Letters: When will my apple juice become wine?

Hello Bill:

I have a question and I believe you are the man who would have an answer.

I have been given some apples and I made apple preserves with some of them and with some I made homemade vinegar, like my grandmother did when I was a small child. I can't wait until it is vinegar and I can taste it. This is the first time I have done this. But, I also tried another first: wine.

With some of the apples I juiced them so they could turn to wine. I was wondering if you could tell me how long this process takes. I only made just a couple quarts. I wanted to try it so I could marinate a roast in it. A family member told me ... that gives the roast the best flavor and it is so tender.

... I have no clue when my apple juice will be wine. So, could you please tell me when I can expect this?

Thank you, and God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

-- Wanda Ridpath, Virginia

Wanda:

This question is a little tricky because I'm not familiar with (a) the types of apples you used, (b) what sort of container (wood, metal, plastic, etc.) you put the apple juice in, (c) how ripe the fruit was before crushing, and (d) how much sugar and yeast you used, among other questions.

Generally speaking, the quickest methods of making fruit wines need at least 3-5 months of aging to be sure the fermentation process has been completed. Obviously, this isn't a quick process since the aging comes only after a variety of other steps have been completed.

Your best bet, no doubt, is to get a book on fruit wine making from a book store or home brewing supply store. It will explain in detail the chemistry of the process, the hygiene you need to use, and the complete timeline for creating your own wine.

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