I was in an antique store recently and they had a selection of gallon jugs for sale at $5 a piece. These were not antiques (one still had an expiration date stamped on the lid of Dec 1999). I told the owner his contemporary jugs were way too high. He asked what I would give for them and I said, "Nothing, really. I get all the jugs I want at under $5 each and they come filled with fresh-pressed apple juice." And indeed that is how I generally acquire gallon-sized secondaries. The juice, of course, is then made into wine.
The recipe below is generally the one I use. I do, however, float a hydrometer in the juice to determine exactly how much sugar to add and I suggest you do the same. I've measued the acidity of the juice a few times in the past to calculate the amount of acid to add, but the amount specified below is generally the right amount. The wine can be drank as soon as it is finished, but I swear that those who retain (age) it a year will be glad they did. It improves that much!
Crush Campden tablet very fine and scatter in bottom of primary with sugar, yeast nutrient, tannin, and yeast nutrient. Add apple juice and stir very well to completely dissolve sugar. Cover with sanitized muslin cloth and set aside for 12 hours. Add pectic enzyme, recover, and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. When fermentation is very strong, stir twice daily for 5 days. Stir again and immediately transfer to gallon secondary, leaving 3 inches of ullage (headspace), and fit airlock. Pour excess juice into wine bottle and seal with #2 bung fitted with airlock. When fermentation in gallon secondary stops (3-8 weeks), rack and top up with racked excess juice (if not enought to top up, top up with finished apple juice or water). Allow wine to set for 2 months, then rack again and stabilize. Wait additional 30 days and rack yet again. Sweeten to taste if desired. If no renewed fermentation in 30 days, bottle the wine. Age one year. [Author's own recipe]
My thanks to Brian Young for the request.
