What could be tastier than homemade wine – a natural product that does not contain chemicals. I want to share a recipe for a bright ruby drink with a slight bitterness and a tart almond flavor.
Two cherry trees grow in my yard, so in addition to compotes and jams, I make delicious wine every year.
This story was sent by my reader Dmitry A.
What you need for cooking
The main condition for the preparation of a quality drink is the correct observance of technology. It is not particularly difficult, but it is necessary to adhere to the proportions.
This will neutralize the harmful contents of the cherry pits. To prepare an alcoholic drink you will need:
- Ripe cherries – 3 kg.
- Sugar – 1 kg.
- Pure bottled or filtered water – 3 liters.
Berries do not need to be washed before cooking, so as not to destroy the natural yeast contained in the skin.
Wine making technology
To make the drink really tasty, the berries must be carefully sorted out, removing rotten and underripe ones. Remove stems and leaves. Fold in a bucket or a large enameled bowl (you can use plastic) and knead well with your hands.
Important: metal containers cause oxidation, so it is better to refuse to use them.
I add 400 g of sugar to the resulting gruel and pour in all the water. Having mixed well, I cover the container with a cloth and leave it for 3-4 days in a dark place. A slight hiss, the appearance of a sour smell and a foam cap indicate the beginning of fermentation.
The contents of the container must be stirred daily, at least twice, trying to drown the risen pulp. If this is not done, the wine will become moldy and sour.
After 4 days, I filter the juice through a clean cloth, squeezing the cake well. I add a small amount of separated seeds (about ¼ of the total amount) to the resulting juice, pour in a glass of sugar, mix well.
I pour the liquid with stones into a 10-liter bottle for fermentation. I cover the container with a lid with a water seal, leave it in a dark place.
After 5-6 days, you need to drain a glass of liquid with a hose, add the remaining amount of sugar to it. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and pour back into the bottle.
The water seal is installed again, the fermentation process continues. After a week, the fermented liquid is filtered, the bones are removed, another glass of sugar is added. The water seal is installed again.
Important: before refilling, the container must be washed well and scalded with boiling water.
We insist wine
Now the wine can be left for 1.5-2 months. The readiness is indicated by the clarification of the juice, the formation of sediment at the bottom. Using a hose, the wine is carefully poured into another container, separated from the sediment.
If the drink is not sweet enough, you can add sugar. The wine is poured into bottles, tightly closed and taken out to the cellar, cellar or balcony, where the drink will mature for at least 4 months.
Tried adding less sugar. The taste is more tart and sour. It’s an amateur, I didn’t like it.
What we get in the end
If everything is done correctly, you get 5 liters of beautiful ruby wine with an amazing slightly tart taste and great aroma. Its fortress fluctuates within 12-13 degrees, which is quite enough for a festive feast.
It is not difficult to calculate the cost of the resulting product. Considering that I got cherries and water from the well (filtered) for free, 1 kg of sugar cost 21 rubles. Accordingly, 5 liters of natural tasty wine can be obtained for only 21 rubles.
Of course, lovers of stronger drinks can add vodka to raise the degree. However, I do not do this, the received fortress is quite enough for me. I enjoy the wonderful taste and amazing aroma.
Do you have experience making homemade wine? I would be happy if you share your recipes.