This is my second experiment in making apple wine. Both bottles finished at 0.994 final gravity with 12.6% alcohol.
Bottle 1
1/2 cup dextrose + roughly 25% more (less dense than sugar)
1/4 tsp DAP
1/4 tsp yeast nutrient (B vitamins)
1 tea bag steeped in 1/2 cup boiling water (for tannin)
1/16 tsp Red Star Premier Cuvee Yeast
Original gravity 1.09
Final gravity 0.994
Bottle 2
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp DAP
1/4 tsp yeast nutrient (B vitamins)
1 tea bag steeped in 1/2 cup boiling water (for tannin)
1/16 tsp Red Star Premier Cuvee Yeast
Original gravity 1.09
Final gravity 0.994
Final PH for both was between 4 and 5
For more details on the method check out my blog. The quick instructions are below.
After the ingredients are added cover the top with breathable paper as the yeast are multiplying, after 2-5 days add an airlock or loose cap with a plastic bag and elastic band. The wine should be fully brewed in 2-3 weeks. Leave in a warm, dark area until all bubbling stops.
Results:
Bottle 1
The smell is much stronger than the lower alcohol first version of this test. The same sour apple aroma is there with a more detectable alcohol smell. The smell is a bit stronger than I would like. The taste is reasonably smooth with the same sour apple flavor. It's drinkable but the recipe has room for improvement.
Bottle 2
There is a noticeable difference in the smell vs the dextrose. The smell has the same sour apple but with a harsher acidic alcohol smell. The taste is similar but more harsh and bitter. I'm not sure if I'm going to end up drinking this.
Final thoughts:
Neither bottle cleared as much as my previous experiment with just juice. The dextrose cleared slightly more than the sugar (sucrose). This probably would have improved had it been left longer.
The test succeeded in fully fermenting to 12.6% alcohol but I'm not totally satisfied with the smell or flavor. Aging may improve this. Next time I might replace some juice with water to reduce the flavor and smell. I likely will add in the bentonite again, it may help reduce some of the flavor, smell and help the clarity. I rebottled both of these to remove the sediment and it seems like the smell and flavor have mellowed out a bit.
It is starting to show that dextrose ferments cleaner with less off flavors than table sugar. This isn't as convenient or inexpensive but if you really want the best result then you'll have to pay more for the ingredients. More nutrients may offset this, I have more testing to do.
Please leave your comments and thoughts below. Cheers!