Contents
In fact, raisins are just another form of grapes, but in order to make wine, you need to take a responsible approach to the choice of raw materials. It is not enough just to go to any supermarket and take the first raisins that come across. Since today most producers process dried fruits with sulfur dioxide, which simply does not give any chance to survive for any microorganisms, including wild yeasts, which are necessary for the fermentation of the wort.
raisin tincture recipes
Where to get quality raisins with wild yeast
Make your own raisins. To do this, you need the right grape variety and a dry room (for example, an attic).
Buy raisins only from trusted sellers in the market or in small shops with dried fruits.
Trial and error method. In any supermarket, take several varieties of raisins and prepare a starter from each variety (recipe below). And in further preparation, use only the product that gave the best results.
To make wine, you need raisin sourdough.
Ingredients
Unwashed raisins – 100 g of each type that could be found
Raw warm water (maximum 30 degrees)
Sugar sand – 1,5 tbsp. l per 100 g of raisins
Step by Step Cooking Instructions
In liter jars we throw 100 g of raisins, granulated sugar and fill it with water to the very top.
We cover the neck with gauze and leave for three days in a warm place.
After 3 days, the quality of each type of raisin will already be visible. During this time, all the berries should emerge and the initial signs of fermentation (sour smell, hiss and foam) should appear.
At this stage, the number of cans of sourdough may decrease (sourdough with low-quality raisins disappears). We put on a rubber glove on the remaining cans and leave it for another 1 day in the same place.
Raisin sourdough is ready. You can store it in the refrigerator, but not more than 1-1,5 months.
Before using the starter, it must be removed from the refrigerator, add 0,5 tablespoon of sugar and leave warm for a couple of days. As soon as the yeast “plays” again, you can continue cooking any wine (not only from raisins).
Dry raisin wine
Ingredients
Raisins – 1 kg
Raisin starter – 500 ml
Water – 5 L
Method of preparation
Having got rid of small debris, pour raisins with two liters of water at room temperature and leave for 2-3 hours.
As soon as the raisins are swollen, we interrupt them with a blender or meat grinder and transfer them to a glass container of a suitable size.
Pour in the starter and the remaining water + 2 liters, in which the raisins swelled.
Then we cover the neck of the container with gauze and leave it for a couple of days in a warm place. Do not forget to periodically knock down the hat of the wort.
As soon as active fermentation begins, we install a water seal and leave it in a dark, warm place for a period of 3 weeks to 2 months.
After the complete completion of fermentation, the liquid must be drained from the sediment and poured into another glass container (we fill it by 90%).
We pass to the stage of quiet fermentation. We install the water seal again and send the container to a dark and cool room for 2–3 months.
Important! As soon as a rather dense yeast sediment falls at the bottom of the container, the drink must be decanted, otherwise the finished wine will be bitter.
After the end of the stage of quiet fermentation, it must be bottled. If you want to get a semi-sweet or dessert wine, then it’s time to add glucose or granulated sugar to taste.
Now we send bottles with a drink for 5-6 months for aging. Keep the drink in a horizontal position.
Raisin wine with rice
Ingredients
Raisins – 500 ml
Raisin leaven – 500 ml
Uncooked rice – 1 kg
Sugar – 1,5 kg for dry wine (for dessert – 2)
Water – 4 L
Citric acid – 0,5 tsp
Method of preparation
We cook the basic sugar syrup from granulated sugar and 1,5 liters of water with citric acid, and cool it to 40 degrees.
Pour rice into a glass jar, fill it with sugar syrup and wrap it with a warm blanket. Leave for a day in a warm place to swell.
After a day, pour the contents of the jar into a container of a suitable size, pour in the remaining water, leaven and add raisins. We cover the neck with gauze and leave for 3-4 days. Don’t forget to knock off the foam cap.
As soon as active fermentation begins, we install a water seal and leave it for 1–1,5 months.
After the end of fermentation, the wort is carefully drained through a straw, and the pulp is squeezed through cheesecloth.
Pour the liquid into a clean container by 4/5 volume and reinstall the water seal. We transfer the container to a cool place for 1–1,5 months.
The wine will be ready as soon as it becomes completely transparent. But in the process of quiet fermentation, it is necessary to remove the drink from the yeast sediment.
After the specified time, the young raisin wine is ready for bottling.
Before tasting, he needs to brew for about 2-3 months.
Relevance: 31.12.2017
Tags: Wine and vermouth, Wine recipes