: The mead will not clear until 6.2 g Fermaid-K (at 72 hours)
fermentation is 100% complete. My 6.2 g Fermaid-K (at 7 days or the 1⁄3
5 gal. x 0.75 x 32.2 / 5 = 24.1 grams personal choice for clearing a mead
left sugar break)
1 package Super Kleer KC Finings
is Super Kleer KC Finings, which is a
0.3 tsp. potassium metabisulfite
So my total Fermaid O requirement two-part clearing agent consisting
would be 24.1 grams, which I would of kieselsol and chitosan. If you have
STEP BY STEP
then divide into four additions of 6 access to refrigeration, you can cold
Add honey to 3 gallons (11 L) of
grams each. crash your mead, which will certainly room temperature water in a large
For big fruit meads, only half the clear it more quickly. (8- to 10-gallon/30- to 37-L)
amount of nutrient is often needed Once I’m certain my mead is fermenter. Stir the honey and water
because the fruit itself may have a 100% fermented, I also add a small mixture well and top up with enough
substantial contribution of nutrients. quantity (1⁄8 to 1⁄4 tsp.) of potassium water to make 4.7 gallons (18 L),
For more information on this method, metabisulfite (sulfite), which is a saving a liter of space for your yeast.
Google “TONSA 2 Mead” and you preservative. These sulfites help to Prepare the yeast by adding it
can find the original source article stabilize the mead and also aid in to a liter (0.2 gal.) of warm water
as well as online calculators to assist preventing oxidation during aging. at about 104 °F (40 °C). Add 1.25
in determining your of nutrients You can also add potassium sorbate if grams of Go-Ferm per gram of yeast.
addition requirements. you plan to back sweeten your mead Slowly bring the temperature of the
The other popular nutrient with additional honey or sugars. mixture down to the temperature
schedule for mead is called TiNOSA After you’ve added your clarity of your mead must by adding
(Tailored Inorganic Staggered Nutrient agents and sulfites, it mainly is a small quantities of must. When the
Additions). It follows a similar schedule waiting game while the mead ages
temperature is acclimated, add the
yeast slurry to the fermenter and stir
but uses Fermaid K in the place of and clears. Your mead, which may
vigorously.
Fermaid O, as Fermaid K is generally taste something like rocket fuel
Monitor your pH throughout
easier to find and less expensive than immediately after fermentation, will
fermentation. If the pH drops below
Fermaid O. Finally there are several mellow significantly over time. Most
3.4 add an alkaline additive, such
older nutrient schedules that use meads I’ve made are quite drinkable as potassium bicarbonate, to raise
either Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) within 90 days, though a few with very the pH back above 3.4. Degas the
or a combination of DAP and Fermaid tannic/acidic fruits took a bit longer to must during fermentation using a
O. These are still in wide use including age out. I generally keg my mead at low wine whip regularly until about 2⁄3 of
by some commercial meadmakers and pressure without carbonation, though the sugar has fermented away. Add
you can find details for either using a you can certainly bottle it, or even your fermentation nutrients at the
quick web search. carbonate it if desired. intervals indicated in the ingredients
list. Following primary fermentation,
CLEARING AND Brad Smith is the author of BeerSmith add potassium metabisulfite, and
FINISHING YOUR MEAD homebrewing software and host of fine your mead with Super Kleer.
If you’ve handled the yeast nutrients the BeerSmith podcast on iTunes. He When your mead is fined to your
and degassing properly to this point, has nearly three decades of experience satisfaction, you can bottle or keg,
your mead should usually ferment brewing beer and mead at home. carbonating if you choose.
to completion within the first two
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MAKING HARD CIDER BY ANNE WHYTE
Y
ou might remember a time
when a jug of cider that sat
around in the fridge too long
started to get fizzy. When
you removed the cap there was a
little spurt of pressure released and,
sadly, the cider was deemed too old
and sent down the drain. If you only
knew then what you know now; that
fizzy cider was starting to ferment.
With an airlock and a little patience,
you might have had your first taste of
hard cider.
Fast-forward and one of the
hottest “new” beverages to create is
hard cider. Craft beer has gotten most
of the press in the last decade, but
lots of homebrewers are looking for
the next new thing. Hard cider can be
made using the same equipment and
brewing techniques as homebrewing
and can deliver the same thrill of
designing a drink to be exactly what
you want. Hard cider is also probably
the easiest alcoholic beverage to
ferment for people who are gluten
intolerant.
If you are a homebrewer then you
already own all the equipment you
need. Basic homebrewing techniques
Photo by Charles A. Parker/Images Plus
such as sanitizing, siphoning, using a
hydrometer, etc. are exactly the same
for beer or cider. In this story we will
explore how to make sweet cider into
hard cider that you’ll be proud to
share with your friends and family.
THE CIDER
In Vermont, where I live, we are lucky
to have many small orchards that
press cider from early September into cider, or you can heat the cider and you are using unpasteurized cider
November. The best ciders are the kill the yeast yourself, however this you can add sulfite in the form of
ones that have been treated the least. might also have the side effect of Campden tablets, which will neuter
Most orchards will wash the apples changing the flavor and aroma of the the yeast. If it can’t reproduce, it can’t
and some orchards will also pasteurize cider. Most pasteurization techniques ferment. Sulfite will not kill yeast and
the cider before it is sold to eliminate used for commercial cider are “high it doesn’t protect your cider from
any pathogens that could make you temperature, short time” and the acetobacter/vinegar bacteria. Typically
sick. Cider producers pasteurize cider effect on flavor and aroma is far less the Campden tablets are dosed 1 per
that is sold to the general public as dramatic than batch pasteurization. gallon (3.8 L). I crush them between
raw cider has been linked with E. coli If the cider has been pasteurized two spoons, add them to the cider and
deaths. then there will be no wild yeast and wait 24 to 36 hours before pitching
If you don’t want wild yeast to be no need to add sulfites to the cider the yeast to let the sulfite do its thing.
a part of the fermentation you have to “knock them out,” nor will there If the cider is very cold, as it can be
two choices: You can use pasteurized be sorbates to slow them down. If fresh from the press, I wait even
5 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
longer than 36 hours to allow the made from a blend of all-purpose and sugar)
cider to warm up to room temperature culinary apples, which will make a Amére de Berthecourt
(~60 °F/15 °C) before adding my yeast, totally acceptable sweet or hard cider, Ashton Bitter
nutrients, sugar, etc. but it won’t be very complex. Unlike Beden
As for the cider itself, this is the the Macintosh, Granny Smith, and Binet Rouge
main ingredient. As a cidermaker I Empire varieties you might find in the Brairtot Fuji
want some tartness in the final cider grocery store produce section, true Brown Snout
to add more flavor and to balance the “cider” apples are not generally good Bulmer’s Norman
cider. Antique cider apples are not eating apples. While supermarket Chisel Jersey
easy to find but some orchards will varieties tend to be in the 12–14 °Brix Dabinett
have a special hard cider pressing. (1.048–1.057 SG) range, cider varieties Ellis Bitter
Varieties that are true cider apples are will often reach 15 °Brix (1.061 SG) Frequin Rouge
fairly inedible. They are so tart that and others can get as high as 20 °Brix Medaille d’Or
you would probably spit them out (1.083 SG). Cider varieties also have Michelin
if you ate them raw. The higher the different acid and tannin levels than Somerset Redstreak
percentage of tart apples, the more all-purpose eating apples. What Stembridge Jersey
that character will come through in apples you choose to use for making Yarlington Mill
the final product. If you can’t find any cider are your call, however, consider
of the old cider varieties, some crab this advice from Oscar Mendelsohn Bittersharp (high tannins and acid)
apples will do just fine. We sponsor a in his book The Earnest Drinker: A Fox Whelp
crush at Vermont Homebrew Supply Short and Simple Account of Alcoholic Herefordshire Redstreak
every year where the apples and the Beverages for Curious Drinkers: “Cider Kingston Black
proportions of sweet to tart varieties of a sort can be made from any variety Porter’s Perfection
varies. For more on cider apple of apple juice, but for a fine beverage Stoke Red
varieties, read on. it is essential to use ‘vintage’ Tremlett’s Bitter
If you don’t have access to fresh apples, which are distinguished by a Yarlington Mill
cider you can also use a cider from the chemical composition which make
grocery store if it hasn’t been treated them inferior or even unusable for Cidermakers also often use other
with sorbates, which should be listed general purposes. Cider varieties apple varieties that are sometimes as
on the label. Pasteurized cider is of apples are broadly distinguished good for eating or cooking as they are
fine but sorbate is used to inhibit by comparatively high acidity and for fermenting. Here are a few to try:
any naturally occuring yeast (and tannin. They are therefore somewhat Baldwin
any that you add too) so that grocery sour and bitterish.” Black Gilliflower
stores don’t have to take back fizzy There are four generally-accepted Elstar
returns. Store cider may not have the categories of cider apples: Sweets, Gala
complexity of a blend from an orchard sharps, bittersweets and bittersharps. Golden Delicious
but it will make a fine hard cider. Here are some suggestions of cider Granny Smith
apple varieties to look for in your area: Hidden Rose
CIDER APPLE VARIETIES Jonagold
If apple cider is something you Sweet (high sugar levels, which Macintosh
always just bought at the grocery encourages fermentation and raises Newtown Pippen
store when summer turns to fall, alcohol levels. Low tannins and Pomme Gris
you may have never thought much acidity.) Wickson (a crab apple)
about the varieties of apples that Ashmead’s Kernel
are used to make it. Variety makes Esopus Spitzenberg YEAST
a big difference when it comes to Golden Russet Once you have selected your cider the
making cider, however — especially Gravenstein next decision is which yeast to use.
hard cider. Just as a brewer decides Sweet Alford Much as in beer brewing there are
which grains are needed to make a Sweet Coppin commercially manufactured liquid
specific beer style, a cidermaker must Northern Spy and dry yeast strains. You can use beer,
also choose his or her apples wisely. Taylor’s Sweet wine or mead yeasts for cider, but you
And with more than 7,500 different should always make sure the yeast you
varieties of apples grown around the Sharp (high in acidity, tend to be choose likes the temperature of your
world, 2,500 varieties in the US alone low in sugar and tannins.) homebrewery and that it can ferment
(which are grown in all 50 states), Bellflower to the alcohol content you desire. I
there are many apple choices, indeed. Bramley’s Seedling don’t go out of my way to oxygenate
Most of the sweet (non-fer- Brown’s Apple my cider; it’s already brown because
mented) ciders you can get at the it has been exposed to oxygen during
grocery store or local farm stand are Bittersweet (high in both tannins pressing. I do, however, make sure
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Photo by Shutterstock.com
to pitch enough yeast and, as stated lager brewer’s yeast. Just make sure what you’re going to get for an alcohol
before, make sure the yeast can do your pitching rate is sufficient. I have content. Unlike beer, cider will fully
what I want it to do. had some lovely ciders brewed with ferment out so the potential alcohol
If you can get an orchard or Belgian yeasts. Without the malt and scale is very useful. Most of the time
producer to sell you some raw cider you hops getting in the way, the flavor and my ciders test out between 5 to 6.5%
might want to try a “spontaneous” aroma of the yeast can really shine. alcohol, but it can vary widely and I
fermentation. Most apples will have For ciders over 10% ABV I prefer wouldn’t want to assume anything
a blend of yeasts on the skins. You to use a wine or mead yeast as they just from how sweet it tastes. Once I
won’t know how many strains are can tolerate higher gravities. I’ve also know the starting gravity I can then
there or what it will taste like, and you used liquid cider yeasts to enhance decide if I want to fortify the cider to
won’t know how much alcohol they the fruitiness of the cider. German get more alcohol. Not only will adding
can ferment or what temperatures white wine yeasts will give a very more sugar increase the alcohol
they like. For that reason, I don’t try aromatic nose, while Champagne content, it can influence the color,
to make cider with wild yeasts myself. yeast is the most commonly used wine flavor and aroma of your cider. Darker,
I keep the alcohol content under 10% yeast for cidermaking. Champagne more caramelized sugars are great to
and the temperature over 60 °F (15 yeast has the ability to ferment a try. I have used Belgian amber candi
°C). I’ve enjoyed the ciders I’ve made higher alcohol cider, and tolerance to sugar, dark and light brown sugars
this way and lots of other cidermakers cooler temperatures make it work in like raw, Turbinado and Demerara. A
agree. It can be a little stressful (that’s a variety of recipes and temperature bit of molasses will darken the color
my inner homebrewer talking) but if conditions. Champagne yeast is also and add another layer of complexity
you’ve dabbled in Brettanomyces and used for its ability to attenuate. The to a New England-style cider. And
sour beers, and if you have the right final gravity of cider can be as low honey has been my go-to sugar for
cider, go for it. One time I waited a as 0.995. If my cider is already going cidermaking for many years. It will
week for the fermentation to start and to be tart due to the apple blend, completely ferment out so it will
I couldn’t take anymore — I pitched a then Champagne yeast might be not add honey sweetness, and I like
wine yeast and got the fermentation too tart and dry for you. In a cider the smooth mouthfeel. I have used a
going. Other cidermakers with the with no cider-specific apples, then lavender honey that added a delicate
same blend encountered the same champagne yeast will give you the floral nose. — expensive but worth it!
thing, so be prepared to pitch a crispest, driest cider. You can dissolve the sugar in a small
commercial strain if you try a wild amount of cider then pour it back
fermentation and feel that it is taking ADJUNCTS into the fermenter. If you aren’t sure
too long. You can always try a wild Once you have your cider you will want how dense the sugar is then you can
fermentation again next year. to know its sugar density. When you check the gravity then add more if you
If your cider is going to be under take a hydrometer reading you can need it.
10% ABV you can also pitch any ale or use the potential alcohol scale to see Other adjuncts could include
7 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
spices, fruits and berries, oak chips/ more like winemaking. I might give cleared as well as the other ciders we
cubes, flowers, ginger . . . there a 12% cider a year in secondary and made that year. Oxygen in the sweet
really is no limit. Just remember that enjoy it for the next 3–4 years. But cider is what makes it brown, but in
the cider is going to be clean, crisp like all homebrews, trust your palate the secondary the cider will settle out
and dry. Whatever you add, do so and if you aren’t sure it is ready wait and lighten to a pale yellow that can
judiciously. You can’t take it out but a bit longer. be totally transparent. If there is too
you can always add more. Since cider will tie up a secondary much headspace/oxygen, however,
When I want to oak a cider I have for a fair bit of time, you might want then it may go back to an amber tint
had the best results from using a to invest in a cider-only carboy that and develop nutty/oxidized aromas.
small amount in the secondary. I have isn’t needed for your beer brewing.
boiled and steamed the chips and just Ciders that don’t get enough time to BOTTLING
added them to the carboy. If you don’t fully sediment out can have a deep It’s your choice whether to bottle your
want to risk too much oak exposure layer of sediment in the bottle. That cider still or sparkling. A still cider
then plan on thieving out a sample sediment can be fluffy and come can be bottled in any kind of beer or
and be prepared to rack into another up off the bottom when you open a wine bottle. If you choose to
carboy. A scale is very helpful when carbonated cider. carbonate your cider, however, only
you are recording adjunct additions. use thicker-walled Champagne-
Lately I have been soaking the oak POST FERMENTATION FUN style bottles, and be sure that if your
chips in a spiced rum during the In addition to the adjuncts that you cider has been back sweetened that
fermentation, then adding them to can add in secondary, you can still you don’t overcarbonate and create
the secondary. tweak your cider. One of the more bottle bombs by adding too much
common adjustments is to sweeten sugar. And of course you can keg your
OTHER ADDITIONS your cider. If the cider is too tart, back- cider too. I prefer a fairly light level of
I always add 2–3 tsp. of a yeast sweetening can help to balance things carbonation. Since I also use liter and
nutrient to a 5-gallon (19-L) batch of out. If you are trying to duplicate a half-liter bottles I prime 5 gallons (19
cider if the alcohol content is going to commercially-made cider you can de- L) with 1⁄3–1⁄2 cup of dextrose/corn
be over 10%. It wouldn’t hurt to do it gas and take a hydrometer reading of sugar. You can also use honey or a
for a lighter cider either. With a tart a sample to see how sweet it is, then darker sugar to prime. I have also had
cider you won’t need to increase the adjust your cider to match. Of course, success using raisins to prime ciders.
acidity, but you might have to bump once you have added sorbate you One or two per bottle did a great job of
it up with a store-bought cider. I won’t be able to carbonate the cider lightly carbonating a spontaneously-
have added dried tart cherries and unless you can force carbonate in a fermented cider. I have thought about
cranberries to cider that needs acidity keg. trying this with dried cranberries
to good effect. After fermentation is Blending ciders is also an option. or cherries; I might use two or three
over you can add a little acid blend If you have done more than one cider small ones per pint bottle or just one
(much like a meadmaker), but try to recipe, then perhaps a third version is or two if they seemed like very large
let the cider clear and condition a bit possible from a blend. raisins.
before you start making adjustments. But wait, there’s more! Here in the
Pectic enzyme can help you get OTHER CONSIDERATIONS North Country winters can be dark
your cider to be clear. Apples naturally Just like beer, you need to be sure and very cold. If you find yourself with
contain high levels of pectins that can your equipment is in good shape a clear, 12% cider on a -20 °F (-29 °C)
haze your cider. If it doesn’t matter to and well sanitized. The fermenter February night, try making applejack.
you if it clears or not, then it’s totally should have enough headspace to Siphon some hard cider into a plastic
optional. Using sweet cider to top off accommodate a little foam, but many bucket, cover and set it out to freeze
can add a haze so do this only if you ciders will not head up like a beer so for a day or so until it forms a layer
don’t mind a cloudy cider. you can get away with using a slightly of ice on the top, bottom and sides.
smaller fermenter. Since cider will Using the black knob of a racking
TIMELINE likely be in secondary longer than cane, poke it through the ice, siphon
The time it takes to ferment and most beers, it is critical that there and bottle. I have taken 12% ciders and
secondary your cider has a lot to do is only an inch or two of headspace after freezing they test out at just over
with the alcohol content and the to prevent oxidation. I always try to 20%. Not hot like a distilled brandy,
tartness of your cider. A 6% ABV cider make an extra quart or two of cider but nice to have on a cold night.
could take two to three weeks to fully in the fermenter so when I rack into
ferment out and another two to four my carboy I can always fill it right Anne Whyte is the owner of Vermont
months to clarify. Carbonation time up. When you have extra headspace Homebrew Supply in Burlington,
is about the same as it is for beer, and no cider to top up, a white wine Vermont. She is a longtime home-
and your cider should be crisp and works very well in a pinch. We used brewer and cidermaker, having won
tasty for a year or two. Once you start sweet cider to top up a fermenter one numerous medals for both.
adding sugar the process is much year and that batch of cider never
8 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
HARD CIDER RECIPES
RED FLANNEL CIDER some water and add it to the cider
before bottling.
½ cup of dextrose in some water
for 5 gallons (19 L) of carbonated
(5 gallons/19 L) cider. A typical fermentation can last
OG = 1.095 FG = 0.998 1 gallon (3.8-L) option: Scale down three to six weeks depending on the
ABV = ~12% to 1.25 gallons of fresh apple cider, temperature and another two to four
1 lb. (0.45 kg) sugar (combination months to clarify.
A classic New England barrel-style hard listed in ingredients above), 0.5 tsp.
cider. each of yeast nutrient and pectic 1 gallon (3.8-L) option: Scale down
enzyme, 1 package of dry wine yeast to 1.25 gallons (4.7 L) of fresh apple
INGREDIENTS or Wyeast 4767 (Port Wine™) yeast, cider, 4–5 oz. (113–141 oz.) sugar or
5.5 gallons (20 L) of fresh apple cider, 0.25 oz. (7 g) toasted or untoasted oak raw unfiltered honey, 0.5 tsp. each of
pasteurized or not* chips (optional: soak in rum, bourbon, yeast nutrient and pectic enzyme and 1
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) sugar: a combination calvados, etc.), 4 oz. (113 g) organic package of dry wine yeast.
of white sugar, brown sugar, a bit of raisins (brown or red flame).
molasses, honey, raw sugar
2.5 tsp. yeast nutrient AUTUMN GOLD APPLE CYSER
2.5 tsp. pectic enzyme
2 packages of dry wine yeast or Wyeast
AUTUMN SPARKLE (5 gallons/19 L)
(5 gallons/19 L) OG = 1.080 FG = 0.998
4767 (Port Wine™) yeast OG = 1.060 FG = 0.998 ABV = ~10.5%
1 oz. toasted or untoasted oak chips ABV = ~8%
(optional: soak in rum, bourbon, A cider-mead hybrid.
calvados, etc.) A crisp, dry cider.
1 lb. (0.45 kg) raisins INGREDIENTS
*If your cider is not pasteurized you INGREDIENTS 5.5 gallons (20 L) of fresh apple cider
might want to add one Campden 5.5 gallons (20 L) of fresh apple cider, 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) raw, unfiltered honey
tablet per gallon (3.8 L) to the cider, pasteurized or not* 2.5 tsp. yeast nutrient
wait 24–36 hours, then add the 1.5–2 lbs. (0.7–0.9 kg) sugar or raw 2.5 tsp. pectic enzyme
sugars, other additives and yeast. Do unfiltered honey 2 packages of dried wine yeast
not try to ferment cider that has 2.5 tsp. yeast nutrient
been treated with sorbates. 2.5 tsp. pectic enzyme STEP BY STEP
2 packages of dry wine yeast Dissolve the honey into a small part
STEP BY STEP *If not pasteurized you might want to of the cider and mix it back into
Dissolve the sugars in a small part of add one Campden tablet per gallon the main volume of cider. Stir well.
the cider and then mix that back into (3.8 L) to the cider, wait 24–36 Add the yeast nutrient and pectic
the main volume of cider. Stir well. hours, then add the sugars, other enzyme and stir again. Record the
Add the yeast nutrient and pectic additives and yeast. Do not try to starting gravity. Add the yeast and
enzyme and stir again. Record the ferment cider that has been treated keep the fermenter sealed with an
starting gravity. Add the yeast and with sorbates. airlock at 60–75 °F (15–24 °C) until
keep the fermenter sealed with an fermentation is complete. Siphon the
airlock at 60–75 °F (15–24 °C) until STEP BY STEP cyser into a 5-gallon (19-L) carboy and
fermentation is complete. Siphon the Take a hydrometer reading of the keep it sealed with an airlock until it
cider into a 5-gallon (19-L) carboy. cider. You will need to add enough clears. Once clear, you can bottle the
Keep the cider under an airlock until sugar to get 8% potential alcohol. cyser with or without carbonation. If
it clears. Add the raisins. When the Dissolve the honey/sugar in a small you carbonate, you can add a scant
raisins have settled out, cover the oak part of the cider and then mix it back teaspoon of corn sugar (dextrose)
chips with boiling water, strain off into the main volume of cider. Stir per 22-ounce bottle or boil ½ cup of
the water and add the chips to the well. Record the starting gravity. Add dextrose in some water for 5 gallons
carboy. A typical fermentation can last the yeast nutrient and pectic enzyme (19 L) of carbonated cyser. A typical
three to six weeks depending on the and stir again. Add the yeast and fermentation can last three to six
temperature in your homebrewery and keep the fermenter sealed, with an weeks depending on the temperature
another two to six months to clarify. airlock at 60–75 °F (15–24 °C) until in your homebrewery and another two
Once the cider is clear you can bottle fermentation is complete. Siphon the to six months to clarify.
it with or without carbonation. If you cider into a 5-gallon (19-L) carboy and
want to carbonate the cider you can keep the it under an airlock until it 1 gallon (3.8-L) option: Scale down
add a scant teaspoon of corn sugar clears. Once it is clear you can bottle to 1.25 gallons (4.7 L) of fresh apple
(dextrose) per 22-ounce bottle or add with or without carbonation. If you cider, 1 lb. (0.45 kg) raw unfiltered
two or three organic raisins per bottle. want to carbonate the cider you can honey, 0.5 tsp. each of yeast nutrient
For 5 gallons (19 L) of hard cider you add a scant teaspoon of corn sugar and pectic enzyme and 1 package of
can also boil ½ cup of dextrose in (dextrose) per 22-oz. bottle or boil dried wine yeast.
9 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights ReservedWINE FROM GRAPES BY ALISON CROWE
N
othing feels as satisfying and
authentic as making your
first batch of wine from fresh
grapes. And there’s no better
time to try it than in early autumn,
when grapes all over the country are
ripening in vineyards and backyard
gardens.
There are many kinds of grapes
to choose from, depending on where
you live. Vitis vinifera is the classic
choice for flavor, varietal character
and historic authenticity. This
famous European wine-grape family
includes such renowned varieties
as Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel
Photo by Shutterstock.com
and Cabernet Sauvignon. In the
United States, to make a sweeping
generalization, V. vinifera grapes
thrive in California and the Pacific
Northwest. They also grow well in
microclimates scattered from New
York to the Great Lakes, the Mid-
Atlantic states and beyond. • Food-grade pail with lid (2–4 suspicious. Also, it’s very important
Those who live in colder, wetter gallons/8–15 L) that all the stems are removed, since
climates may not be able to find V. • Cheesecloth they will make your wine bitter.
vinifera grapes grown locally. Don’t • Hydrometer
be discouraged. Fine hybrids and • Thermometer KEEPING IT CLEAN
Vitis labrusca grapes, which are less • Acid titration kit Winemaking demands a sanitary
susceptible to cold and disease, • Clear, flexible half-inch diameter environment. Wash all of your
may be growing near your home. plastic tubing equipment thoroughly with hot water,
Other options include ordering • Two 1-gallon (4-L) glass jugs boiling what you can. It’s also wise
grapes through your favorite local • Fermentation lock and bung to arm yourself with a strong sulfite
winemaking shop or from a produce • Five 750-ml wine bottles solution to rinse any equipment that
wholesaler. • Corks comes in contact with your wine. To
Whatever kind of grapes you use, • Hand corker make it, add 3 tablespoons of sulfite
the general techniques, equipment powder (potassium metabisulfite) to
and ingredients are the same. Here’s INSPECTING THE FRUIT a gallon of water and mix well.
an overview of some key steps along Winemaking starts with inspecting
the way. the grapes. Make sure they are ripe by ADJUSTING THE JUICE
squishing up a good double handful, Adjusting the juice or “must” of
BASIC WINEMAKING straining the juice and measuring your wine is critical. Luckily, it’s also
EQUIPMENT the sugar level with a hydrometer, easy. Acid content is measured with a
Here’s everything you need to make a handy device you can buy at a simple titration kit; you can buy one
your first one-gallon batch of wine winemaking supply shop. The sugar at a supply shop. The ideal acid level
from fresh grapes. If you make beer density should be around 22 °Brix – is 6 to 7 grams per liter for dry reds
already, it’s likely you have most if this equals 1.0982 specific gravity and 6.5 to 7.5 grams per liter for dry
not all of this equipment on hand. or 11 percent potential alcohol – and whites.
Anything you don’t already have the fruit should taste sweet, ripe and Here’s an example: If your must
you should be able to find at any slightly tart. measures 5.5 grams per liter, then
homebrewing or home winemaking The grapes also must be clean, you need to add 1 gram per liter of
supply shop. sound and relatively free of insects tartaric acid to bring it up to 6.5 g/L.
and other vineyard debris. Discard any Since 0.2642 gallons equals 1 liter, 1
• Large nylon straining bag grapes that look rotten or otherwise g/L is equivalent to adding 3.8 grams
10 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reservedof tartaric acid to your one-gallon lose your siphon suction.
batch. Add this powder in one-eighth
teaspoon intervals, checking acidity BOTTLING THE BATCH
DRY RED TABLE WINE
(1 gallon/3.8 L)
carefully after each addition, until the Bottling may sound complicated, but
desired level is reached. You can buy it’s really not. To bottle your wine, you This is a very basic recipe for dry
tartaric acid at your supply shop. simply siphon your finished product red wine that illustrates the steps
You also need to monitor the into the bottles (leaving about 2 and equipment required. Specific
sugar level with your hydrometer. inches of headspace below the rim), adjustments may be made depending
The must should be about 22° Brix for insert a cork into the hand corker, on grape varietal, however this recipe
both reds and whites. To bring the position the bottle under the corker should result in a solid wine no matter
sugar concentration up, make a sugar and pull the lever. It’s always wise the varietal used.
syrup by dissolving one cup sugar into to buy some extra corks and practice
one-third cup of water. Bring it to a with an empty bottle before you do it INGREDIENTS
boil in a saucepan and immediately for real. 18 lbs. ripe red grapes
remove from heat. Cool before adding Wine bottles can be purchased 1 campden tablet (or 0.33g of
in small amounts, one tablespoon at at home winemaking stores, or you potassium metabisulfite powder)
a time, until the desired degrees Brix can simply wash and recycle your Tartaric acid, if necessary
and specific gravity is reached. To own bottles. These supply stores also
Table sugar, if necessary
1 packet wine yeast (like Prise de
lower the sugar level, simply dilute rent hand-corkers and sell corks.
Mousse or Montrachet)
your must or juice with water. You should only buy corks that are
The temperature of your must can tightly sealed in plastic bags because
STEP BY STEP
also be adjusted to provide the perfect exposure to dust and microbes
1. Harvest grapes once they have
environment for yeast cells. Warming can spoil your wine. Corks can be reached 22 to 24 percent sugar (22
up the juice gently (don’t cook or boil sterilized just before bottling, with to 24 °Brix).
it!) is an easy way to bring it to pitching hot water and a teaspoon of sulfite 2. Sanitize all equipment. Place
temperature without damaging the crystals. the grape clusters into the nylon
quality of the wine. Fermentation A 1-gallon (4-L) batch will yield straining bag and deposit the bag
can sometimes reach into the 80–90 about five standard-size (750 mL) into the bottom of the food-grade
°F (26–32 °C) range, though the 70 bottles of wine. If the fifth bottle pail. Using very clean hands or a
°F (21 °C) range is standard for reds isn’t quite full, then either drink sanitized tool like a potato masher,
(whites often are fermented at cooler that bottle or use smaller bottles to firmly crush the grapes inside the
temperatures). keep the wine. The key is to have full, bag. Crush the campden tablet (or
If your grapes have been sealed containers that are capable of measure out 1 teaspoon of sulfite
refrigerated or are too cold, use this aging. crystals) and sprinkle over the must
unorthodox but quick trick: Heat Now you’re ready to make your in the nylon bag. Cover pail with
up a small portion of the juice in first batch of fresh-grape wine. Below cheesecloth and let sit for one hour.
the microwave, mix it back into the you’ll find step-by-step recipes for
3. Measure the temperature of the
must. It should be between 70 –75
fermentation pail and re-test the a dry red and a dry white table wine.
°F (21–24 °C). Take a sample of the
temperature. An electric blanket The recipes have similar steps and
juice in the pail and measure the
wrapped around the fermentation techniques, with one important
acid with your titration kit. If it’s not
pail also works, but takes longer. For difference. Red wines always are
between 6 to 7 grams per liter then
cooling, add a re-usable ice pack and fermented with the skins and pulp in adjust with tartaric acid.
stir for a few minutes. Pitch the yeast the plastic pail; the solids are pressed 4. Check the degrees Brix or specific
when the temperature reaches 70° to after fermentation is complete. White gravity of the must. If it isn’t around
75 °F (24 °C) for reds and 55–65 °F (13– wines are always pressed before 22 °Brix (1.0982 SG), add a little bit
18 °C) for whites. fermentation, so only the grape juice of sugar dissolved in water.
winds up in the fermenting pail. 5. Dissolve the yeast in 1 pint warm
RACKING THE WINE (80–90 °F/26–32 °C) water and let
“Racking” means transferring Alison Crowe is the Director of stand until bubbly (it should take
the fermenting wine away from Winemaking for Plata Wine Partners, no more than 10 minutes). When
sediment. You insert a clear, half- which makes Garnet Vineyards and it’s bubbling, pour yeast solution
inch diameter plastic hose into the Picket Fence Vineyards among many directly on must inside the nylon
fermenter and siphon the clear wine other projects and brands. She holds a bag. Agitate bag up and down a few
into another sanitized jug. Then top winemaking degree from UC-Davis. times to mix yeast. Cover pail with
it off and fit it with a sanitized bung Alison has penned the “Wine Wizard” cheesecloth, set in a warm (65–75
and fermentation lock. This can be a column for Brew Your Own’s sister °F/18–24 °C) area and check that
fermentation has begun in at least
delicate operation and it’s important publication WineMaker since its
24 hours. Monitor fermentation
to go slowly. You don’t want to stir up inception 20+ years ago.
progression and temperature
the sediment, but you don’t want to
11 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reservednecessary. Take a sample of the juice
in the pail and use your titration kit
to measure the acid level. If it is not
between 6.5 and 7.5 grams per liter,
then adjust with tartaric acid.
6. Check the degrees Brix or specific
gravity of the juice. If it isn’t around 22
°Brix (1.0982 SG) adjust accordingly.
7. Dissolve the packet of yeast in 1 pint
warm (80–90° F/26–32 °C) water and
let stand until bubbly (no more than
10 minutes). When it’s bubbling, pour
yeast solution directly into the juice.
Photo by Shutterstock.com
Cover pail with cheesecloth, set in a
cool (55–65° F/13–18 °C) area and
check that fermentation has begun in
at least 24 hours. Monitor fermentation
progression and temperature at least
once daily.
8. Once the must has reached dryness
“Punch down” the cap of grape skins that rise to the top during fermentation twice daily.
(at least 0.5 degrees Brix or 0.998 SG),
regularly. Keep the skins under the may be made depending on grape rack the wine off the sediment into a
juice at all times and “punch down” or varietal, however this recipe should sanitized 1-gallon (3.8-L) jug, topping
mix twice daily. (Red wine is fermented result in a solid wine no matter the up with dry white wine of a similar
with the pulp and skins. This “cap” will varietal used. style. Fit with a sanitized bung and
rise to the top, so you need to “punch fermentation lock. Keep the container
it down” frequently with a sanitized INGREDIENTS topped with white wine. Be sure the
utensil.) 18 lbs. (8.2 kg) ripe white grapes fermentation lock always has sulfite
6. Once the must has reached “dryness” 1 campden tablet (or 0.33g of solution in it. After 10 days, rack the
(at least 0.5 °Brix or 0.998 SG), lift the potassium metabisulfite powder) wine into another sanitized 1-gallon
nylon straining bag out of the pail and Tartaric acid, if necessary (3.8-L) jug. Top up with wine again.
squeeze any remaining liquid into the Table sugar, if necessary 9. After three months, siphon the
pail. 1 packet wine yeast (like Champagne clarified wine off the sediment and
7. Cover the pail loosely and let the or Montrachet) into clean, sanitized bottles and cork
wine settle for 24 hours. Rack off the them.
sediment into a sanitized 1-gallon STEP BY STEP 10. Store bottles in cool, dark place
(3.8-L) jug, topping up with a little 1. Harvest grapes once they have and wait at least three months before
boiled, cooled water to entirely fill reached 19 to 22 percent sugar (19– drinking.
the container. Fit with a sanitized 22° Brix). Pick over grapes, removing
bung and fermentation lock. Keep the any moldy clusters, insects, leaves or
container topped with grape juice or stems.
any dry red wine of a similar style. 2. Place the grape clusters into the
After 10 days, rack the wine into nylon straining bag and put into the
another sanitized 1-gallon (3.8-L) jug. bottom of the food-grade plastic pail.
Top up with dry red wine of a similar Using very clean hands or a sanitized
style. tool like a potato masher, firmly crush
8. After six months, siphon the up the grapes inside the nylon bag.
clarified, settled wine off the sediment 3. Crush the campden tablet (or
and into clean, sanitized bottles. Cork measure out one teaspoon of sulfite
with the hand-corker. crystals) and sprinkle over the crushed
9. Store bottles on their side in cool, fruit in the bag. Cover pail and bag
dark place and wait at least six months with cheesecloth and let sit for one
Photo by Charles A. Parker/Images Plus
before drinking. hour.
4. Lift the nylon straining bag out of
the pail. Wring the bag to extract as
DRY WHITE TABLE WINE much juice as possible. You should
have about 1-gallon (3.8-L) of juice in
(1 gallon/3.8 L)
the pail.
This is a very basic recipe for dry white 5. Measure the temperature of the
wine that illustrates the steps and juice. It should be between 55–65 °F
equipment required. Specific adjustments (13–18 °C). Adjust temperature as
12 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine Alternative Fermentations © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights ReservedYou can also read
