1 Gallon Cranberry/Apple (November 22, 2008)

[jeskremer]

DAY ONE

1 3/4 pound cane sugar (4c)
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
*3/4 tsp acid blend
1/2 gallon golden delicious apple cider
1/4 tsp energizer
1/8 tsp tannin
1/2 tsp nutrient
3 1/2 pints water
1/2 pound raisons (1 1/2c)
1 1/2 pounds cranberries (6c)
1/2 packet champagne yeast

1. Heat raisins,water, and cranberries until they pop. Sanitize a food mill. Mill over the pot a couple of times before pouring into the primary.

2. Add all of the remaining ingredients EXCEPT yeast to the primary.

*NOTE: This recipe may be too acidic. It tested at 1.1%! Test before adding acid blend next time.

[jeskremer]

DAY TWO
Added 1/2 packet of champagne yeast.

[jeskremer]

DAY SIX
Continue to test the SG daily. By day six, the SG had dropped to 1.030. The primary was funneled into the secondary. Airlocked after much of the CO2 had blown off.

[jeskremer]

TWO MONTHS
Racked off of the lees. Unfortunately, because I did not use a straining bag, but rather put the cranberries through the food mill and directly into the primary, 1/4 of the carboy was lees. At this time, I added 1 full bottle of the medium apple wine made that was bottled in July of 2007 to make up for the loss in volume.

[jeskremer]

SEVEN MONTHS & TWO WEEKS

Less alcohol content next time. OK flavor though.

Racked, added 12 oz. cold water, 1/2 tsp of potassium sorbate, 1/8 tsp of potassium metabisulfate. Added 1/8 c sugar. Degassed and placed under airlock.

[jeskremer]

NINE MONTHS

Bottled

[jeskremer]

JUNE 2011
Opened a bottle and it sat in the refrigerator for a while. Excellent flavor. The added sugar at bottling may have reduced some of the bland, strong alcohol flavor and brought out the fruit flavor. Tested with hydrometer at 72 degree room temperature. 0.99%. Fairly dry, yet very good. I tried some combinations of further sweetening. Do not use more than one more tsp per 1/2 c. or for a 750ml bottle (3 1/4c), no more than another 2T. The hydrometer will now read around 1.00.