Apple Wine from pulp

[Sanjo]

Could one of you wonderful experts advise me please.
Being a tightwad!! I have just made 7lbs of crabapple jelly (which surprised me by being a great success!).
I used 11lbs of apples and strained it overnight. Now my question is - can I now use the pulp for apple wine if I add say, raisins or something!
Seems a shame to waste it.
I realise that having boiled it for the jelly it no longer has all the juice but can it be used for anything other than putting on the compost heap?
I didn't squeeze the jelly bag so there may be something left of the flavour!
I was going to pour about 3 pints of boiling water on it and let it steep and then strain it off onto 1lb raisins, adding pectolase, citric acid, nutrient, yeast etc.
What do you think. Doesn't need to be strong and I like dry wine anyway.
Will it work or am I just wasting my time (not to mention the raisins and sugar)
Thanks in advance. Sandra

[Hilary B]

Worth a try! Add pectolase as soon as it cools after the boiling water, and I would be tempted to add the raisins (chopped or minced) to the pulp when adding the boiling water, or use grape-juice concentrate instead. Let it steep at that stage for a couple of days.
How much would it matter to waste the 'additions' for a wine which at worst may rely on the 'other ingredients' for flavour? You should get SOMETHING from the mix!

[Sanjo]

Thanks Hilary. I got impatient and put the boiling water on before I went out a couple of hours ago so it is cold now.
I do have the pectolase ready so will add that now. Fortunately, I popped into Wilkinsons before I came home and bought a white wine concentrate so I'll put that in instead of the raisins.
At what stage would you add the yeast and nutrient though. Now - to ferment on the pulp - or once I've steeped it for a couple of days and strained it into a demijohn?

[Hilary B]

I always reckon that fermenting 'on the pulp' helps with flavour extraction. It also reduces the risk of 'wild yeasts' and other unwelcome life forms........

[Sanjo]

Well, I went ahead and did just that Hilary. I added 1lb sugar in a syrup, 1lb chopped raisins, juice of a lemon, champagne yeast and nutrient. It is in a big white fermenting bucket and already has a thick cap which I break up every morning. It made so much noise "popping" yesterday. As I was concerned that the conservatory would be too cold overnight I moved the bucket into the living room. (Got to look after me creation!!)
In the middle of the night the C.O. monitor went off, at least that's what we thought it was. Did it twice. In the end OH got up and removed the battery. Not a problem at present as we have no fire on.
Watching tv tonight and it's the smoke alarm in the hall that is going off. No discernable reason, there certainly isn't any smoke and I didn't burn the dinner earlier. Since we didn't want another night like last night we have again removed the battery. Tomorrow it's off to the shops to replace the alarm. Just our luck - they'll be a fire tonight!!
IT is probably just a complete coincidence but it's strange that it's all happened since I moved the wine bucket inside. Mind you, it does smell "heady"
Anyway, I shall stir it for a week and then strain it into a demijohn, at least that should cut down the odour.