Feb 23 2010
Learning About Homemade Wines and the Varieties of Dried Fruit & Grain Wines
Making wines from grain and dried fruits is a boom to the townsman who finds these ingredients easily available. Mixtures of these ingredients really make strong, fully flavored, but not too fully flavored wines which, when not make too sweet, are often likened to whiskeys, brandies and other strong liqueurs.
Recipes for making fruit wines allow tannin in the fruits. Tannin is an important part of the flavour of the wine; though few people realize it. Yet they soon know when there is too much because the wine takes on the flavour or ‘tang’ of strong unsweetened tea. Note. The little tannin has given to fruit wines are usually just the right amount. Usually, there is no tannin present in dried fruit wines. Thus, it is as well to add one tablespoonful of freshly made tea-not too strong-to make a good deficiency. Special grape tannin is available, but tea is a cheap and handy source of which you might as well make use. In addition, you can include tea in the recipes.
Most of the dried fruit must heavily sulphited to prevent fermentation and most wheat or other grain has been in contact with all sorts of dirt, dust and bacteria. Thus, they must be well cleansed before use. To do so, you have to break up the raisins and drop them into boiling water and as soon as the water boils again cut-off the heat, strain the raisins and throw the water away. The raisins are then ready to use. Do the same with wheat or other grain, but use a separate saucepan; they are then ready to use.
DATE WINE 3 lb. of packeted or loose dates, 1 lemons, 6 oranges, 2 lb. sugar, 9 pts. water, 1 oz. yeast 1 tablespoonful of freshly made tea. The method of preparing ingredients and for making this wine is identical to that given in the recipe for making dried apricot wine. Date wine has very little flavour of its own, thus lemons and oranges must be added to give a nice flavour, and the amount of oranges here will make it into a lovely wine. But if you wish to make a wine of little flavour for some special purpose, let’s say for example, blending it with one that has too much flavour or for flavoring as you wish with an extract or whatever you may have in mind, then use no oranges at all. PRUNE AND RAISIN VINTAGE 3 lb. prunes, 1 lb. raisins, 1 lb. wheat, 2 lemons, 2 oranges, 3 lb. sugar, 9 pts. water, 1 oz. yeast.
CURRANT WINE No lemons are required here as currants contain sufficient acid, neither is tea required. 4 lb. currants, 1 lb. raisins, 2 3/4 lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 9 pts. water. 1.Prepare the currants by the method given for prunes in the previous recipe, and put in the fermenting vessel. Boil half the sugar (or roughly half) in seven pints water for two minutes and pour on to the currants at once. Allow to cool and add the yeast. Cover as directed and ferment for twelve days, crushing and covering again each day. 2.After twelve days, strain out the solids and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar. 3.Boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining two pints of water for two minutes and when cool add to the rest. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.
RAISIN WINE 3 lb. raisins, 3 lemons, 2 lb. sugar, 9 pts. water, 1 oz. yeast, 1 tablespoonful of freshly made tea. 1.Less sugar than usual is required here because the large amount of raisins will give a lot of sugar to the wine - which will not be dry. For a dry raisin wine use only one and a quarter pound of sugar. Put the raisins and the sliced lemons and the tea in the Fermenting vessel. 2.Boil all the sugar in all the water (or half the water at a time if your saucepan is on the small side), and add the rest while boiling. 3.When cool, add the yeast and ferment for fourteen days, stirring daily and covering again at once. Strain and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.
For years, Olivia Frisch has been learning the tricks to brewing a fabulous homemade wine. Did you know you can even use dried fruits & grains to make a professional tasting vino? It’s not as challening of a process as you may have thought. To learn more about brewing homemade wine, follow the link.
