apple wine

I was kindly given access to windfall apples, that were surplus to the owners requirements, so I have been using apples in as many ways as possible this last two weeks and apple wine was first on the agenda.

Ingrediants:
3kg apples a mix is best but any you have will work
1kg granulated sugar
250g raisins optional
teabag

Prepare a yeast starter in advance.
Place 100ml warm water, 50g granulated sugar, 1tsp yeast, 1tsp pectolsae, 1tsp wine yeast, and 1 tsp citric acid in a bottle. Mix and leave in a warm place for a few hours
Thoroughly wash the apples and rinse in a sterilised solution.
Place the chopped apples into a sterilised white fermentation bucket.
Add sugar.
Pour over 3 litres of boiling water.
Stir until all the sugar has been dissolved.
Add 2litres of cold water.
Add the yeast starter mix.
Cover closely and leave in a warm place for 2 weeks, stirring every couple of days.
Strain the must through a lined funnel into a sterilised demijohn.
Top up the demijohn to the shoulders with cooled boiled water if required.
Seal with a bung and air trap.
If using a rubber bung cover it in cling film, remembering to leave a hole by the air trap, to prevent the wine tasting of rubber. Adding a few drops of food colouring to the water can help make the bubbles wasier to see.
Leave the wine to ferment to dryness.
The wine will stop producing bubbles when dryness has been reached.
Rack the wine from the demijohn and leave to mature.

I have read that apple wine tastes better when chilled. We have only just filtered the must. But if the end product tastes as nice as this my birthday bash should be a great night!