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Whether you're a real wine enthusiast or just someone looking for a great part-time hobby, home wine making can be fun and enjoyable, and of course there are very few other pursuits with such a tasty payoff! It may seem somewhat intimidating to the novice, but in reality, home wine making can be very easy with just a little bit of guidance.
Most homemade wine is made from a grape juice concentrate, so don't worry about growing and harvesting your own grapes - or needing to stomp on them once you do! You can also use different fruit juices as well, for a different type of flavor.
Simplicity in Home Wine Making
Typically you simply add your fruit juice, Campden tablets (which release sulfur dioxide when dissolved), and water to what's called a primary fermenter. This is usually a large vessel with an airlock top. After the mixture has sat for 24 hours you add yeast and allow it to ferment for up to a week. You can then add water and allow it to continue to ferment.
Obviously these are just the most basic of the steps involved in wine making. There are actual recipes and step-by-step instructions you should follow, and additional ingredients. For instance, tannin is used to add flavor, clarify color, and assist in the aging process.
Tracking the Fermentation
A special piece of equipment called a hydrometer is used to track the alcohol content and fermentation process of your wine. If you want to try getting a higher alcohol content you can track this through the fermentation process. However, if you're new to home wine making, be careful. You can ruin an entire batch of wine by trying to force the alcohol content, so you may want to follow your recipes exactly at least while you're just starting out.
Personalizing Your Home Wine Making
One of the beautiful things about making your own wine is that you can adjust the ingredients to suit your own taste. Some add additional sugar to make sweeter wines while others prefer a more dry taste. With home wine making, you can also experiment with different fruits other than grapes. Many enjoy apple wine, raspberry wine, elderberry wine, plum wine, gooseberry wine, and many other varieties. You can also add different fruits to any type of wine for a new and unique flavor, or mix up the types of grapes or grape juices you use for a new and exciting flavor. You can also experiment with your techniques in wine making, such as keeping the water at a few degrees higher while trying for a higher alcohol content. The more you experiment with your own wine recipes and fruit combinations, the better your wine will taste, and the better you'll be at making it.
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