Homemade wine made from natural apple juice: the specifics of preparation
The apple is the most widespread and readily available fruit (and also free for the owners of their own garden). It has a neutral, but rather pronounced sweet and sour taste. If it is not possible to preserve the fruit in its natural form, then a prepared wine from apple juice will be a good solution, which you can enjoy at any time of the year. How to make apple wine at home and not regret translated products: proven recipes for a versatile drink.
Related article: homemade grape wine recipe.
Equipment for making wine from apples
To optimize production, it is necessary to prepare in advance the necessary equipment, which includes:
- Powerful juicer. The best option is auger one, as it allows you to "take" the maximum amount of juice from the fruit. In the absence of an auger or even a traditional juicer with centrifuge technology, you can use a grater.
- A container in which the wine will ferment later on (large saucepan, can, bottle).
- The final container necessary for the maturation of wine and its serving (glass is considered the best material for such purposes).
How to make homemade apple juice wine: a step by step recipe
We offer a simple recipe for homemade apple juice, which includes a minimum of tools, ingredients and labor.
The first thing to start with is to prepare the apples. It is advisable to sort out the harvest, leaving juicy, ripe fruits. You can even take some broken apples by cutting off the damaged part. Ideally, they should be washed, but in most cases it is sufficient to wipe them with a clean cloth or a brush with stiff bristles to remove small debris and dirt. Be sure to cut out the core and remove the seeds. But if you want your homemade wine from apple juice had an original, subtle bitterness, the seeds can be left.
The second stage of the process is apple processing. As mentioned above, this can be done using a juicer or grater. The first option is preferable, since after the grater there will be wet cake, which will need to be squeezed out.
The third stage - pour the resulting juice into a previously prepared container and let it brew for several days (optimally, at least three). During this time, natural yeast, which is present in the peel of apples, transforms the pulp into pulp and directly juice.
The pulp formed on the third day of fermentation must be removed from the surface of the juice. The easiest way to do this is with a sieve or gauze. In order to prevent acidification and enhance the work of the yeast, the pulp must be stirred at least once a day.
The ideal temperature for fermentation is within 22 degrees. At the same time, the wine should be stored in a darkened room that does not provide for direct sunlight.
The fourth step is to enhance the flavor by adding sugar. Its concentration depends on the optimal sweetness level you prefer. There are two types of apple juice wines: table and semi-sweet. The proportion is as follows: 200 grams of sugar is needed per liter of dry wine. For dessert wine, you need twice as much (400 grams for the same 1 liter).
The next step in making wine is to seal it.The resulting amount of juice must be poured into a container suitable for fermentation. This can be a glass bottle or a wooden barrel. It can be filled up to a maximum of 80% of the total volume - the remaining 20% will account for the emitted gas and foam.
The concentration of gases must not be allowed, as this can simply lead to an explosion. They can be diverted in several ways:
- we take a small tube, put one end of it directly into the vessel, and fasten the other into the hole in the tank lid;
- if a bottle is used as a vessel, then an ordinary medical glove can be pulled over its neck, which must first be pierced with a needle over the entire area;
- special plastic tips are also available.
At the same time, it is very important to prevent the flow of oxygen inside, otherwise, instead of wine from apple juice, we will get vinegar. It is advisable to leave the container with the future wine "playing" for 30-45 days. After this time, the finished wine must be filtered, separating from the sediment. To do this, it is poured from another vessel, which is sterilized in advance. Professionals use special tubes for such purposes, which resemble a siphon. With their help, you can completely remove the pulp. After the performed procedures, remove the wine again in a darkened place for at least 2 months. During this time, the drink will fully form its taste and "reach". If necessary, strain it again.
If you don't know how to make apple juice wine more expressive in taste, feel free to use spices when serving it. Cinnamon and anise go well with the neutral taste of apples. They can be added to warmed wine, enhancing the taste with honey.
Despite the length of the process and certain manipulations, making wine from apple juice at home allows you to enjoy an excellent drink, which does not contain artificial colors and flavors.
Homemade apple juice wine: tips and tricks
To make the finished product perfect, the following professional recommendations will come in handy for beginners of the process:
- with low fermentation, ordinary raisins can be used as a natural enhancer;
- to achieve a rich taste palette of wine, pear, orange or rowan juice can be included in the basic recipe. Especially bright taste is obtained with a combination of apple juice and juice black currant;
- even after a long fermentation, apple wine contains an extremely small percentage of the strength. You can strengthen this indicator by adding pure alcohol or vodka to it. After that, the wine should be infused for at least 10 days.
Wine recipe based on apple juice and lemon
This recipe differs from the above technology only in the presence of a small amount of lemon juice. When preparing wine, squeezed lemon juice must be added to the resulting apple juice in the proportion: 1 lemon per 1 liter of apple juice. The technology itself does not change. This wine is perfect for the summer heat - chilled, it perfectly quenches your thirst.