The making of wines from dried fruits and grain is delicately popular to the townsman for these ingredients can easily obtainable plus they make good wines. The mixtures of dried fruit and grains make for strong, but not too fully flavored wines are often likened to whiskeys and brandies.
Wines made from dried fruits and grain need time to mature or reach their best, probably two years are not too long, though at one year they are very excellent wines. As with root wines the addition of some acid is very important; this is put into the 'must' as oranges and lemons.
Most of the dried fruit must heavily sulphited to prevent fermentation and most wheat or other grain has been in contact with all sorts of dirt, dust and bacteria. Thus, they must be well cleansed before use. To do so, you have to break up the raisins and drop them into boiling water and as soon as the water boils again cut-off the heat, strain the raisins and throw the water away. The raisins are then ready to use. Do the same with wheat or other grain, but use a separate saucepan; they are then ready to use.
Here are the process and recipes in making wines from dried fruits and grain. Note: Most recipes for fruit wines allow for tannin in the fruits to be given into the 'must'. This tannin is very important in putting flavour into the wine, yet few of us have realized it. The little tannin given to fruit wines is usually just the right amount. In the usual way, there is no tannin present in dried fruit wines. Thus, it is as well to add one tablespoonful of freshly made tea to make good deficiency. Special grape tannin is available, but tea is a cheap and handy source of which you might as well make use. In fact, the addition of tea is included in the recipes.
1.Prepare the raisins, prunes and wheat as has already been advised. Then put them with the sliced oranges and lemons in the fermenting vessel. 2.Boil half the sugar in 7 pints water for two minutes and pour over the ingredients while still boiling. 3.Allow to cool and add the yeast. 4.Cover as directed and ferment the mixture for 10 days. Crush it well each day and stir up the wheat and cover again at once. 5.After 10 days, strain out the solids, and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor in a gallon of jar. 6.Boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining two pints of water and when cool add it to the rest. 7.Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased. IRISH WHISKEY 2 lb. wheat, 1 lb. raisins, 1 lb. potatoes, 2 lemons, 4 oranges, 1 oz. yeast, 3 lb. sugar, 9 pts. water.
RAISIN WINE 3 lb. raisins, 3 lemons, 2 lb. sugar, 9 pts. water, 1 oz. yeast, 1 tablespoonful of freshly made tea. 1.Less sugar than usual is required here because the large amount of raisins will give a lot of sugar to the wine - which will not be dry. For a dry raisin wine use only one and a quarter pound of sugar. Put the raisins and the sliced lemons and the tea in the Fermenting vessel. 2.Boil all the sugar in all the water (or half the water at a time if your saucepan is on the small side), and add the rest while boiling. 3.When cool, add the yeast and ferment for fourteen days, stirring daily and covering again at once. Strain and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased. - 32176
Wines made from dried fruits and grain need time to mature or reach their best, probably two years are not too long, though at one year they are very excellent wines. As with root wines the addition of some acid is very important; this is put into the 'must' as oranges and lemons.
Most of the dried fruit must heavily sulphited to prevent fermentation and most wheat or other grain has been in contact with all sorts of dirt, dust and bacteria. Thus, they must be well cleansed before use. To do so, you have to break up the raisins and drop them into boiling water and as soon as the water boils again cut-off the heat, strain the raisins and throw the water away. The raisins are then ready to use. Do the same with wheat or other grain, but use a separate saucepan; they are then ready to use.
Here are the process and recipes in making wines from dried fruits and grain. Note: Most recipes for fruit wines allow for tannin in the fruits to be given into the 'must'. This tannin is very important in putting flavour into the wine, yet few of us have realized it. The little tannin given to fruit wines is usually just the right amount. In the usual way, there is no tannin present in dried fruit wines. Thus, it is as well to add one tablespoonful of freshly made tea to make good deficiency. Special grape tannin is available, but tea is a cheap and handy source of which you might as well make use. In fact, the addition of tea is included in the recipes.
1.Prepare the raisins, prunes and wheat as has already been advised. Then put them with the sliced oranges and lemons in the fermenting vessel. 2.Boil half the sugar in 7 pints water for two minutes and pour over the ingredients while still boiling. 3.Allow to cool and add the yeast. 4.Cover as directed and ferment the mixture for 10 days. Crush it well each day and stir up the wheat and cover again at once. 5.After 10 days, strain out the solids, and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor in a gallon of jar. 6.Boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining two pints of water and when cool add it to the rest. 7.Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased. IRISH WHISKEY 2 lb. wheat, 1 lb. raisins, 1 lb. potatoes, 2 lemons, 4 oranges, 1 oz. yeast, 3 lb. sugar, 9 pts. water.
RAISIN WINE 3 lb. raisins, 3 lemons, 2 lb. sugar, 9 pts. water, 1 oz. yeast, 1 tablespoonful of freshly made tea. 1.Less sugar than usual is required here because the large amount of raisins will give a lot of sugar to the wine - which will not be dry. For a dry raisin wine use only one and a quarter pound of sugar. Put the raisins and the sliced lemons and the tea in the Fermenting vessel. 2.Boil all the sugar in all the water (or half the water at a time if your saucepan is on the small side), and add the rest while boiling. 3.When cool, add the yeast and ferment for fourteen days, stirring daily and covering again at once. Strain and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased. - 32176
About the Author:
For years, Olivia Frisch has been learning the tricks to brewing a fabulous homemade wine. Did you know you can even use dried fruits & grains to make a professional tasting vino? It's not as challening of a process as you might have thought. To learn more about brewing homemade wine, follow the link.
