When fall comes we can look forward to apples and apples mean pies, cider, and perhaps, wine. My paternal grandmother, Helen S. Wright, author of the book Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines,found this recipe for apple wine when researching wines recipes in New England about 1900. It is the only apple wine recipe she includes in her book although there are many wines made from other fruits and a recipe for cider without apples
Ingredients: (Pulled from recipe with amounts as specified, or not)
1 gallon fresh apple juice
2 lbs common loaf sugar
Good yeast
Isinglass
Rectified spirit of wine or a pint of French brandy
Directions (in Grandmother’s words)
To every gallon of apple juice, immediately as it comes from the press, add two pounds of common loaf sugar; boil it a long as any scum rises, then strain it through a sieve, and let it cool. Add some good yeast, and stir it well. Let it work in the tub for two or three weeks, or till the head begins to flatten; then skim off the head, drain it clear off and tun it. When made a year, rack it off and fine it with isinglass; then add one-half pint of the best rectified spirit of wine or a pint of French brandy to every eight gallons.
To buy Old Time Recipes for Homemade Wines by Helen S. Wright Click Here.