HOME-MADE WINE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 90, 14 March 1941, Page 45

HOME-MADE WINE

OLLOWING up our determination not to waste any fruit at all this season, we come to the question of over-ripe fruit and what can be done with it. Often, cases of fruit can be picked up very cheaply in the markets, but are found, on opening up, to be not such a good bargain after all, because most of it is crushed and over-ripe, perhaps having been longer than expected in transit, or having stood over a hot week-end in the sheds. Even if we have an orchard, the fruit often gets ahead of us, .and though we bottle and preserve as much as we can, and give away to all our neighbours, there is still some that we regretfully enough resign ourselves to wasting. This over-ripe fruit, however, is just the very thing for wine-making, and pure home-made wine, without the addition of any yeast in most cases, and if not kept too many years, is an innocuous and healthful drink. It certainly can become intoxicating when very mature; but "people like us,’ just plain folk-are not looking for nonsense of that sort. After all, anything can be abused; but we want to use and not abuse. Hot blackberry and black currant wine is very good for a cold at bedtime. Don’t Use Tin You really need a wooden cask or tub to work wine in; although it can be made quite well in a stone jar, if not too big a quantity. But never work wine in a tin or metal container, owing to the chemical action on all metals by the acids contained in the fruits. No Chill Never let wine get chilled during the period of fermentation. An Important Point Never cork up tightly until all fermentation has ceased. If wine is properly worked out, it may be used in one month’s time after corking up tightly, but the longer it is kept, the more the flavour improves. Quantity of Fruit As a tule, people do not use enough fruit to the gallon of water. A reasonably good wine can be made by using eight pounds of fruit to the gallon, but if fruit is plentiful, anything up to 12 pounds can be used. This equals half fruit-juice and half water, and makes a good heavy wine. Parsnip wine is the exception to this rule, as 3 lbs. of parsnips to a gallon of water is sufficient, and 3 Ibs. of sugar to each gallon of liquid. Quantity of Sugar The amount of sugar to be used depends on the quantity of the water and

the ripeness and sweetness of the fruit. Nice sweet fruit requires about 3 Ibs. of sugar to the gallon of water; average soft, ripe plums take about 342 Ibs. to the gallon; nice ripe grapes, 3 lbs.; blackberries 34% lbs. to 33% Ibs. Wine Turning to Vinegar This happens if the fruit is not properly ripe, or if enough sugar has not been used. It has a dry, harsh taste, and resembles vinegar. This is generally irremediable. However, sometimes the following method is successful: Experiment with one bottle first. Add to it one teaspoon of sugar thoroughly dissolved, then taste. It may need 3 or more spoonfuls to the bottle before the required sweetness is obtained. When the amount of sugar necessary for each bottle has been determined, empty all into a big vessel and add the required sugar. When this is thoroughly dissolved, re-bottle, but do not cork, as fermentation will probably start again. Let it finish working before corking up. General Directions for Wine Making Weigh fruit first-as mentioned above, about 8 lbs. of fruit to the gallon of water. Mash thoroughly. Put the required water into the barrel with the fruit, which starts to ferment immediately. Stir several times daily for the first few days, while the fermentation is active. It may be anything from 6 to 8 days before this ceases. Then strain through a muslin bag, taking only a small quantity at a time, so as to get all the liquid out. (Where big quantities are made, a press is used.) Now measure the quantity of liquid, and add the required sugar-3 Ibs. to 334 lbs. to the gallon, as described above. Let it work for two or three weeks, stirring several times daily for the first week, and at the end of the third week, strain it carefully, being careful not to disturb the sediment at the bottom. Let it stand again for three or four days. At this stage, a day or two longer makes no difference. Strain again as before. Now taste, and if the wine is not sweet enough, dissolve some sugar in a little boiling water and make it to the required sweetness before putting it in the keg. The keg can now be bunged, and put away for approximately seven months, and the wine will mature through the wood. Now for Special recipes. Blackberry Wine Put any quantity of blackberries in a wooden or stone vessel, crush them and cover well with either cold or boiling water. Stir often for a few hours, cover with a light cloth, and leave for three or four days. Then strain off the liquid and add 3% lbs. of sugar to every gallon. Put it then into a keg or stone jar, but do not quite fill it. Keep out some of the liquid to add after every skimming, to keep the quantity the same. It will work for two or three weeks. Skim daily,

adding some of the liquid each time, to make up for what has been taken out. Keep a piece of muslin over the keg to keep out dust and flies. When it has finished working, cork or bung lightly and gradually tighten up daily. It is better not to move the keg at all. Bottle in 6 months, but if you can leave it twelve months, so much the better. (This was sent by "Ivy" of .Patamahoe.) Passion Fruit Wine For about six dozen ripe passion fruit, allow a gallon of water and four pounds of sugar. Put the pulp from the passion fruit into a stone or wooden vessel, add the water, and let it ferment from six to eight days. Strain through muslin and then add the sugar. Let it work for three weeks, approximately, strain again, and let it stand for a few days. Strain it again, and then keg it up tight. Let it stand for about seven months, when it

should be ready for use. To improve the colour, you may chop up a little of the nice. ripe skins and add them to the pulp during the first ferment, and keep it well stirred several times daily during this period. Plum Wine Follow the General Directions carefully, using 8 Ibs. to 12 lbs, of plums, and 314 to 4 lbs. of sugar to the gallon. Use in 3 to 6 months. Beetroot Wine Take 4 quarts of water, 4 lbs. of beetroot, and 3 lbs. of sugar. Wash and cut up the beet and boil in water until tender. Strain and boil the liquor again with the sugar added, for 20 minutes, Strain again and work in 4% oz. of yeast, A little ginger may be added if desired. Do not cork the bottles for some time. §Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page). If kept till it is quite clear and dark, it will taste very similar to port wine. The beetroot should be just freshly dug to be used. Parsnip Wine Weigh out the required quantity of parsnips, wash them, and cut them into slices. Boil until tender. When cool enough, strain through a muslin bag, taking only a small portion at a time so as to get all the liquid out. When this is done, maké up with water to the required amount (as some water boils away), add 3 lbs. of sugar to each gallon of liquid, and when lukewarm add a little compressed yeast dissolved in lukewarm water. Let it work for three weeks, stirring several times daily for the first week, At the end of the third week strain it, being careful not to disturb the sediment at the bottom. Let stand another 3 or 4 days-a day or two longer will make no difference at this stage. Strain again as before. If not possessing a keg to mature wine in, be sure to let it work out thoroughly before corking up the bottles, as wine matures through wood whereas if it is corked up tightly in bottles, it would be heady when opened. There is no need to use isinglass for clearing, as all wines clear as they mature, Rhubarb Wine Use 5 Ibs. of rhubarb to each gallon of water, and 344 to 4 Ibs. of sugar. If liked, the juice and thinly pared rind of a lemon may be added. Put the rhubarb into a stone jar or earthenware or enamel bowl, leaving the skin on and cutting into short pieces. Crush it thoroughly (a heavy potato masher answers well, but some people prefer to use their hands) and pour the water over. Let it remain for 6 to 8 days, stirring and squeezing and crushing every day. Then strain the liquid off into another vessel, adding the sugar, lemon juice and rind, stirring occasionally until the sugar is well dissolved. Let it work for three weeks, according to the general directions, then strain again, and put into keg or bottles, Be sure it is absolutely finished working before corking the bottles tightly.