🍏 How to Make Homemade Apple Wine (~12% ABV)

This classic homemade apple wine recipe turns fresh, crisp apples into a smooth, medium-dry wine. Perfect for beginners, it uses simple techniques and reliable equipment to achieve a balanced fermentation and a clean, refreshing flavour.

🍷 Ingredients (1 Gallon / 4.5 Litres)

3–4 kg apples (ripe, cores removed, skins on)
600 g white sugar (split across two stages)
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 Campden tablet (optional, for sterilising must)
1 sachet of white wine yeast (QA23 or EC-1118 recommended)
Water to make 4.5 L

🥄 Method

Step 1 — Primary Fermentation (Days 0–7)

Chop and lightly crush the apples into a sterilised fermenting bucket.
Dissolve 400 g sugar in hot water, pour over the fruit. Top up with cold water to ~3.5 L.
Stir in pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient, and Campden tablet if using. Cover and leave 12–24 hours.
Take a hydrometer reading. Target OG: 1.060–1.065.
Pitch yeast and cover loosely. Stir daily with a stirring spoon for 5–7 days.

👉 Checkpoint: When SG drops to 1.020–1.030, strain fruit and move liquid to a demijohn.

Step 2 — Secondary Fermentation (Week 1+)

Dissolve remaining 200 g sugar in cooled water. Add this to the strained liquid in the demijohn.
Top up to 4.5 L with water.
Check hydrometer again. Target OG: 1.080–1.085.
Fit airlock & bung and allow fermentation to finish.

👉 Final Gravity (FG): 0.995–0.990 for medium-dry apple wine at ~12% ABV.

Step 3 — Clearing & Bottling

Rack off sediment every 2–3 months until the wine is clear.
Bottle using bottling equipment & caps once stable and bright.

Ageing: Drinkable within 6–9 months, develops more complexity after a year.

💡 Tips for Success

Hydrometer readings are essential for balanced sugar and ABV.
Split sugar feeding keeps yeast healthy and prevents stuck fermentations.
Use clean, ripe apples for the best flavour.
Patience improves clarity and taste.
Properly sterilise all equipment (fermenting bucket, demijohn, airlock & bung) to avoid contamination.

🍷 Final Thoughts

Homemade apple wine is a classic beginner’s project with reliable results. With proper fermentation, patience, and clean equipment, you’ll produce a smooth, medium-dry wine that’s crisp, refreshing, and perfect for sharing.