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"We make good wines, winners!!!" All the following recipes are to make 5L of quality wine, so if you want to make larger quantities just multiply the ingredients (except the yeast) by the required amount e.g.: x 5 to get a 25L batch on the go. For a printer friendly version hit the link next to the recipe's name. **Please note if a recipe calls for grape juice concentrate, use 250g of chopped raisins in its place**. To get to the required recipe click the name of the recipe in the index below.
Hints and tips. *** It is a good idea to
freeze your fruit (without pips) before making wine from it. This allows
you time to gather ripe fruit and gives you time to enjoy your Summer and brew
in Winter when it is easier to control the temperature. The freeze/thaw
action also breaks down the cell structure allowing better access to juice and
colour. For a description of winemaking ingredients and other useful info relating to wine making click HERE. The glossary of winemaking terms links from here.
METHOD:- Select very ripe apricots, remove the stones and reduce then fruit to a pulp. Place the fruit into a plastic bucket and cover with 3L of boiling water. Add sugar and one crushed campden tablet and stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly, then strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp. Add the remaining water, fit the air lock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 3 months, 6 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:- Chop the raisins and place in a bucket with the blackberries, add 3L of boiling water, 1 crushed campden tablet the sugar and stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, citric acid, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly. After 5 days strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp, add the remaining water, fit an airlock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 6 months, 12 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:- Place the crushed blueberries in a plastic bucket. Cover with 3L of boiling water. Add 1 crushed campden tablet and the sugar then stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, citric acid, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly. After 5 days strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp, add the remaining water, fit an airlock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 3 months, 6-12 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!! Crush the apples and extract the juice, or purchase the juice direct from the factory. To each 5 litres of juice, add two crushed campden tablets and let stand for 12 hours to kill the wild yeast. Then add 1tsp each of pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and the required amount of yeast. Fit an airlock and allow to ferment right out. At this point bubbling will cease through the airlock and the hydrometer will show a reading of 1.000. Leave to stand for a further two days to clear, then bottle, adding 1tsp of sugar to each 750ml bottle. The cider will be ready to drink in 3 - 4 weeks but will improve if left for 3 - 6 months. Variations to this recipe include the addition of 500g of lactose (a non fermenting sugar) to take the end product from dry to slightly on the sweeter side of medium. The lactose content can be altered to taste. The addition of 10% of the final volume of pear juice will bring the final product out closer to Strongbow Cider. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:- The flowers should be picked in sunshine when they are fully open, immediately prior to making this wine. Pick off the stems and put the heads into a bucket. Bring the water to the boil, pour over the dandelions and leave to stand for 2 days, covered with a clean tea towel, stirring a few times each day. On the third day put the mix into a pot and boil, adding the sugar and the rinds of the fruit only, for 10 minutes. Return the mix to the bucket and add the juice and pulp of the fruit along with the raisins to the mix. Cool to fermentation temps as quickly as possible and add the yeast, nutrient and tannin. Let ferment for a further 3, covered with the tea towel, then strain into a fermentation jar and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. Rack, adding 1 campden tablet each time, the clear wine from the sediment at least twice. At the final racking stage add a stabiliser and bottle. Leave to mature for at least 8 months, 12 - 18 months maturation will produce a better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:- Select only the ripest berries and strip them from the stalks, place in a plastic bucket, crush and cover with 3L of boiling water. Add 1 crushed campden tablet and the sugar then stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, citric acid, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly. After 5 days strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp, add the remaining water, fit an airlock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 12 months, 24 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!! RED GRAPE WINE (SIMPLE VERSION) METHOD:- Remove the grapes from the stalks, discarding any rotten fruit. Crush the grapes, taking care not to crush the pips. To each 7kg of pulp add one crushed campden tablet to kill the wild yeast. Remove a sample of juice and check the hydrometer reading, juice with a reading of 1080 on the hydrometer will produce a dry wine of about 12% alcohol by volume. Should the reading be lower sugar may be added to raise the reading; conversely if the reading is higher you may add water to the juice to avoid producing an overly strong wine. Having prepared the must, place it in a plastic bucket and add a fresh wine yeast, fermentation should start within 24 hours and become rapidly more vigorous. Keep the bucket covered with a clean cloth and remember to stir the pulp 2-3 times a day to prevent the skins from drying out. After 3-6 days (depending on the colour required) run off as much wine as you can, then press the skins to extract the rest. Put the fermenting wine into your fermenting bottles and cap with a bung and airlock. Allow the wine to ferment to 990 on the hydrometer, ensuring that the fermentation vessel is kept as full as possible. When the fermentation is complete and the wine falls clear carefully siphon the clear wine from the sediment and add one crushed campden tablet to each 5L of wine. Repeat this process twice more at intervals of 2 to 4 weeks after which the wine may be stabilized, bottled and left to mature for 6 months or longer. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!! WHITE GRAPE WINE (SIMPLE VERSION) METHOD:- Remove the grapes from the stems, discarding any rotten fruit. Press the juice from the skins and place the juice into fermenting vessels. Remove a sample of juice and check the hydrometer reading, juice with a reading of 1080 on the hydrometer will produce a dry wine of about 12% alcohol by volume. Should the reading be lower sugar may be added to raise the reading; conversely if the reading is higher you may add water to the juice to avoid producing an overly strong wine. To each 5L of juice add 1 crushed campden tablet to kill the wild yeast. Allow to stand for about 12 hours, then add a fresh yeast culture. Allow the wine to ferment to 990 on the hydrometer, ensuring that the fermentation vessel is kept as full as possible. When the fermentation is complete and the wine falls clear carefully siphon the clear wine from the sediment and add one crushed campden tablet to each 5L of wine. Repeat this process twice more at intervals of 2 to 4 weeks after which the wine may be stabilized, bottled and left to mature for 6 months or longer. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD: Place the juice of the kiwi fruit in a plastic bucket. Mix with 3L of boiling water. Add 1 crushed campden tablet and the sugar then stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, acids, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly. After 5 days strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp, add the remaining water, fit an airlock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 3 months, 6-12 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:
Dissolve the honey in 2 litres of hot water in a bucket and add 2 crushed
Campden Tablets. Make up to 5 litres with cold water and add the acids, tannin
and nutrient, and transfer to the fermentation bottle. Allow a period of 12 to
24 hours before adding the yeast. Keep in a warm place and allow to ferment
until the hydrometer reading is about 990. The first racking should be done soon
after adding one crushed Campden Tablet. Meads are generally slow to ferment and
slow to clear, but racking should be done at least every one to two months until
completely clear. Once clear you may stabilise with Potassium Sorbate, sweeten
to taste if necessary and bottle. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:- Stone the nectarines and place the pulped fruit into a plastic bucket. Cover with 3L of boiling water. Add 1 crushed campden tablet and the sugar then stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, citric acid, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly. After 5 days strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp, add the remaining water, fit an airlock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 12 months, 24 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!! ORANGE WINE (THIS RECIPE CAN USE ANY STORE BOUGHT FRUIT JUICE OF YOUR CHOICE) METHOD:- Take 4L of orange juice (making sure it has no added preservatives, add 1kg sugar plus a teaspoon of pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient. Make up to 5L with water and put into a fermenting bottle with an all purpose wine yeast. Ferment to 990 on the hydrometer, allow to clear and rack in the usual way. Stabilise with campden tablets and potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste and leave to mature for a couple of weeks (obviously this is designed as a quick drinking, beginners social wine so don't expect any gold medal awards, but with a little more time to mature it does scrub up fairly well). ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:-Stone the Peaches and place the pulped fruit into a plastic bucket. Cover with 3L of boiling water. Add 1 crushed campden tablet and the sugar then stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, citric acid, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly. After 5 days strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp, add the remaining water, fit an airlock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 3 months, 6-12 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!! PLUM WINE (includes cherry plum, blood plum, Greengage)
METHOD:-Select very ripe plums and place the pulped fruit into a plastic bucket. Cover with 3L of boiling water. Add 1 crushed campden tablet and the sugar then stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, citric acid, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly. After 5 days strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp, add the remaining water, fit an airlock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear , rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 6 months, 12-24 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:- Chop the rhubarb and into a plastic bucket. Cover with 3L of boiling water. Add 1 crushed campden tablet and the sugar then stir until dissolved. When cool (20 - 28 deg C) add the pectic enzyme, citric acid, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover and allow to ferment for 5 days stirring regularly. After 5 days strain the juice into a 5L bottle and discard the pulp, add the remaining water, fit an airlock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about two weeks, adding 1 crushed campden tablet at each racking. Stabilise at the final racking stage with potassium sorbate, sweeten to taste then bottle. Allow to mature for at least 6 months, 12 months will produce a much better result. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
METHOD:- Cut the rhubarb into small pieces and place in a bucket, cover with cold water and add the hawthorn flowers, the juice and rind (only) of the lemons and 1 crushed campden tablet. Keep the bucket covered with a clean tea towel (in a cool place) and stir daily for 10 days. Strain and add half the sugar, stirring until dissolved, and the yeast and nutrient. After 4-5 days add the remaining sugar stirring thoroughly, then transfer the wine into a fermentation jar and leave until the hydrometer reads a stable end point. Rack the wine, adding 1 crushed campden tablet, and allow to stand for a further 2 months and rack again, following the normal procedure and also adding a stabiliser. After the second racking leave for a further month and bottle, leaving to mature for at least 12-24 months before sampling. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!! BERRY PORT 1 (FERMENTATION)
METHOD:
Place the crushed berries in a plastic bucket with the sugar and add 3 litres of
boiling water and one crushed campden tablet. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
When cool, add the pectic enzyme, nutrient and the yeast. Cover, allow to
ferment for 5 days, stirring daily, then strain the juice into a 5 litre bottle
and discard the pulp. Add the remaining water, fit the air lock and ferment to
990 on the hydrometer. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!! BERRY PORT 2 (Fortification)
METHOD: Place the crushed berries in a plastic bucket with the sugar and add 3 litres of boiling water and one crushed campden tablet. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. When cool, add the pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and the yeast. Cover, allow to ferment for 5 days, stirring daily, then strain the juice into a 5-litre bottle and discard the pulp. Add the remaining water, fit the air lock and ferment to 990 on the hydrometer. When the wine falls clear, rack 3 times at intervals of about 2 weeks, adding one crushed campden tablet at each racking. Wine may be stabilised with potassium sorbate at the final racking then add 800ml Polish spirit (70%) and sweeten with 100g sugar or sweetened to taste and bottled. Allow 6 to 12 months to mature. Port is now 20%. ALWAYS test your wine if you think it has finished - the hydrometer will confirm this as 990. If it is not 990, call us!!!!!
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