Heat One Quart Cider, Concentrate, Spices and Tea Bags. Let Steep.
Rest of Cider, Sugar, Yeast, Energizer, Nutrient and Wood Chips into Carboy.
Add Steeped mixture to carboy. Pitch in the yeast. Give it a shake and put in an air lock.
Log Notes
7/12/97 Started. S.G. 1.091.
7/21/97 Ferment has slowed considerably. Added Bentonite.
7/27/97 Rack to new carboy. S.G. @ 1.04. Added Energizer.
8/1/97 Almost no ferment present. S.G. well over 1.00. Wine is very clear.
8/13/97 No ferment evident. S.G. still over 1.00. Rack off two clear gallons from carboy and then added two and half gallons of new cider. Added brown and white sugar to an S.G. of 1.060. Pitch in Champagne Yeast, Energizer and Nutrient. Wine has a dark tan color.
9/2/97 S.G. .996 still fermenting strong.
12/15/97 Minimal Ferment still going added two cups of white sugar. Strong alchol taste. Going to continue adding sugar slowly until absolutely no continued ferment can be supported.
12/25/97 Ferment good.
1/12/98 Ferment has slowed. Ambient temperture 65.
1/14/98 Added one cup white sugar. Ambient temperture 65.
1/15/98 Slight Ferment. S.G. .996
1/24/98 S.G. .992. Still going, tossed in five Cinnimon Sticks. The smell is slight apple and unidentifiable spicey aroma. Taste isn't to bad. Strong Alc. kick. May have to blend this one down.
3/21/98 No visible ferment added 1 cup of brown sugar. Add 1 Teaspoon Tannin.
4/1/98 Still no ferment. Adding Mulling spices.
4/6/98 Placed carboy in the fridge. This wine is very murky due to Mulling spices may eventually need to be filtered. S.G. No reading < .990
4/23/98 Wine is out of fridge and has cleared considerably. Tastes of the mulling spice and alcohol. If this one doesn't mellow will cut with fresh cider. Taste is ok.
4/30/98 Add Bentonite.
5/3/98 Rack to new carboy, top off with apple juice. Flavor is very interesting but definately needs to sit. Added 1 teaspoon of tannin.
5/8/98 Add 1 tea tannin. Very strong. Clearing well.
3/17/99 Still clearing. Way to strong, this will need to be blended.
Blended 1/2 gal. with the 98 mead and another 1.2 gal. with the cranberry wine.