Judy GaymanBrewing wine is not as difficult as it seems! You won’t even need to use special tools when brewing.
You’re good to go with a sharp skill set and simple tools available at home. More than the fun it brings, it will give you a better appreciation for winemaker enthusiasts.
Want to make homemade wine? Just follow these simple steps. This wine-making tutorial is inexpensive and easy to make:
How to Make Homemade Wine
Before we will go into the details of making your own wine, take a look at the video below and learn the basics of how to make homemade Italian wine:
Things you’ll need
- Funnel
- Measuring cup
- Wine bottle (any bottle or container is acceptable)
- Balloon
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 cups of white sugar (brown sugar optional)
- 1 pack of yeast
- 1/2 to 1 gallon of grape juice.
You can use any kind of fruit juice of your preference. If you prefer white wine, use grape juice. For red wine, go for purple grape juice. Make sure that the fruit juice is pasteurized and free from preservatives.
Instructions
Step 1. Wash the tools thoroughly
Wine is usually kept for a long time as it becomes tasteful. All the tools to be used shall be washed properly to prevent contamination. If it gets contaminated, it is not advisable to drink it.
Step 2. Pour out 1 cup of grape juice
You might think it’s a waste, but this process makes the wine more flavorful. This will make room for other ingredients that you’ll add later on.
Step 3. Put 1 pack of yeast
You can choose not to use the funnel and directly add the yeast into the mixture. Be generous in adding yeast as this is important for the fermentation process. This is the cheapest ingredient for this recipe anyway.
Step 4. Allow the yeast to moisten
Wait for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast is moistened. After doing so, check the container for 5 to 10 seconds. This is the most crucial part of this process. Pat yourself in the back once done.
Step 5. Place the balloon on top of the bottle
Make sure that the bottle is uncapped when you place the balloon on top of it. The ballon will serve as the cap for this procedure. After that, poke the balloon with 1 or 2 holes on top of the bottle.
The balloon will serve as a cheap airlock. However, if you have an airlock, you can use it instead.
Once the yeast is inside, it consumes the sugar to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. Of course, we are after the alcohol than the carbon dioxide. This is the important use of wine, after all.
Now, cap the bottle and keep it with your wine collection to achieve a delicious taste. Don’t drink it immediately as it needs to be stored first for fermentation.
Finally, you can relax and enjoy a glass of homemade wine.
Final Thoughts
Store your soon-to-be wine in a cool and dark place as the yeast loves it there. After 5 to 8 hours, when you store it, check the bottle to see if the balloon has already inflated. If it hasn’t, wait for another couple hours or slowly slosh the mixture.
If the balloon is already inflated or is about to inflate, congratulations, as you’ve been successful in making homemade wine. You’re on your way to adding a delicious wine to your batches of wine collection.
After a week or two, the wine will produce bubbles. This indicates the biochemical reactions will soon start. To make the whole process even more successful, follow the important rule: keep the bottle inside a cold and dark place.
