EntranceGrape must: what is it, preparation technology. Grape must and its composition What does it mean wine is made from grape must
Grape must is grape juice prepared for the fermentation process with the addition of the required amount of sugar, water and other fermentation ingredients. The must preparation process is the most time-consuming in the winemaking procedure. For the production of wine, you can buy a ready-made concentrated must, or you can cook it yourself at home.
Scientific approach to the fermentation of grape must
Wine production is based on a complex biochemical process that converts glucose into alcohol. This process is called alcoholic fermentation.
Despite the fact that the mystery of the transformation of grape must into wine has been known to mankind since ancient times, scientists were able to find out the essence of this process only in 1857. This was done by the scientist Louis Pasteur, who proved by experiment that the process of converting sugar into alcohol occurs due to the presence of yeast and is a biological process of alcoholic fermentation, which he called "the vital activity of yeast in the absence of oxygen."
His subsequent colleagues found that this process is multi-stage and consists of a large number of biochemical reactions that occur in yeast cells that have entered the nutrient medium - wort. In addition to alcohol and carbon dioxide, secondary products are formed during fermentation, which also affect taste qualities future drink. These include:
- glycerol;
- various acids;
- acetaldehyde;
- acetone;
- alcohols;
- various esters and other components.
Today, there are a large number of companies that offer ready-made concentrated wort for sale, as well as all the necessary components to ensure the normal course of the fermentation process.
These wine sets include concentrated must, wine yeast, nutritional salt for feeding yeast, tartaric acids, fermentation stoppers, clarifiers, as well as detailed instructions for making wine. However, it is much more interesting to cook all the ingredients yourself, having thoroughly studied all the stages of wine production.
The causative agents of the fermentation process - yeast
The possibility of obtaining any wine directly depends on the activity of yeast, the world of which is rich and diverse. Yeast cells that stimulate the process of alcoholic fermentation are widely distributed in nature. They are found on berries and vines, in the soil near the vineyard. Together with grapes, they enter the must.
Natural yeasts, bred by natural selection, have established their viability and are excellent substitutes for cultural yeasts.
In wine cellars in which wine was produced for a long time, a set of naturally formed environment yeast cells. These families of yeasts can be unique and give a distinct personality to the beverage being produced. Yeast can also be obtained through selection. Breeding yeast is used to produce some varieties of wines and is called cultural wine yeast. Such yeast is produced in sterile, solid, pressed or dry form. They are used to make yeast starter, which is added to the wort when it ferments, in case there is not enough wild yeast to ensure the fermentation process. Or if, as a result of non-compliance with the temperature regime, the fermentation process has stopped, by adding a starter prepared on the basis of wine yeast, ferment the wort. The pre-prepared fermented sourdough is added directly to the grape must.
Significance of temperature conditions
Temperature has a significant effect on the course of fermentation. High temperatures are bad for chemical composition drink. At temperature regime exceeding 25 C, the amount of volatile acids increases.
Important. At a temperature of 20 C, the fermentation process is completed at the optimum time and takes about 2 weeks.
At low temperatures (below 15 C), fermentation is delayed, and in some cases it may stop altogether. At higher temperatures (30 C), fermentation goes into a very violent stage, as a result of which carbon dioxide begins to be intensively released, taking aromatic substances with it, thereby depleting the taste of the wine.
A high fermentation temperature (above 25°C) causes intensive reproduction of yeast cells, as a result of which they begin to actively consume nitrogen from the wort. At the end of fermentation, after the death of yeast cells, nitrogenous substances begin to be actively released into the must, which increases the protein turbidity of the wine.
The temperature of fermentation also influences the acidity content. A must that ferments at lower temperatures produces a more acidic wine. As the temperature rises, the content of aldehydes increases, which give the wine an unpleasant bitterness, while the concentration of alcohol, on the contrary, decreases. Thus, the rate of fermentation directly affects the quality of the finished drink.
Features of must fermentation for red and white wines.
Higher quality wines are obtained by slow fermentation, resulting in much less aromas escaping into the atmosphere. When the wine ferments slowly, the aroma inherent in a particular grape variety is much better retained, and the loss of alcohol is also reduced.
As the temperature rises, the fermentation process accelerates. At elevated temperatures yeast microorganisms die, the fermentation process stops, resulting in an unfermented wine that retains sugar, which contributes to the development of harmful microorganisms in it.
With slow fermentation, sugar is most often also not completely fermented. As a rule, white wines are prepared at lower temperatures to preserve their freshness and aroma. The optimum temperature at which white wines roam is 14-18 degrees. Wines that are produced on the pulp (red, and, in some cases, fortified whites) are fermented, maintaining the temperature of the must at 25-28 degrees. At such temperatures, dyes and vitamins in the maximum amount pass from the skin of the grapes into the grape must.
When the sugar in grapes is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide, heat is released. Under the influence of heat and alcohol, the cells of the skin of the grapes are destroyed and the must acquires a rich purple color. At the same time, the released carbon dioxide froths into the pulp, resulting in the grape must taking on the appearance of bubbling boiling water.
As a rule, the most intense release of carbon dioxide occurs on the third and fourth days. In addition to the temperature in the room during this period, it is necessary to monitor the temperature of the wort itself. As a result of active fermentation, it can rise above the required limits, which can cause the death of the yeast. By increasing the alcohol content in the wort and decreasing the sugar content at the same time, yeast growth will be significantly reduced, resulting in less heat being generated and the bubbling will stop.
Wort care
With the technology of fermentation on the pulp, a cap is formed above the must, which is a loose mass of grape pulp. She floats above the must. It can be left to float on top, but several times a day it is necessary to thoroughly mix the resulting cap, completely immersing it in the wort, to prevent the formation of bacteria and disease of the wort. Another way is to lower the cap into the wort and fix it with a wooden grate.
During the first active stage, the wort that is fermenting must be regularly removed from the sediment. As a result of such a transfusion, the wort is saturated with air, which is an additional stimulant for the activity of the yeast. In addition, in this way the fermentation temperature is lowered, and the humidity of the resulting cap is also maintained.
After the violent process ends, the containers are covered, and the pulp is pressed down so that it is completely soaked.
Fermentation comes to an end on the 6-8th day. After that, the process of slow fermentation begins, which lasts for two weeks.
During this period, all coloring substances and vitamins will finally pass from the pulp into the must. Tannins are the basis of those wines, the ripening process of which proceeds slowly, providing them with a long life. To obtain lighter wines without astringency, with fruity tones and less intense color, the must is drained from the pulp at the very peak of fermentation, as soon as it acquires sufficient color. The end of fermentation in this case occurs already without contact with the pulp.
Pulp removal
The pulp is removed from the must, and a water seal is installed on the container in order to avoid contact with oxygen and ensure the release of carbon dioxide.
When fermentation is over, the wort is filtered and pressed. In the fractions that are squeezed out of the pulp, the alcohol content is much lower, but the concentration of tannin and acids is increased. They have a more intense color. Pressed fractions can be added to the wort, thus achieving a variety of varieties.
Contact with oxygen must be limited in order to minimize the introduction of other bacteria into the wort that is fermenting. Such bacterial contamination adversely affects the fermentation process. For example, acetic acid bacteria found in the air can oxidize alcohol and turn wine into vinegar. To protect against the entry of this bacterium into the wort, the containers in which the wort ferments are fumigated with sulfur. Sulfur kills acetic bacteria, in addition, according to winemakers, a slight taste of sulfur gives a delicate taste to the drink and perfectly sets off the taste and smell of wine.
Acidity regulation
The easiest way to regulate acidity at home is to add water to the wort. It is enough to determine the acidity of the wort and add required amount water, which can be calculated arithmetically using special tables. At home, this is often done by eye, taking into account the practical experience of the winemaker.
This method has one drawback - as a result of diluting the must with water, it is discharged and the percentage of nutrients in it decreases, as a result of which the wine becomes watery and ferments poorly.
The use of water is permissible both in raw and boiled form. If you are sure of the purity of the water source (spring or from a well), you can not boil it. If the source of water is a faucet, which is most often the case at home, then it is better to boil it. The use of raw water can also be unsafe, as it can contain bacteria that are equally dangerous to both humans and fermentation. Therefore, for the production of wine at home, it is better to boil it, followed by filtration.
Making wine is fun. To make your homemade drinks of excellent quality and become a real work of winemaking art, study the scientific basis technological process their manufacture, and then experiment, show imagination, add something new and complement their taste.
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Concentrated grape must is obtained by partial dehydration of grape must, carried out by any permitted methods, so that its bulk density at 20°C is not less than 1.24, which corresponds to approximately 575 g/l of sugar. In such a concentrated wort, usually obtained by heating under a slight vacuum, all organic and mineral elements remain. Acidity is also concentrated in almost the same proportions as sugar, since only a small part of tartaric acid precipitates after concentration in the form of acid potassium tartrate and calcium tartrate. Enrichment with minerals is also quite significant, in particular sulfates, partly due to the oxidation of sulfur dioxide, introduced in large doses to keep the wort to its concentration, as well as potassium, calcium and iron.
The addition of concentrated musts is allowed in accordance with Community regulation within the limits indicated in Table. 1.5. As regards the maximum increase in volume by viticultural zone and year, the fortification remains the same as that allowed for chaptalization. In addition, here again there is a discrepancy with the old French legislation, it is allowed to deacidify concentrated musts, which, of course, eliminates one of the inconveniences that once existed in France when using concentrated musts. For high-quality wines from certain areas, concentrated musts must be of the same designation as the must they are intended to fortify, in particular they must have the minimum total alcohol content required for that designation.
In practice, the addition of concentrated musts is limited to adding them to the must of red grape varieties with low acidity, originating from areas where chaptalization is generally not allowed. In the production of wines white way this practice is questionable, as the addition of concentrated must enhances the color of the wine. For the same reasons as when sweetening with sugar, concentrated wort should be added before or at the beginning of fermentation, for example during pouring.
Partial concentration of musts.
When applying this method to grape must, the initial volume must not be reduced by more than 20%, and in no case can it be increased by more than 2% by volume. natural alcohol content of grape must. The purpose of this operation is to obtain products in the must that ensure the normal course of fermentation without dilution.
Regulation of fortification of wine products in the European Economic Community
Grape zones | Alcohol content of table wines, % vol. |
||||
total minimum natural | total maximum |
||||
without enrichment | with enrichment |
||||
white and pink | |||||
BUT | |||||
AT | |||||
Western regions of the Center, Center (including Burgundy) and South-West, excluding the vineyards of zone B (France) | |||||
cn | |||||
G | 15 | ||||
Table 1.5
Alcohol content of high-quality wines from certain areas (HKVOR). % about. | Limits of wort enrichment through chaptalization, % vol. | Allowed increase in volume when adding |
||||
total minimum natural* | received minimum commercial | special cases | normal years | unusual years | normal years | unusual years |
General case Red wines before 30/1 1980 From 1/11 1980 | ||||||
General case | ||||||
General case French departments within the jurisdiction of the courts of appeal of Toulouse, Agen, Pau and Bordeaux | ||||||
General case | ||||||
*The figures in this column refer to the minimum alcohol content required to apply for the creation of a new type of VKVOR wine.
Only musts that have a total natural alcohol content corresponding to the alcohol content of table or high-quality wines from certain areas of various viticulture zones can be concentrated. Partial concentration can be carried out either by heating under vacuum, or by freezing to remove ice, or by reverse osmosis. The last two methods, although more expensive, give much top scores than the first, since the possibility of caramelization is completely excluded.
Concentrated must is obtained by partial dehydration of grape must, resulting in an increase in its density. In concentrated wort, the degree of concentration of its main components, especially sugar, is such that it does not allow the development of microorganisms that contribute to the fermentation process.
This is achieved by increasing the osmotic pressure. In addition, a significantly smaller product is obtained, which facilitates its transportation.
After evaporation of the water contained in the wort, the concentration of other non-volatile elements occurs, not only sugars, but also minerals and acids.
Tartaric acid, the content of which is 50% of the total volume of acids contained, when combined with calcium and potassium, gives insoluble salts, while the remaining acids form easily soluble salts.
Almost 70% of the tartaric acid precipitates out, forming a salt known as "bitartrate", or the acid ester of tartaric acid. However, despite this, the acidity of the concentrated must is approximately 40% tartaric acid and the remaining 60% other acids, the most important of which is malic acid.
Thus, it turns out that the concentration of sugar increases in direct proportion to the removed water, while the concentration of acids is lower due to the precipitation of insoluble salts.
Only clarified, filtered to full transparency grape juices with a mass concentration of iron ions not more than 5 mg / dm³ are sent for concentration. The content of sulfur dioxide in such juices should not exceed 150 mg/dm³.
Wort Concentration Technology
There are various methods of dehydration that preserve the integrity of the product (wort), in particular by passing the wort through special membranes that separate the solute from the solvent. These include ultrafiltration, direct and reverse osmosis. The advantage of this method is that the juice concentration process is carried out at normal temperature. As a result, its organoleptic properties and nutritional characteristics of the product are not violated. However, the maximum degree of concentration achieved in this case is only 30–45%. In addition, the equipment used is very expensive.
Another method is to freeze out the moisture and remove the ice crystals that form. However, just like the previous method, it does not allow obtaining a product concentration above 45%.
The most common method is evaporation in reduced pressure vessels. This method at a relatively low cost makes it possible to achieve a very high degree of concentration (75–80%) and guarantees an acceptable quality of the resulting product.
Use of concentrated wort
Concentrated grape must has a very wide industrial and commercial use, which boils down to four main uses:
- production of natural table wines, sweet dessert wines, liqueurs, brandy, vermouth;
- production of grape vinegar;
- production of grape juices and drinks of mixed flavors;
- production of yoghurts, in the food and pharmaceutical industries as substitutes for sucrose, in confectionery industry, in the production of ham.
In the first and second cases, concentrated must of white and black grapes is used. The main requirements of the industry concern mainly the color of the product, the content of sugar and sulfur dioxide.
In the third case, the requirements are much more stringent, especially for the color and content of sulfur dioxide. Only red grape must is used.
In the latter case, the requirements are very diverse and are specific to each production. Mainly used must from white grapes.
Preparation of moonshine and alcohol for personal use
absolutely legal!
After the demise of the USSR, the new government stopped the fight against moonshine. Criminal liability and fines were abolished, and the article on the prohibition of the production of alcohol-containing products at home was removed from the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. To this day, there is not a single law that prohibits you and me from engaging in our favorite hobby - making alcohol at home. This is evidenced by the Federal Law of July 8, 1999 No. 143-FZ “On the Administrative Liability of Legal Entities (Organizations) and Individual Entrepreneurs for Offenses in the Field of Production and Turnover ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products” (Sobraniye zakonodatelstva Rossiyskoy Federatsii, 1999, N 28, item 3476).
Excerpt from the Federal Law of the Russian Federation:
"The effect of this Federal Law does not apply to the activities of citizens (individuals) who do not produce products containing ethyl alcohol for the purpose of marketing."
Moonshine in other countries:
In Kazakhstan in accordance with the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Administrative Offenses dated January 30, 2001 N 155, the following liability is provided. So, according to article 335 “Manufacture and sale alcoholic beverages home-made" illegal production for the purpose of selling moonshine, chacha, mulberry vodka, mash and other alcoholic beverages, as well as the sale of these alcoholic beverages entails a fine in the amount of thirty monthly calculation indices with confiscation of alcoholic beverages, apparatus, raw materials and equipment for their manufacture, and also received from their sale of money and other valuables. However, the law does not prohibit the preparation of alcohol for personal purposes.
In Ukraine and Belarus things are different. Articles No. 176 and No. 177 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Ukraine provide for the imposition of fines in the amount of three to ten tax-free minimum wages for the manufacture and storage of moonshine without the purpose of sale, for the storage without the purpose of sale of apparatus * for its production.
Article 12.43 repeats this information practically word for word. “Production or purchase of strong alcoholic beverages (moonshine), semi-finished products for their production (mash), storage of devices for their production” in the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses. Paragraph No. 1 states: “Manufacturing by individuals of strong alcoholic beverages (moonshine), semi-finished products for their manufacture (mash), as well as storage of devices * used for their manufacture - entails a warning or a fine in the amount of up to five basic units with confiscation of the indicated drinks, semi-finished products and devices.
*Purchase moonshine stills for home use it is still possible, since their second purpose is the distillation of water and the preparation of components for natural cosmetics and perfumery.
Every housewife knows that it is not difficult to make homemade wine from grapes, most of the recipes are simple, but in order for it to get an excellent taste, to infuse and not be excessively tart, sour or cloying, everything must be followed according to the rules. Millions of people make different drinks from grapes and everyone has their own secret. We have collected different recipes for you that will help surprise your guests with pleasant homemade wine. Which one to choose, decide for yourself.
How to make homemade wine from grapes?
Our recipes will be based on the use of Isabella grapes. This variety is very popular and widespread. Its charm is that the return on yield is huge, the culture is absolutely unpretentious, it grows very quickly even after cardinal pruning. The bunches of grapes ripen together, and can remain in fresh on the branches until winter.
Even if you do not have Isabella grapes, you can always ask your dacha neighbor or acquaintances, since grapes often produce very large yields and they cannot always be fully used.
Option 1. "Classic".
The grapes are harvested in the phase of full ripeness. After that, you need to carefully remove all sluggish berries, with signs of mold, rot. The sizing of the berries is not important here, the main thing is that they are fresh. Also remove all rubbish. To navigate in proportions, we take 10 kg of Isabella grapes for calculation.
The peeled fruits are placed in a container (basin) and the juice is squeezed out of them. How to do it, decide for yourself. You can crush the juice with your hands or use a wooden pusher. The resulting mass should be infused for the next 5 days under gauze. The temperature should be 23-26 degrees. Periodically throughout the entire period, grapes and juice are mixed with a wooden spoon or spatula.
After five days, you must pour the grape mass into a bottle, leaving about a quarter of the volume unfilled. Here we pour three kilograms of sugar. It is clear that when we talk about a bottle, we mean special glass containers of large volume.
Now pull a rubber glove over the neck, fastening it well, but first make a few punctures. They are needed so that carbon dioxide leaves the bottle. Send the wine to ferment for three weeks. The temperature will again be room temperature.
All this time the glove will be inflated, when it deflates, the process is over. Now the wine is filtered and bottled in convenient containers. A precipitate will form during the first days, it can be removed with additional filtration.
For information!
Grapes are very useful, including Isabella. It perfectly tones, expels toxins, saturates with vitamins, macro- and microelements, improves immunity and gives vitality.
Option 2. "Wine for the holiday."
Berries are picked and sorted. For this recipe, you need 5 kilograms of fruit. After that, the grapes are placed in a container and crushed to get the juice. After the mass is infused for three days.
Important!
When you prepare grapes for making wine, it is strictly forbidden to wash them. If it is raw, then it is dried on a towel. A gray coating on the berries must remain for fermentation.
After the required three days, the wort is poured into a jar and closed with a lid. But first pour 0.6 kg granulated sugar. The wine must be infused for another two weeks. Then open the jars and add another 100 grams of sugar per liter of product. Next, insist again for 14 days.
When the time is up, the wine is well filtered through cheesecloth, bottled and sent to infuse for two months in a cool place. It is best to store bottles lying down.
Option 3. "Fortified". For hot lovers .
As before, the grapes are selected, cleaned of debris. Then the juice is squeezed out. For the mass that turned out, add 150 grams of granulated sugar for each liter. This will increase the sugar content by up to 25%. In order for the juice to ferment more intensively, wine yeast is added about a couple of grams per liter.
The wine is put to ferment in a dark and cool room for 10 days, covering the container. After this time, the sediment will fall to the bottom. Wine is drained using straws or other devices.
Option 4. "Wine to the table."
Homemade grape wine recipe for those who think they can't cook. This recipe very simple. You need to collect five kilograms of fruits, which you sort and squeeze the juice out of them. We fill the whole mass with three kilograms of sugar and pour 12 liters of clean water. It is necessary to insist for a week, after which more water is poured, about a liter, and again we insist for a month. Then we strain and pour into containers.
Important!
If you just plucked the grape harvest, and it is already autumn outside and the temperature is below 15 degrees, then before starting cooking it is better to let the berry warm up at room temperature.
Winemaking is an art, the secrets of which take years to learn. Despite doing it Home wine hail wine can each of us. You may not create a masterpiece worthy of world exhibitions, but with the right approach, the taste of your own drink will pleasantly surprise you. I bring to your attention a detailed technology for making wines (red and white) at home. This recipe uses only grapes and sugar, which makes the drink completely natural.
For home winemaking best suited are such grape varieties as Stepnyak, Platovsky, Rosinka, Druzhba, Regent, Saperavi, Crystal, Festivalny, which do not require special care and have a fairly high sugar content. But this does not mean that you cannot make wine from other varieties, such as Isabella or Lydia, you just have to add more sugar.
Before starting cooking, take care of all the containers used. They must be perfectly clean and dry. Otherwise, third-party fungi will get into the drink, which will spoil the taste of the wine. Kegs, bottles, buckets, etc. you can smoke with sulfur, as is done in industry, or simply rinse with boiled water and wipe with a dry cloth. I strongly recommend avoiding containers that used to store milk, polka, even thoroughly cleaning them does not always help.
grape wine recipe
1. Harvest and processing. To keep the wild yeast on the grapes, needed for fermentation, the berries should be picked only in dry, sunny weather. There should be no rain for at least 2-3 days before.
Only ripe fruits are suitable for winemaking. There is too much acid in unripe grapes, which worsens the taste of the finished drink. In overripe berries, acetic fermentation begins, which can subsequently spoil all the must (squeezed juice). I also do not recommend taking carrion, because then the grape wine may have an unpleasant aftertaste of the earth, which is very difficult to fix. Picked berries need to be processed within two days, then they become unsuitable for making homemade wine.
Harvested grapes are carefully sorted, removing bunches, unripe, rotten and moldy fruits. Then the berries are crushed and, together with the juice, are placed in enamel pan, filling the container to a maximum of ¾ volume. It is best to crush the grapes with your hands, then you will not damage the seeds, which contain substances that make the wine taste bitter. If there are a lot of berries, then they are carefully crushed with a wooden rolling pin (pestle).
only wooden fixtures
Contact of juice with metal (except stainless steel) should be avoided, as this causes oxidation, which impairs the taste of homemade wine. That is why the berries are kneaded with hands or wooden devices, and the pulp (transferred grapes) is placed in enamelware with a wide neck - a bucket or a pan. You can also use a food grade plastic container or a wooden barrel.
Next, the container with the pulp is covered with a clean cloth and placed for 3-4 days in a dark, warm (18-23°C) place. After 12-20 hours, the juice will begin to ferment, and a “cap” of skin appears on the surface, which must be knocked down 1-2 times a day, stirring the pulp with a wooden stick or hand. If this is not done, then acetic fermentation can begin in the must, which will spoil all our wine material.
violent fermentation of the pulp
2. Obtaining pure juice. After 3-4 days, the pulp will brighten, it will have a sour smell and a hiss will be heard. This means that the fermentation has successfully begun, it's time to squeeze the juice.
The top layer of the peel is collected in a separate container and squeezed out with a press or by hand. All juice (drained from the sediment and squeezed out of the pulp) is filtered through gauze, pouring it 2-3 times from one container to another. Transfusion allows not only to get rid of third-party impurities, but also saturates the juice with oxygen, which contributes to the normal functioning of wine yeast.
3. Installation of a water seal. In order for homemade grape wine not to turn sour, it must be protected from the influx of oxygen, while at the same time ensuring the release of the main fermentation product - carbon dioxide. This is done by installing one of the juice containers. The most common option is a classic water seal from a lid, tube and can (pictured).
classic water seal scheme
fermenting wine with a glove
The design of the water seal is not of fundamental importance, but in terms of convenience, it is better to put a classic water seal on large bottles, and a glove on jars, or a closure in the form of a lid (sold in stores).
lid with water seal
4. Initial (active) fermentation. After installing the water seal of the container with fermented juice, it is necessary to provide suitable temperature conditions. The optimum fermentation temperature for red homemade wine is 22-28°C, for white wine - 16-22°C. The temperature must not be allowed to fall below 10°C, otherwise the yeast may die before it has time to process all the sugar into alcohol.
For various reasons, after 2-3 days you may find that the wine must has stopped fermenting. Since alcohol yeast cannot be added, it is necessary to resume fermentation. The simplest recipe: pour 150 grams of raisins, 50 grams of sugar into a bottle and add warm water to a third of the volume. Close the bottle with a cork made of cotton wool and put in a warm place for 3-4 days. When the raisins ferment (bubbles appear), the starter is drained, mixed with 1 liter of must and added back to the wine container. Fermentation will resume.
5. Adding sugar. Approximately 2% sugar in wort gives 1% alcohol in finished wine. In most regions of Russia, the sugar content of grapes rarely exceeds 20%. This means that without the addition of sugar, at best, you will get grape wine with a strength of 10-12%. On the other hand, the maximum possible strength of the drink is 15-16%, since at a higher concentration of alcohol wild yeast are dying.
The problem is that it is impossible to determine the initial sugar content of grapes at home without a special device (hydrometer). It is also useless to focus on average values for varieties, since for this you need to have data on the sugar content of the selected variety in your climate zone. In non-wine-growing areas, no one conducts such calculations. Therefore, we will be guided by the taste of the juice.
To maintain normal fermentation, the sugar content of the wort should not exceed 10-15%. To ensure this condition, sugar is added in parts (fractionally). 2-3 days after the start of fermentation, the grape must is tasted. When it becomes sour (sugar has been processed), 50 grams of sugar should be added per liter of juice. To do this, 1-2 liters of must are poured into a separate container, sugar is diluted in it, and the resulting wine syrup is poured back into the bottle and shaken well.
The procedure is repeated several times (usually 3-4) during the first 14-30 days of fermentation. At a certain point, the sugar content of the wort will stop decreasing, which means that the rapid fermentation is over and it's time to move on to the next stage.
6. Removal of wine from sediment. When the water seal does not blow bubbles for 1-2 days (the glove deflates), and the wort is clarified, forming a layer of loose sediment at the bottom, the young homemade wine is poured into another container. The fact is that dead fungi gather at the bottom, being in wine for a long time, they betray bitterness and an unpleasant smell to the drink.
1-2 days before the wine is removed from the sediment, the fermentation tank is placed on an elevation above the floor (50-60 cm). It can be a bench, chair or any other device. When the sediment is again at the bottom, the wine is poured into another container (clean and dry) through a siphon - a transparent soft hose (tube) with a diameter of 07-1 cm and a length of 1-1.5 m. The end of the tube cannot be brought closer to the sediment than 2-3 centimeters.
process started
Drained homemade wine will not be completely transparent. No need to be afraid of this, the appearance of the drink has not yet formed.
7. Control of sugar content. It's time to decide on the sweetness of young homemade wine. Since active fermentation has already ended, all the added sugar will not be processed and will remain in the drink.
Sugar is added, focusing on their own taste preferences. First, 1-2 liters of wine are poured, sugar is added to it (no more than 100-200 g per liter), mixed, the wine with diluted sugar is poured back into the bottle, and then mixed again.
If the sweetness of the drink suits you, then you can not add sugar at all, as you did in the case of c.
8. Quiet fermentation (ripening). The stage during which the final taste is formed. Lasts from 40 to 380 days. A longer aging of homemade grape wines is not advisable, because it does not improve the properties of the drink.
The bottle of wine is again put under a water seal (recommended) or tightly closed with a lid. It is advisable to store the container in a dark cellar or basement at a temperature of 10-16°C. If this is not possible, then the young wine should be provided with a ripening temperature of 18-22°C, but not higher. It is important not to allow sudden temperature changes, otherwise the taste of the drink will deteriorate. The minimum aging period for white wine is 40 days, for red wine - 60-90 days.
Every 7-10 days it is desirable to pour the wine from one container to another through a straw, removing it from the sediment, as we did at the 6th stage. As a result, the wine will become lighter and lighter. At the same time, you control its taste.
9. Artificial lightening (pasting). Even after several months in the cellar, homemade wine can still be cloudy. If this does not suit you, then you can take advantage of impurities. The most common methods are pasting with gelatin or egg white.
It should be remembered that clarification improves only appearance drink without affecting its taste in any way, so I recommend doing clarification only in extreme cases.
example finished product
10. Bottling and storage. At the last stage, the wine is bottled and tightly closed with corks. Homemade wine should be stored in a cool dry (6-8°C) place lying down. The temperature can be even lower, the main thing is that the drink does not freeze, because then it will lose its taste, and defrosting will no longer help.
Homemade wine from grapes is perhaps the most popular low-alcohol drink that even novice winemakers are happy to prepare. There are many methods for making wine from pure juice, but recipes with the addition of water are the most economical and simple.
Collection and preparation of grape berries
You can make grape wine from almost any grape. But the most successful drink is obtained from special wine varieties such as Isabella, Lydia, Moldova, etc. The taste and specific aroma of this grape cannot be confused with other varieties, and homemade wine turns out to be especially tasty with a spicy, slightly tart note. Berries used to make wine should not be washed. They only need to be picked from the branch, the rotten and unripe ones removed, and then wiped well with a cloth. The fact is that special bacteria live on the skin of all fruits, providing natural fermentation.
It is best to harvest grapes in clear sunny weather, at least 2-3 days after rain. It is recommended to use them on the same day, in extreme cases, no later than 2-3 days after collection. Regardless of the main recipe, you need to select only fully ripe berries, without rot and damage. Any bruises and especially rotten areas are unlikely to make homemade wine tastier.
It doesn't matter if you make grape wine from juice or with the addition of water, the berries must be well crushed. To do this, you can use an ordinary crush, meat grinder, blender or juicer. Experienced winemakers generally prefer to do it with their hands, and with large volumes even with their feet. Some recipes involve slightly warming the grapes on fire (up to 75 °), which contributes to a more active release of juice. Even the pulp that remains after the conservation of grape juice can be used as a basis for grape wine. It only needs to be filled with water in the correct proportion.
Classic technology
Well, now the most that will tell you how to make homemade grape wine, in which water is added to save the main raw materials. It should be noted right away that such drinks have a lower strength than those prepared from pure juice. However, this does not at all concern the taste and aromatic characteristics of homemade wine from grapes. Moreover, the strength can be increased by adding sugar (in addition to the amount prescribed by the recipe) or stronger alcohol (alcohol, vodka, moonshine).
To get started, the easiest recipe with water, for which you need to take the following products:
- 2 kg blue Isabella;
- 3 liters of water;
- 0.8 kg of granulated sugar;
- ? st.l. dry yeast;
- 1 tsp almond essence (optional)
Cooking
- Put the grapes in a large enameled container, lightly crush and fill with hot water.
- Top with a plate and set the weight.
- After 3-4 days, strain the resulting liquid through several layers of gauze into glass jar, press the cake well.
- If necessary, add water to make 4.5 liters of juice. Add 4 tbsp. sugar, stir until completely dissolved.
- Add essence and yeast, cover with water seal or rubber glove. Remove to a warm place.
- After the young grape wine stops fermenting, keep it for another 2-3 days to precipitate.
- Very carefully pour the drink into bottles, cork them and leave to ripen for several months.
Wine made from grape pomace and water
If, after making grape juice, you still have cake, do not rush to throw it away. The original recipe will tell you in detail how, when adding water, cook from it
delicious house wine. So.
- Put the pulp in a large saucepan or jar. Fill with water, observing the proportion (1 part of water to 3 parts of cake) and add 40 g of sugar for each liter of the resulting mixture.
- Cover with gauze and keep warm for 4-5 days. Every day you need? to heat? foam cap that appears on the surface.
- Strain the liquid, squeezing the pulp well. Add about 40% more water of its total volume. Pour the resulting grape must into jars, filling them about a third or half.
- In the first few days, tighten the neck with gauze to allow the wine to get enough air and begin to ferment.
- As soon as fermentation becomes active, put on a glove with a hole or put a water seal.
- After the wine has fermented well, all the turbidity and small particles will settle to the bottom. Pour the liquid into clean jars and add sugar (200 g per liter), previously dissolved in a small amount of young wine.
- Within a month, the wine will ripen. After that, strain it again and bottle it. The drink can already be tasted, but if you stand it for a few more months, it will be even tastier.
Recipe for small quantities
If the above technology seems too time-consuming and long, then you can use a simpler method. The recipe is great for making small amounts of grape wine that is made with water.
Drink with berry sourdough
An interesting recipe suggests making homemade wine from grapes and other berries, such as raspberries or currants. If their season has already ended, then their cake, which was prudently stored in the refrigerator, can be used as a feedstock. For grape? Berry wine, take:
- 10 kg of grapes;
- 2.5 kg of sugar;
- 10 liters of water;
- 200 g of raspberries and currants.
Cooking.
For grape wine to ripen, it needs at least a couple more months. In general, the longer this low-alcohol drink lasts, the tastier and better it becomes.
How to enrich homemade wine
By the way, to enrich the aroma of homemade grape wine, which was prepared on the water, and add a little piquancy to its taste, you can apply a little trick. In a drink prepared according to the simplest recipe, about a couple of weeks before bottling, lower the bag filled with:
- crushed cloves;
- lemon or orange zest;
- dried (fresh) lemon balm or mint;
- sage seeds, etc.
In the matter of making homemade wine from grapes according to any recipe, even with the addition of water, you can experiment at your discretion. For example, you can replace regular sugar with sweet raisins, which you need to take twice as much. To add an apple note to the drink during the fermentation period, a good handful of dried or fresh apples should be lowered into the wort container. In grape wine, you can add decoctions of various herbs, and increase the fortress with alcohol or moonshine.
Wine is probably the most ancient tasty and healthy drink. Even in the process of fermentation, it retains all useful material inherent fresh berries or fruit from which it is prepared. High-quality natural wine can even serve as a cure for some diseases.
Therefore, do not be upset if it is not possible to buy expensive natural product. After all, delicious healthy drink you can cook at home by yourself. Many people think that this process is complicated and immediately abandon this idea. And absolutely in vain. After all, in addition to really complex technologies making wine, there are not at all complicated, simple and convenient recipes.
Let's try to make grape wine and enjoy its taste. We will tell you about how to make homemade wine from grapes, simple recipes for its preparation on our website www.rasteniya-lecarstvennie.ru.
Making homemade wine from grapes is not difficult. Moreover, we will use simple proven recipes. The main thing is to do it for the first time, and then everything will go "like clockwork." As you master it, you can get a new, unusual taste and this drink will become your family's signature drink.
So, first we will prepare everything you need to make wine:
It is good to use wine grapes for making a homemade drink. They have juicy pulp, and also accumulate the largest amount of sugar. But if the most ordinary grapes that do not have a name grow near your house, you can also make very decent homemade wine from it.
The main condition: Pick berries in dry weather and sort them carefully. Rotten, unripe or moldy berries are not suitable for making quality wine. Therefore, ruthlessly throw them away.
A simple recipe for homemade grape wine:
Sort ripe berries, remove debris, leaves. Sprigs can be left - they will give our drink astringency and a delicate aroma. But never wash. It is on the surface of the berries that there are natural, beneficial yeast bacteria that cause fermentation. From 2 buckets of grapes you should get 10 liters. natural drink.
Crush the berries well with a mortar until you get homogeneous mass(pulp). Fill a deep container 2/3 full with pulp. Leave covered for 3 days. Every day, with a wooden spoon (shovel), mix everything, except for the last, 3rd day.
On the 4th day, pour the fermented juice (must) into a separate pan or bucket. Squeeze out the remaining raw materials with your hands or with a special press, also drain. Now you should put sugar. For 1 liter juice - 1 tbsp. Sahara. Put on fire, heat to about 45 degrees, constantly stirring the wort with a wooden spoon so that all the sugar dissolves. Pour the wort into water-sealed bottles. Leave for 21 days and not a day less.
After the time has elapsed, drain the young wine through a tube into a separate container, strain so that there is no sediment, cover, put in a cool place for 40 days. Then carefully drain, also without sediment (use gauze folded in several layers for this). Leave covered again for 40 days. Strain again, leave for 40 days. Yes, in order for the drink to turn out to be transparent, without sediment harmful to the kidneys, you need to forget about it 3 times for 40 days.
But now, after you have endured everything, resisted and did not try the drink ahead of time, you have got a real homemade wine, prepared according to an old simple peasant recipe. The wine turns out a noble ruby taste with a wonderful grape aroma.
Another easy homemade grape wine recipe
If you don't have the time to mess around and want to make wine faster, try making a drink with this simple recipe:
For this recipe you will need 5 kg of berries, 2 kg. sugar, 2 tbsp. l. wine sourdough, 10 l. purified or bottled water.
How to cook:
This recipe is very popular among winemakers in central Russia. Wine is made from cold-resistant grape varieties. The recipe is very simple and even a hostess who does not have much experience can make a very good drink from grapes.
In this case, wash the grapes, sort through first. Pound the berries with a mortar until puree. Fold in an enamel bowl, put on the stove. Heat over low heat to 60 degrees.
Then remove the pan from the heat, cool, put in a colander, squeeze out the juice with your hands, using cheesecloth folded in several layers. Taste the juice, add sugar, water, mix, add sourdough. If there is no special starter, yeast can be used.
Pour into glass bottle, put a water seal, clean in a warm place for a month. Then try the wine. If necessary, add sugar, stir so that it dissolves completely, pour into bottles without sediment, cork tightly. The wine will be ready in a couple of weeks.
Red natural wine is considered beneficial for human health. Only it should be used correctly, and most importantly - in moderation. Drink your homemade wine by the glass with dinner. Experts believe that the drink brings the greatest benefit when it is drunk with food.
So, cast aside doubts and everything will work out for you. Get down to business and make your own homemade wine from grapes using these simple, proven recipes. Be healthy!