Posted on 21 August 2012. Tags: Balloon, Concentrate, Fermentation Process, fruit, gallon, glass bottles, Grape Juice, Home, juice concentrate, Tinted glass
There are many people who love to make wine at home but they do not want to go to all of the trouble to process the needed fruit. You will be pleased to know that you do not have to use fresh fruit to make wine at home. You can also use juice concentrate to make wine that is very tasty.
Making wine from concentrate is a fairly easy process. You will need to get the fruit of your choice, sugar, yeast, balloons, and glass bottles. Tinted glass is best but if you do not have tinted glass there are other steps you can take using clear glass. A gallon jug is best and preferably one that has a small neck. Wide mouth jars are more difficult to handle and do not work as well.
You will need to prepare the concentrate by using the directions found on the package. For every gallon of juice you will want to add a couple of cups of sugar. If you prefer you wine to be less sweet you can cut the added sugar in half. After you have thoroughly mixed the sugar into the juice you will want to add two envelopes of yeast for every gallon of juice. This too should also be well stirred and mixed.
Once you have this mixture thoroughly mixed, you will then be ready to pour it into your glass bottles. Make sure that all of the bottles you use are thoroughly sterilized. Always leave a few inches at the top of the bottle for headspace. Take a balloon and stretch over the top of the bottle. Then place the bottle in a dark place where there is little to no light. It should also be fairly cool since heat can cause the mixture to turn sour. You will then leave the mixture undisturbed. You can track the progress of the fermentation process by watching the balloon. The balloon will start to inflate while the yeast is working. Once the wine is completed the balloon will deflate.
Once this process is complete you will then need to siphon the liquid from the bottle and place into sterilized serving bottles. Place a filter of some type over the end of the siphon hose to keep from siphoning the sediment that has settled in the bottom of the bottles. A simple filter can be made from surgical gauze.
Making wine from juice concentrate is a great way for the home wine maker to enjoy a great tasting glass of homemade wine without a lot of fuss. Grape juice is the most popular type of concentrate but there are other juice concentrates that can be used. Some stores will carry dark grape and white grape juice. The dark variety tends to be richer and sweeter while the white juice has a slightly tarter taste that is lighter.
If you are planning an occasion to drink your homemade wine you will need to allow approximately one month for the fermentation process. There is no way to rush the process so always remember to give yourself enough time.
Posted in Winemaking Tips
Posted on 25 January 2010. Tags: Apples, Array, Concentrate, Concentrates, Eve, fruit, Fruits, grapes, Home, Home Brewing, Home Winemaking, Interaction, Making, Proper Proportions, Reason, Rewards, Strawberries, Wine, Wine Equipment, Wine Recipes, Wine Varieties, Winemaking Books, Winemaking Kit, Winemaking Recipes
If you have given some thought to the idea of making wine at home but just haven’t quite gotten around to it yet, there is no reason to delay any longer. Thousands of people around the world happily enjoy the benefits and rewards of making their own wine. While certain equipment is required, you do not need to make a prohibitive investment or even have a large space in order to enjoy a hobby that can be quite rewarding.
In reality, making wine at home is much easier than you might at first think. The entire process really only involves combining concentrate or fruit with a few simple other ingredients, placing it into the container and then letting it go to work. The resulting process is actually quite natural and will not require a lot of interaction from you. In fact, it could be said that all you really need to do is make sure that the proper proportions of ingredients are combined and then provided with an environment that is suitable and stable.
Before you begin making wine you will need to decide on a recipe. This part might actually be one of the hardest steps because there are so many home winemaking recipes from which you can choose. If you purchase a winemaking kit, the kit will probably contain at least one recipe you can use to get started. Even without a kit there are numerous winemaking recipes available online as well as in winemaking books.
You will also need to give some thought to the type of fruit that you want to use in your wine. Most wine varieties are made with grapes; however, there are also many wine recipes that call for the use of a wide array of fruits including strawberries, blackberries, apples and much more.
Beyond making wine from fruit, another option would be to make wine from concentrated juice. Wine juice concentrated can be easily purchased in a home brewing store as well as online. In fact, you will generally find that most concentrates contain directions and recipes on the package, so it is easy to get started even if it is your first batch. Many beginning winemakers prefer to use concentrated wine juices for their first batches because they are so easy to use. They are also available throughout the year, unlike fruit which may only be available during certain times of the year.
In addition, you will need to give some thought to whether you want to use a wine making starter kit. Many beginning winemakers do prefer these kits, at least in the beginning because they contain all of the ingredients and equipment that you need in order to make your first batch of wine. In addition, these kits will walk you step by step through the process. If you have delayed getting started making your own wine because you were intimidated by the process, these kits can help to demystify the process and guide you through the entire process with very little problems.
For your first batch of wine you will need a few basic ingredients. These ingredients are necessary whether you are making wine from fruit or concentrate.
Yeast nutrient is not yeast per se; instead it is a type of energy that is used to make sure the yeast starts the fermentation process. Pectic enzyme may be added to assist in the breakdown of the fruit during the fermentation process. Acid blend is used in controlling the amount of sharpness that is present in the wine. You may find in some cases that your wine seems somewhat flat. Acid blend can help to correct this problem. Wine tannin is the zest of fruit and is available in powder form. You may wish to add it to your wine in order to improve the wine’s character. Wine yeast is what actually starts the fermentation process by converting the sugar into alcohol. Campden tablets are typically added right before the fermentation and also before bottling. These tablets are used to make sure that the wine does not become spoiled.
Posted in Winemaking 101
