Making homemade wine is a wonderful and rewarding experience. Not only does it save money, but also the creative process and endless variations ensure you always have a luscious and delectable bouquet to enjoy. Romantic evenings, holidays and any other occasion will be even more special with your own personal, homemade wine to celebrate with. The top two choices of how to make wine without a commercial kit are to use pulp or juice as your starting ingredient.Pulp Fermentation - This traditional process gives the best wine color and flavor. A pulp is made of the fruit and fermentation begins in a bucket. The bucket is called a ‘primary fermentor and the fruit pulp is called ‘must’. Water, sugar and other ingredients are added to the pulp and the fermentor is sealed against air by an airlock (if you’re on a tight budget you can secure plastic wrap around the top with a rubber band).

Juice Fermentation-This beginning fermentation process actually works best for white wine varieties (where final wine color and a deep flavor is not a concern).To make wine by juice fermentation you’ll be using the juices that are extracted from the fruit (by mashing, then straining), or by using a juice concentrate, or by purchasing a wine kit - see the kits at right).The juice, concentrate, or kit contents, are then placed directly into the carboy, bypassing the entire pulp fermentation stage as above.

Ingredients

1. Qt. of fruit, any kind.
2. Package of active yeast.
3. Cups of sugar.
4. 1 gallon of water (separated as 1 cup hot water, 2 cups warm water and 13 cups).
5. Colander or cheeses clothe.
6. Container with tight-fitting lid.

PROCESS

1 Mash and crush the fruit with a spoon or masher and transfer it to the clean, 1-gallon container or jug.

2 Mix the 2 cups of sugar in 1 cup of hot water. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Let this mixture cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add the sugar mixture to the fruit and stir.

3 Dissolve the package of active yeast in 2 cups of warm water. As you mix this, the yeast may foam.

4 Combine the yeast mixture with the fruit and sugar

5 Pour the remaining 13 cups of water into the container and stir the complete mixture.

6 Place the lid on the container and store it in a dark, cool place for 2 to 3 weeks to enable the mixture to ferment.

7 Strain the fermented mixture through a cheesecloth or colander to get a smooth consistency, and pour the finished product into a container for use.

This homemade wine recipe can be made with any type or combination of fruit to suit your personal taste. The wine can be enjoyed immediately after straining, but storing it for a few weeks will allow it to age and develop a more robust, full flavor.

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