| There are normally several steps involved in | | | | Consult the instructions that comes with the |
| making a great homemade wine. The recipe given | | | | hydrometer for doing proper readings. Both the |
| hereuses grapes but you can also use blueberries, | | | | acidity testing kit and the hydrometer can be |
| raspberries or any other berries of your choice. If | | | | purchased from a winemaking supply store near |
| you choose to use berries instead of grapes, just | | | | your or you can order it online. |
| the same directions, adjusting the sugar to taste. | | | | You should also use small taste tests throughout |
| You will need more sugar for fruits other than | | | | the winemaking process to determine if your wine |
| grapes as they are much lower in sugar content. | | | | is developing without problems. |
| 1. The first step in making wine from grapes (or | | | | 7. Ensure that all containers and utensils you use |
| any other fruit of yourchoice) is to pick grapes at | | | | have been cleaned thoroughly and sterilized. |
| the peak of their flavor. Under-ripe or green | | | | Unsterilized and dirty equipment will result in |
| grapes and fruit will make your wine very acidic | | | | fermenting bad bacteria with your wine which will |
| and sour which is undesirable. Some of the best | | | | give it an off taste. |
| grapes for making wine include Merlot, Concord, | | | | The usual container used for fermenting wine is |
| Niagara and Catawba. These are but a few of the | | | | called a carboy or demijohn. These come in glass |
| many varieties of grapes available for making | | | | or can also be purchased in plastic. Just make |
| wine. | | | | sure that if you elect to buy the plastic one that |
| To test whether your fruits are ripe enough | | | | the plastic is food graded. Using any other plastic |
| mash up a good double handful,strain the juice and | | | | may cause chemicals to leach into your wine that |
| then measure the sugar level with a hydrometer. | | | | will make you sick as well as change the flavor of |
| A hydrometer is a device that is used to | | | | your wine. |
| accurately measure sugar levels and they are | | | | 8. Cover the container loosely and allow the must |
| available from any winemaking supply shop near | | | | to ferment 7 to 10 days at room temperature |
| you. You should aim for a sugar density around | | | | (around 70 degrees Fahrenheit or a little above). |
| 22° Brix - this equals 1.0982 specific gravity | | | | The container should be glass, ceramic or food |
| or 11 percent potential alcohol - and the fruit | | | | grade plastic. Metal containers should be avoided |
| should have a sweet, ripe and slightly tart flavour. | | | | could cause a negative chemical reaction due to |
| You will have to make sure that the grapes are | | | | the acids in the wine. Stir the must at least once |
| clean and free of insects and other debris. Get rid | | | | a day. |
| of any grapes that look rotten or not usable. You | | | | 9. Once the primary fermentation stage is |
| also need to make sure that all the stems are | | | | complete, strain the liquid and place in a jug filling |
| removed before mashing the grapes otherwise it | | | | the jug nearly to the top to ferment. You will |
| will give your wine a bitter taste. | | | | need to put an airlock on the mouth of the jug to |
| 2. Rinse the grapes under running water to | | | | allow the gases caused by the fermentation |
| thoroughly cleanse them. Next you will need to | | | | process to escape. (An airlock is a device made |
| crush and press the grapes to separate the pulp | | | | specifically for winemaking and can be purchased |
| and juice from the skins. A good way to do this | | | | from any winemaking supply store. This airlock |
| is to place the fruit in a mesh or nylon bag and | | | | allows carbon dioxide to freely escape the wine |
| press the juices out by hand, or, if you are | | | | while preventing oxygen from entering) Place the |
| making a large batch, stomping on them with | | | | jug in a warm place to allow fermentation to |
| your feet using clean Wellington or gum boots. | | | | continue. During this process, bubbles will rise out |
| 3. If you prefer a sweeter wine, you can also add | | | | of the must mixture for six weeks or longer. |
| purchased juice or juice concentrates to your | | | | When the bubbles have ceased, the sugar is all |
| mixture. These juices are available online or from | | | | gone or the yeast have finally expired. |
| your local wine making shop. | | | | 10. At this stage you can take a taste of your |
| 4. Next, add sugar, acid nutrients and yeast to | | | | wine if you are curious about the taste, but do |
| achieve your desired ratio. | | | | not drink a whole glassful. The wine is still |
| Here is a basic white wine recipe: | | | | fermenting and will probably result in an upset |
| 1 gallon of the fruit of your choice (crushed) | | | | stomach! It is OK to taste little bits of wine as |
| 5 pounds of sugar | | | | you go, but not drink too much of it the whole |
| 1 gallon of water | | | | process is complete and the wine has had a |
| 1/8 teaspoon of wine yeast (can be purchased | | | | chance to age. |
| from a winemaking supplystore or ordered online) | | | | 11. At this stage, you can now rack the wine into |
| Campden tablets | | | | a container for aging. Racking is the term used for |
| Tartaric Acid | | | | siphoning the fermented wine into another |
| Let the yeast dissolve in a cup of warm water. | | | | container with the use of a siphoning hose. You |
| Use a container of 2-gallon or larger to combine | | | | can use fine mesh or cheesecloth to siphon the |
| the remainder of the ingredients in. Stir until the | | | | wine through. Let the wine sit until it clears. |
| sugar is completely dissolved. Next, add the yeast | | | | 12. When the liquid is clear and and no longer |
| and stir until mixed in properly. You can add more | | | | bubbling, this means that the fermentation is |
| sugar at this stage if you prefer a sweeter wine. | | | | complete and you can now bottle your wine and |
| 5. Next you should add some ingredients to help | | | | cork it. |
| you control the process and improve the flavor | | | | 13. You can create your own labels and identify |
| of your wine. At this stage you should ad a | | | | your wine with the year and your family name or |
| crushed Campden tablet to your must; this is a | | | | you can give your wine a special brand name. You |
| sulfur tablet which helps control the growth of | | | | can handwrite the labels or create them in a word |
| natural yeast by slowing it down . | | | | program and print them. |
| 6. You can buy a special acidity testing kit to test | | | | 14. For the first several weeks, you should store |
| the acidity of your wine if you desire. Following | | | | your wine on its side - this will prevent the corks |
| the instructions that come with the kit, check the | | | | from drying out. Your wine should be stored in a |
| titratable acidity (not the pH) and adjust with | | | | clean place that is preferably cool and not subject |
| tartaric acid if necessary. You should aim for | | | | to temperature fluctuations. |
| around 8 to 10g/L. | | | | 15. To develop the wine to best flavor, store it |
| For the purpose of good winemaking it is also | | | | for at least 6 months to a year before drinking. |
| recommended that you purchase a hydrometer | | | | Most wines improve in flavor if aged longer. |
| to check the sugar levels. This is used to check | | | | 16. Now it is time to practice patience. |
| the SG (specific gravity level) gravity level on the | | | | Winemaking is not a hobby for people who are |
| hydrometer. | | | | impatient. Wine can take anything from several |
| Normal table wine has a specific gravity reading of | | | | months to several years to reach its full potential |
| 1.090. Desert wines will have a higher reading, and | | | | and flavour and you will be fully rewarded for |
| dry wines, lower. The hydrometer is also used to | | | | waiting! |
| measure alcohol levels. | | | | |