Homemade Wine
January 12, 2008 | Filed Under Wine Making |
Making Homemade Wine Is A Fast Growing Hobby
One of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States involves making homemade wine and with its basic simplicity, many can get involved in the process without spending a ton of money.
For most, the lack of an economic incentive to making their own wine is irrelevant and they are enamored with the process more than the finished product. There may be some disappointment when people learn there is more to homemade wine than crushing grapes and letting it sit in a bottle, but that does not stop them from trying.
The most time consuming part of making homemade wine is the fermentation process as it can take anywhere from six months to two years for a bottle of wine to reach its full maturity. To begin making homemade wine, presuming you are using grapes, you first have to soak the grapes, crush them and press out the juice. Depending on the acid level of the grapes, you will need to add sugar and yeast and allow to ferment for about a week.
After this initial period you can strain the liquid, removing the skins and other particles. However, if you are making white wine, you won’t forget to remove the skins before the initial fermentation process. After this straining process, another week to 10 days of fermenting is needed for making homemade wine. You can tell the fermentation process has ended when the liquid has stopped producing bubbles.
Temperature Control Needed In Process
While the wine is fermenting, it should remain in a controlled temperature area between 60 and 65 degrees. The liquid will need strained at least two more times to remove any particles that form in the wine and fine cheesecloth is typically recommended. This needs to be done about every month or to during the process of making homemade wine. After the second straining through cheesecloth, the liquid can be bottled and corked.
Setting the bottles slightly tilted allows room for any unforeseen fermentation for at least five days before standing them upright or laying them on their side. Red wines can be opened after about six months and tasted. If it does not taste mature, another six to 24 months may be needed. When making homemade wine, white wines should never be stored more than a year.
Once the wine has been bottled and corked, it should be stored at about 55-degrees until ready to drink. Depending on how many bottles or wine being produced, many who make homemade wine have converted a portion of a basement into a private label wine cellar to store their creations.
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