Apple Cider – As Wine or Hard Cider

Juicegrape.com may focus on the sale of grapes and grape juice to its customers, but for those of us in the company who
are located on the East Coast, there is an undeniable connection between Fall and Apples. Some of the finest apples are
grown right here in Connecticut and greater New England. For us winemakers, the best way to partake of these apples is in
a glass and in the form of hard cider or apple wine.

The best way to make hard cider or apple wine (styles and ABV differ) is with fresh apples or freshly pressed juice. M&M Wine Grape Company, LLC will be offering apple cider this fall for this purpose. We do our best to select cider with the best acid possible. It is this cider that makes the best fermented cider products.

There are numerous approaches to the process, so it doesn’t make sense to provide just a single one here. This blogger has made apple wine in the past and can certainly offer a few tips.

1. Enzymes – Particularly HC and PEC5L from Scott labs are really great to breaking down all the pectics that are found in apples and for making a nice clear product.

2. Nutrients – Apples are naturally low in nutrients for yeast and have a tendency to produce Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S rotten egg smell). Using products like Fermaid K or Fermaid O help to ensure a healthy fermentation and clean apple aromas.

3. Yeast – There are a number of yeasts perfect for fermenting apples. These “known” yeasts, as is the case with wine, beer, etc., provide the wine or cider maker with a yeast product that maxmizes positive attributes like mouthfeel, aroma, complexity, and fermentation qualities. A few of these strains are as follows: 71B, D47, EC1118, R2, QA23

4. Tannins – These are what give wines their “characteristic structure”, aid in longevity, and help create a balanced product that pleases the pallet. Apples are naturally low in tannins, which is partially why some recipes call for the inclusion of raisins. Modern winemaking techniques offer tannin solutions like FT Blanc Soft which work wonderfully in apple wines.

Making great apple wine can be accomplished really easy. A link to preorder your apple cider for this Fall will be available soon. You can also visit the cider section of our online store.  Of course, if you have any questions regarding this article, please feel free to contact us.

Happy Wine Making!