Although crabapples are mostly grown for their ornamental trees and flowering blossoms, they also make a delectable wine. Don’t believe us? Just try it and see!

Ingredients:

4 ½ lb Crabapples

½ pt Wht grape conc. Or 1 lb raisins

7 pts Water

1 ¾ lb Sugar

½ tsp Pectic Enzyme

1 tsp Nutrient

1 Campden, crush

1 pkg Champ. Yeast

Starting S.G. 1.090-95

FYI: All the above ingredients can be purchased in one convenient package at letsmakefoodandwine.com!

Method:

1. Select only sound and ripe fruit. Wash lightly and chop up apples, but avoid cutting the bitter seeds. If a press is not available, place cut-up fruit in nylon straining bag. Crush, press and strain out juice into primary fermentor. Immediately add Campden (crushed) into juice.
2. Keep all pulp in bag, tie top and place in primary.
3. Stir in all other ingredients except yeast. Cover primary.
4. After 24 hrs., strain juice from pulp. Discard pulp. Add yeast. Cover primary.
5. Stir daily and check Specific Gravity.
6. When ferment reaches S.G. of 1.040 (3-5 days) syphon wine off sediment into glass jug secondary. Attach airlock.
7. When ferment is complete (S.G. has dropped to 1.000—about 3 weeks) syphon off sediment into clean secondary. Reattach lock. Syphon again in 2 months and again if necessary until clear before bottling.

Varieties:

Crabapples (Malus L.) are hardy trees, easy to care for, excellent flowering landscape additions. For jelly and winemaking the smaller apple-like fruit are very welcome. Good varieties to plant: “Dolgo”, white blossoms, good flavor; “Hopa”, rose-red blossoms; “Royalty”, purple foliage, maroon flowers.

Tags: crabapple wine

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