Dry Apple Wine

Apple wines delighted our ancestors because they represented an economical way to preserve the abundance of fruit that a standard-size apple tree usually produced. This recipe makes a dry table wine. 

5 pints (2.4L) apple juice (without preservatives) 
1 teaspoon (5 g) pectic enzyme
2 1/2 pounds (1.14kg) sugar
1 tablespoon (15 g) citric acid or 2 ounces (60 g) acid blend
1 Campden tablet (optional) 
1 package (5-7 g) wine yeast
1 teaspoon (5g) yeast nutrient 
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) apple juice, at room temp


1.) Pour the 5 pints of apple juice into a 2-gallon (7.6L) plastic bucket or wastebasket, and add the pectic enzyme. Add the sugar and citric acid and enough water to make 1 gallon (3.8 L). Add a Campden tablet to the must, if desired, and let the mixture stand, well covered, for 24hrs. 

2) In a jar, make a yeast starter culture by combining the wine yeast, yeast nutrient, and the 1 1/2cups (360ml) of apple juice. Cover, shake vigorously, and let stand 1 to 3 hours, until bubbly; then add to the must. 

3) Let the primary fermentation occur in the fermentation vat for 48hrs, stirring with a clean plastic or metal spoon twice a day to aerate the mixture. Then, using a wire strainer lined with two or three layers of cheesecloth. strain the mixture into an air-locked fermentation vessel. Discard the solids. Allow the mixture to ferment for three to six months. When the fermentation is complete, rack the wine into bottles. 
4) Wait at least six months before opening your first bottle 

Variation - Cinnamon-Apple wine : reduce the sugar by 2 tablespoons and add an equal amount of small, red cinnamon candies.