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.
