Gervins yeast GV6 is specified as being able to attain 21% alcohol, if there is sufficent nutrient. Getting to 21% is a bit of a black art however. Also not sure sure how fermenting a wine to that strength will actually affect to final taste, I would guess that much of the apple flavour gets destroyed, will agree that the result may need a couple of years to become drinkable.
A good starter of GV6, tub of nutrient, some tannin (teabag?) and you shouldn't need a kit. Not sure how violent GV6 is during fermentation.
Possibly would have been better to have put 2/3 of the sugar in then added to remainder slowly afterwards. If there is too much sugar or the fermentation stops you will have a sweet wine, which you may not want. It simply guards a little against this.
Interesting points you make, Annie, thank you.
Because I've discovered that the sugar has reverted to a syrup, low down in the fermenter, and it is fermenting well - as quick as I've ever heard one go actually, I agree that there may be the tendency to choke the yeast later on.
However, yeast appears (can't be justified), to have the strength to do the job, and the nutrient was a huge pack, (didn't weigh it unfortunately) so I'll wait and see!
Not worried at the moment; I've made so many variations of wines over the years, and saved them one way or another, this is a great challenge, and who knows, it could be better than we thought!
Glasses are always half-full here!
;0)
Was the apple juice from a supermarket? Wondering if it has preservatives in it that could hinder the yeast.
Yes, and like nearly all apple juices from Twongos, it had no preservative! We always check to see if there's any sulphite or worse, lurking in the list!
Edit to fix quoted text.