What do i need to make wine?

Question

what do i need to add to my chokecherry/ crab apple mix to actually start the fermentation process? and how often do i add the sugar?

we have a 5 gallon pail about 3/4 full of choke cherries.

Answer 1

Brewers yeast.

1. Remove any seeds/ pits stems that may have gotten in to the bucket.

2. Crush the meat of the cherries/ apples into pulp, but not mush.

3. Add Yeast. Mix well. Add sugar, about 15 lbs.

4. cover with cheese cloth and let set for about 6 days, or until it starts to cool.

5. Drain and filter.

6. pasteurize at 120 degrees, chill and enjoy.

Answer 2

Sounds promising but you will have to add a heck of a lot of sugar. Too much sugar at any one time might kill the yeast, though. I'd divide it into three batches and add the next batch only after fermentation slows. Do you have a recipe? CJJ Berry has several books that might be of some help. Rather than pasteurization at the end (which will drive off the alcohol), I'd suggest using metabisulfite at the start to kill the wild yeast and bacteria. Then wait a day before pitching the yeast. My guess would be that a champagne yeast might be slightly better than a Montrachet.

I'm jealous of your choke cherries. They add great flavor to a kriek (beer).