Home Made Wine

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  Step 1

  First, purchase some additive-free (and preferably organic) juice. Make sure that the juice isn't very acidic! Think about orange juice that has been fermented... ew. I would stick to grape juice for your first batch.

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  Step 2

  Next, boil the grape juice mixed with some water. It needs to be watered down so the wine does not end up extremely bitter and strong. Boil for five minutes, and when still hot (but not boiling) add four cups of sugar - once again, preferably raw and organic.
  *stir ONLY with a sanitized metal spoon. do not touch liquid with anything unsanitized throughout the process. All equipment should be sanitized with warm, diluted bleach water.

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  Step 3

  Allow the juice to cool to a luke-warm temperature. Carefully pour juice in to a glass jug with a narrow mouth, leaving the top four inches empty.

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  Step 4

  Place two packets of dry yeast (not "bread baking yeast") in a small glass cup or jar that has been sanitized. Add two tablespoons sugar, then pour luke-warm water in to the mixture. Allow the yeast to activate and rise, then pour in to your glass jug and juice mixture.

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  Step 5

  Find a rubber balloon and poke a needle-hole in the top of the balloon. Place the balloon tightly on the mouth of the jar. Secure with a rubber band if it seems loose whatsoever. The balloon MUST have a hole in it, or it will pop minutes after you place it on the jug. It should inflate to about the size it is in the photo, but no larger.
  Place mixture in a warm (but not hot!), dark area for two to three months.

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  Step 6

  Allow the wine to sit until it stops being murky. Sanitize a turkey baster and take a baster full from the batch and taste it. If it is too bitter, boil a large amount of sugar and water and add a cup or so to your wine. If it is too sweet, allow it to ferment longer.
  If the finished wine is going to be bottled and saved, you will need to add potassium sorbate to the wine to prevent the yeast from continuing to ferment and thus "turn" the wine. However, if you want to drink it all with some friends right away, it is fine without this addition.

  Sanitize any bottles you will use - then take a sip and ENJOY (responsibly)!

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Love in a Thunderstorm · 7 projects 2nd December 2009

That is so awesome.
I've been to a few vineyards and wineries over the last couple years and I've always found the process to be fascinating.

But this sounds equally as fun!

Unfortunately, I don't even have the patience to make ginger ale (two days). I'd never be able to wait three months for wine. T__T

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