Grapes and more grapes101WINEMAKING.COM      
42.4883667, -77.113860700000038

 

  
 
Fruit Wine Additives 
 
Fruit winemaking requires nutrients such as Fermaid and acid blend plus additional sugar.  Use your hydrometer!  Pectic enzyme is always recommended for fruit winemaking.
 
Did you forget that you have a bag of peach chunks or stemmed elderberries in the freezer ready to make wine when things slowed down? Guess what? Now is the time to jump on them. Get them going! If you need topping or more fruit, the season is almost upon us and it is already here for some areas in the country.
 
These are the most commonly used additives for fruit wines.
  • Fermaid is a complex yeast nutrient, which is used at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons.
  • Tannin: usage varies and may not be required or desired.
  • Acid blend: usage varies or may not be required.
  • Campden Tablets is an anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial agent for small lots.
  • Pectic enzyme powder or liquid allows for easier juice extraction. Pectic enzyme breaks down the pectin found in fruits that helps it to gel and hold together, thus inhibiting juice extraction.  Pectic enzyme increases juice yield and helps prevent a pectin haze in wines.  American variety grapes require more pectic enzyme and so do apples and other fruits. 
  • Yeast: Cotes des Blanc and Lalvin 71B bring out the fruit.  Five gram packs are rated for 5-6 gallons. These yeast are more sensitive and are easier to stop. 
    An ale yeast with a 10% tolerance to alcohol would be great for fruit wines.

OTHER ADDITIVES: 

Tom's Apple Metheglin recipe with many other additives! 

The more you know about your fruits the easier it is to make proper additive selections.  This is a list of APPLES I found that may be of interest

Good Luck and may your wines fall bright!

Tom and Marcy Mitchell and staff

Departments

May Your Wines Fall Bright!