The rich harvest of apples grown in the infield poses
gardener a difficult task for its processing. In such cases, usually cook
jam, compotes, but you can learn the basics of winemaking and enjoy
fine apple wine. There are no special secrets for making homemade wine,
therefore, everyone can master a simple technology.
To make wine you will need a powerful grater or juicer, a glass container for fermentation, sugar and apples. At the first stage, it is necessary to squeeze the juice. Apples are removed from the tree, you can use the scavenger. Before squeezing the juice, the fruits are not washed, since there are yeast microorganisms on their skin. Seeds and core are removed, otherwise apple wine may acquire a bitter taste. Squeeze the juice with a juicer or rub on a coarse grater, and then strain. The output is a liquidish puree, which is left for 2-3 days in a container. During this time, the mixture begins to ferment and separate into juice and pulp, which floats to the surface. The first 2 days it is necessary to mix the juice with the pulp for better air intake. Then for 2-3 days the mixture is left alone, after which the pulp is removed using a sieve or colander. A cloudy wort with a characteristic alcohol smell remains in the container.
For each liter of wort, add about a glass of sugar, the amount of which depends largely on the variety of fruits. The wort is poured into clean glass bottles and sealed. If it enters the air tank, it will turn out not apple wine, but vinegar (also a very valuable product). For sealing it is better to use children's plasticine and other non-toxic plastic materials. The wort should occupy no more than 4/5 of the volume in the bottle. The gas outlet is provided using a thin tube, the end of which is lowered into a container of water. This design is called a water shutter. The gases generated during the fermentation process through the tube will go outside, and the air will not be able to get into the container, so you get apple wine, not vinegar.
The container with a must is put in a dark place with a temperature of 19-25 degrees, it can not be opened and shaken. The fermentation process lasts about a month and a half. The end of fermentation can be determined by the absence of bubbles released from the tube. After the end of the process, young
apple wine is defended for some time. Then it is carefully drained from the sediment.
and set to ripen. You can also drink young wine, but the drink contains
a large amount of yeast and a little unclear. Within 2-3 months drink
lightens and matures. If homemade apple wine is used for distillation,
then you can’t stand it. For maturation, a sealed container is used,
which should be absolutely clean and dry. Pour liquid with
tubes, begin with the uppermost clarified layers.
It is necessary to leave a minimum amount of air, so the liquid is poured along the edges. Then the container is corked and put in a cool place for 3-4 months. During this time, the drink acquires a pleasant aroma and taste. After a few months, the wine is again drained from the sediment and sealed in clean bottles without air. Part of the wine is left to prepare apple cider vinegar. For this, the liquid is left for some time in an open vessel. Homemade apple cider vinegar does not contain preservatives or dyes, so it is more useful than a product produced industrially. Use vinegar for pickling, harvesting vegetables and fruits, cooking many dishes.
Apple wine at home can be ennobled with various additives. By itself, the drink is significantly inferior to wine from grapes, has a specific taste and dark amber color. You can saturate the bouquet and add astringency and color to the wine by adding mashed black chokeberry to it at the fermentation stage. At the same time, the finished drink acquires a noble dark ruby hue and a delicate tart taste.
You can make a spicy bouquet and add ruby color to the wine by adding strawberries or black currants. You can also use any frozen berries. During ripening in some cases, add a little
number of spices: cardamom, coriander, cloves, vanilla, cinnamon.