Long hot summer has made our booze stronger, say Britain’s cider makers
For gardens and vineyards throughout the UK, it affected record-temperature summer alcohol products, which can hit the shelves a little more powerful next year.
Long, hot and dry summer period, apples, grapes and fruits such as fruits were much sweeter when harvesting.
As a result, drinks such as apple wine and wine will have higher alcohol content when first made.
Susan Vaughan, Director of Celtic Marches, who made apple wine at a family farm in Herefordshire, said: “It is too early to say how this will affect the taste of our apple wine, but early pressing shows richer, more brave tastes than previous years.
“The sugar levels in apples are really high, which certainly leads to higher alcohol content.”
Vaughan said they decided to harvest their apples at least a week in advance due to warmer weather. He said that this year’s crops have recently seen, with a record amount of sugar levels in apples and grapes.
However, the alcohol content in the next summer product will not be affected, because they plan to reduce ABV levels to ensure consistency throughout the apple wine.
This summer, it was the hottest record of the UK, with the average temperature of the heat waves and the long-term average of 16.10C-1.51C.
Andrew Paterson from Lallemand Brewing said that conditions are more photosynthesis, and that plants are the process in which the sunlight creates sugar using the energy of sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose.
He said that the lack of rain helps to produce sweeter fruits because it means less water and a stronger sugar content in fruits, grapes and apples. “When you have a high amount of sugar in apples, this food source for fermentation… Maya will consume sugar and create alcohol in doing so.
“If you have more sugar at the beginning of the fermentation process, the yeast will naturally create more alcohol during fermentation process.”
He said that larger manufacturers will always standardize the product of a certain alcohol concentration, which is usually around 5 percent.
However, at the other end of the market, smaller craft manufacturers can choose to allow a natural variation in alcohol concentration.
Mr. Paterson said that the fermentation of the fruit this summer has just begun and that the customer’s apple wine will be around spring or summer next year, and probably for wine.
“Interestingly, because it was dry, you will get stronger wines or apple wine, but you will actually get less because there is less liquid in fruits or apples.”
Darryl Hinksman, President of Westons Cider Business Development in the Herefordshire countryside, said, “Because of the long hot summer, the apples we have ever received were high in sugar and helps this fermentation.
“Lack of rain, however, the real weight of the fruit, so far, a little down to last year, that is, apples, although it was very sweet, it did not really increase.”
Mr. Hinksman said that there would be almost no difference in finished products because they blend the fruit juices to provide consistency on apple wine.
