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My first taste of homemade wine took place before I came of age. It was a ridiculous accident at a family feast.
My grandmother and grandfather insisted on homemade wine every year, which was always present on any festive table. Yes, they just poured it into the first bottle that came to hand.
At that time, my grandmother decided to pour wine into a jug for compote. And so my debut took place. I drank almost half a glass when my grandfather banged his fist on the table. The jug quickly disappeared from the table, and from the side only oohs and aahs were heard from the shocked relatives.
Story from my subscriber Gennady.
Why I decided to make alcohol myself
As you already understood, the experience of winemaking in our family has been accumulated over the years. We are experienced winemakers, I would say. When you grow up in a family where the quality and naturalness of any consumed products are valued first of all, you absorb it like a sponge.
And in adulthood, having tasted the wines of various brands, I decided that there should be natural wine on my table!
Initially, I prepared classic grape wine, as well as raspberry and strawberry wine. But a few years ago, our dacha gave us a generous harvest of gooseberries. And so the idea of creating delicious gooseberry wine appeared.
What ingredients are required
The recipe was improvised from an existing one and perfected with advice from the Internet. So we deduced the formula for the perfect gooseberry wine.
Of course, in the first year it was scary to expect a result, because we had such an experience for the first time. We started tasting the first sips when the wine was not yet infused. And I want to say that even an unaged drink has already conquered us with its taste.
To create a real homemade wine, you need, first of all, the fruits that will form the basis of the whole business, as well as water and sugar.
For a 20-liter bottle, I needed 6,8 kg of gooseberries. Berries grow in our country house, so I can’t tell you the price.
Collecting gooseberries for wine – large, ripe berries
Water is always taken in the same proportion as berries – 1:1. In our case, we used 6,8 liters of water. For such a volume of berries and water, I added 4,5 kg of sugar (250 rubles). This ratio of ingredients allows you to achieve an amazing result.
There is one very important point – after picking the berries, they cannot be stored for a long time. Otherwise, they will become unsuitable for wine.
Recipe
Now let’s get down to the ritual:
- In no case should the berries be washed after picking, so as not to wash off the wild yeast. The fruits must be thoroughly kneaded with your hands or a wooden pusher.
- The resulting mass must be poured into a glass bottle. It is desirable that the container has a wide neck.
- Next, I prepare the syrup. I add sugar to water, bring it to a boil, cool it down and pour it over the berry mass. I tie the neck of the vessel with gauze with cotton wool so as not to brush off the swarm of midges later.
- I make a homemade cork of five layers in the following sequence: a layer of gauze, then cotton wool and repeat 5 times. This method allows carbon dioxide to escape freely, but does not allow oxygen to enter. Neglect of this point can lead to rupture of the vessel.
- The resulting mass must be stirred every day so that the layer of pulp and skin does not stagnate at the top. When the first signs of fermentation appear (it can be hiss, foam or a sour smell), there will be no need to interfere so often.
A twenty-liter bottle with a homemade cork made of gauze and cotton wool – this is how my girl turned out
- After 30-45 days, I prepare the wine for clarification and maturation. Through the tube, you need to drain all the liquid, avoiding the ingress of pulp. And the remaining pulp is squeezed well and mixed with juice. Do not be afraid of the appearance of a small sediment, this is inevitable.
- The resulting young wine is poured into a clean bottle. It is important to fill the container no more than 2/3. This rule allows you to leave the right place for carbon dioxide, which appears during the fermentation process.
- A container with a precious drink should be placed in a dark place with a temperature of 16 to 25 degrees. Approximately in 20-30 days the wine will brighten, and sediment will appear at the bottom. This means you are at the finish line.
- Now we try the resulting wine. If you don’t have enough sweetness, you can add sugar.
- The last stage is the maturation of the wine. Although it happens that in the process of maturation, we drink almost all of it. Ideally, of course, leave it in a cool place (we store it on the balcony, but you can in the refrigerator or cellar) for a period of about 2-3 months. During this time, the wine will be saturated, become lighter and much tastier.
- After this period, the gooseberry wine is ready.
Ready wine should be stored in sealed containers in the refrigerator. And it should not be stored for more than a year. Although I do not know a single person who could hold him for at least six months. It’s painfully delicious.
What result did I get
Gooseberry wine reminds me of expensive champagne, but without gas. The taste of the finished drink is very delicate, with a pleasant aroma and an elegant aftertaste. So I want to enjoy it.
As a result, I want to give you parting words. No matter how long and difficult this process may seem to you now, it’s worth it, believe me. Prepare real homemade gooseberry wine and treat your family and friends to it.
There is not a single person in my family who does not love him. Who in your circle loves natural wines the most?