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Crabapples

The crabapples on my tree are ripening and I'm about to try another batch. I tried a few years ago before I knew anything and had a stuck ferment and a fly-factory.

Here's my question. What is the best way to get the flavor/juice extracted? I have read a few people suggest that the apples be frozen first, and then ferment on the pulp, however, a book that I use for reference strongly recommends "enzymatic extraction" as opposed to "pulp fermentation".

Enzymatic extraction is described as leaving the fruit/water mix with pectic enzyme added and stirring for 48 hours, then removing all fruit and adjusting the must accordingly. The advantage would be no guesswork as to sugar levels etc. So, is 48 hours in water/pectic enzyme long enough to extract all the necessary flavour from the crabapples? I used this method with a 1 gallon batch of rhubarb wine and it seems to be fine.....very slow to clear, but it did seem to extract all the color/flavor required.

What are your thoughts on this? Would you folks recommend I ferment right on the chopped apples and then strain the pulp after a few days, or should I go ahead with this "enzymatic extraction" ?

By the way, this information (that strongly flavours enzymatic extraction) is from "Getting Started in Winemaking" by JE Underhill (1995). Underhill says that enzymatic extraction "yields aromas and flavours that are generally cleaner than those from pulp fermentation. It is the preferred method."

Thanks in advance for your help.

Reply to
Simon Cetiner
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I favour the enzymatic extraction. I have tried several methods of winemaking from crabapples over the years, and I have obtained best results from cold-macerating for 4-5 days with enzyme. Then, I press the juice out and ferment without pulp. After the first 2-3 days of open fermentation I proceed anaerobically and cool the temperature. Good luck, Giovanni.

extraction)

Underhill

preferred

Reply to
giovanni

About a month ago, I finally got round to fermenting the crabapples I picked and threw in the deep freeze (in sealed buckets). They were the small red variety, and were very ripe when picked. I thawed them in water (and sulfite) overnight, and followed Jack Keller's recipe (using pectic enzyme). I used EC-1118 yeast. Near the end of the fermentation I strained and pressed using the regular press bags that I use for grapes. After another 2 weeks I racked off a fair bit of sludge, and after another few days the wine has dropped more sediment and is nearly clear -- it's clearing faster than other wine I've ever made (including kits)!

Cheers, Richard

Reply to
Richard Kovach

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