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OUR FAVORITE 1 GALLON WINE RECIPES:
The quality of the juice and other ingredients you
start off with determines the quality of the finished
wine. Note: The more juice or fruits you use in your
wine recipe the more body and flavor your wine will
receive. If you skim on juice and use more water and
sugar, the body of the wine will be thin and very
little flavor. Frozen white grape juice concentrate do
not have strong distinctive flavor, mainly sweet and
can be substituted for table sugar (1 cup of conc.
juice = to approx. 1 cup of table sugar). To make more
than 1 gallon of wine from the recipe below, just
multiply the recipe. If using fresh fruits, remove
stem, core, pits and seeds, wash well and thoroughly.
Store your cleaned fruits in a freezer bag in the
freezer until you have enough to make a batch.
Freezing will help in extracting the juice from the
fruit. Clean and sanitize your equipment just before
use. If you are making wine for the first time, refer
to “How to Make Your Own” before starting your first
batch. As you can see from the recipes, most wines
have similar methods, so just have fun and have
patience! Protect your fermentation from house lights
or sunlight and store your bottled wine the same way.
We recommend making your first batch of wine with
frozen juice concentrate - Simple, less work with
great result! After your first batch and you are ready
for premium grape wine, is time to try
Alexander’s
Grape Concentrate,
Winexpert Wine Kit or the
Vintners
Harvest fruit bases.
A hydrometer (#5808) is used to
determine the Specific Gravity, potential alcohol
content and to determine if the wine is done
fermenting. Use filtered water from your grocery store
or your own reverse osmosis water when making wine or
beer, they do taste better! Clean filtered water can
be used to top up secondary fermenter after racking.
When recipes call for 1 lb of Honey or 1 lb of Corn
Sugar allow an extra pound on hand just in case the
specific gravity of your wine (wine made from fresh
fruits) is low and it needs to be raised to 1.090
(Approx. 1/3-1/2 cup of honey will raise the S.G. 10
points in 1 gallon of water from 1.080-1.090 and
approx. 4 oz. of corn sugar will raise the S.G. 10
points in 1 gallon of water from 1.080-1.090).
Wine will eventually clear itself if
our recipes are followed (it may take up to 1-3 months
to clear). If you prefer to let your wine clear
naturally (which may take longer than 3 months),
remove
Bentonite and
Sparkolloid from your recipe. For
a sweeter wine, etc. add ½ tsp or more of corn sugar
to 1 glass of wine prior to serving. If you prefer to
stabilize and/or sweeten your wine at bottling, add
1/8 tsp Sodium or
Potassium Metalbisulphite (#7509 or
7511) and 3/8 tsp stabilizer (Potassium Sorbate,
#6508) per gallon of wine and stir until dissolved.
Next add 3-6 tablespoon corn sugar (to desired taste)
per gallon and stir to dissolve before bottling your
wine. Aging can be done in the
secondary fermenter
with fermentation lock attached. Wine is drinkable
after the primary fermentation stage, but with racking
and continue aging (at least 6 months, preferably
longer) the wine will mellow, leaving an incredible
wine. Take into consideration the region and the
season where you live, it may affect 1 or more of the
steps in winemaking such as the fermenting
temperature.
If you prefer a more premium quality
grape juice concentrate or wine grape concentrates,
refer to Alexander Grape Concentrates.
Primary fermenter (#5554) should be at least 1½-2 gallon in
size for a 1 gallon batch recipe (for a 3 gallon batch
use a 5 gallon fermenter). Secondary fermenter would
be a 1 gallon glass jug (#5506). For racking wine
use #4741 Barking Mini
Auto-Siphon Kit-Plus.
All the equipment
you need to make 1 gallon of wine are item # 4741,
5554 and 5506 plus the above ingredients. If you need
to acquire a Press to squeeze the juice out the fruits
or search for products you need, please refer to Table
of Contents.
1. Red Wine -
Ingredients: 24 oz. of frozen
100% Red Grape Juice Concentrates (Approximately 18
lbs Grapes); Enough filtered (reverse osmosis, pitcher
filtered or grocery refillable filtered) water to 1
gallon total volume; ½ lb.
Corn Sugar; ¾ tsp
Acid
Blend (#6501); ½ tsp
Pectic Enzyme (#6507); 1 tsp Bentonite (7101); 1 tsp Sparkolloid (7106), save this
for later use;
Lalvin Bourgovin RC212 (#2210) or
Red
Star Pasture Red yeast.
Method: Mix corn sugar and additives (excluding
yeast and Sparkolloid) in a bowl. Dissolve the corn
sugar/additive mixture in a quart of lukewarm filtered
water. Add juice concentrates/puree and remainder of
filtered water to 1 gallon and stir for 3 minutes or
until dissolved/dispersed in primary fermenter. Take
S.G. reading, the must should be at approx. 1.090, if
not add more corn sugar to bring the gravity up to
1.090 (Approx. 4 oz. of corn sugar will raise the S.G.
10 points in 1 gallon of water from 1.080-1.090).
Pitch yeast when must is at
approximately 75°F (±3°F). (Use hot or cold water bath
to get it to approximately 75°F (±3°F).) Seal the
primary fermenter with lid and fermentation lock and
allow to ferment at constant room temperature of
approximately 70°F (±5°F). Fermentation will begin
24-48 hours & will continue for approximately 11 days
at 70°F. (The higher the temperature the shorter the
fermentation process and vice versa.) For the 1st 6
days of primary fermentation, gently swirl the primary
fermenter daily without spilling for 1 minute each day
with the lid and airlock attached (allowing all the
must to ferment). Rack or siphon must/wine leaving
sediment behind into secondary fermenter when Specific
Gravity reaches 1.010 or when primary fermentation is
at its 11th day. Attach airlock and allow to finish
fermenting for another 11 days at approximately 70°F.
Rack again into clean secondary fermenter, add
Sparkolloid (according to direction, refer to
“Finings-Beer & Wine” in Table of Content), stir for 3
minutes and allow another week or longer (up to 3
months) to clear before bottling or continue aging in
secondary fermenter. Aging for several months
or longer (1-2 years) in bottles or secondary
fermenter will improve and mellow the flavor of this
wine. If you prefer to stabilize the wine before
bottling, add 1/8 tsp Sodium or Potassium
Metalbisulphite (#7509 or 7511) and 3/8 tsp stabilizer
(Potassium Sorbate, #6508) per gallon of wine and stir
until dissolved.
2. White Wine -
Ingredients: 24 oz. of 100%
White Grape Juice Concentrate (Approximately 18 lbs
Grapes); Enough filtered water to 1 gallon total
volume; ½ lb. Corn Sugar; ¾ tsp Acid Blend (#6501); ½
tsp Pectic Enzyme; 1/8 tsp Grape Tannin Powder; 1½
Bentonite; 1 tsp Sparkolloid, save this for later use;
Lalvin 71B-1122 or Red Star Cote Des Blancs
yeast(#2203 or #2204)
Method: Refer to recipe #1. Red
Wine for Method.
3. Hard Cider -
Ingredients: 1 gallon fresh
Apple Juice (Approx. 16 lbs of Apples); 1 lb Corn
Sugar; ½ tsp. Acid Blend (#6501); ½ tsp Pectic Enzyme
(#6507); 1 tsp Bentonite (#7101); 1 tsp Sparkolloid
(#7106), save this for later use; Lalvin
71B-1122(#2203) yeasts.
Method: Mix corn sugar and additives (excluding
yeast and Sparkolloid) in a bowl. Dissolve the corn
sugar/additive mixture in a quart of lukewarm apple
juice. Add remainder of apple juice to 1 gallon total
volume and stir for 3 minutes or until
dissolved/dispersed in primary fermenter. Take S.G.
reading, the must should be at approx. 1.090, if not
add more corn sugar to bring the gravity up to 1.090
(Approx. 4 oz. of corn sugar will raise the S.G. 10
points in 1 gallon of water from 1.080-1.090).
(Continue instructions from recipe #1. Red Wine
highlighted in bold face starting at: Pitch
yeast…....) or at this stage you can freeze the
fermented cider in a primary fermenter to a slushy
consistency than skim the slush, (consisting mainly
water) off the top, leaving behind a truly pretty
tasting Hard Cider. Aging at least 6 months or longer
(1-2 years) in bottles or secondary fermenter will
improve and mellow the flavor of Hard Cider.
4. Mead -
Ingredients: 3¼ lbs. of your
favorite Honey; Enough bottled water to 1 gallon total
volume; ¾ tsp Yeast Energizer (#6510); 1/8 tsp Grape
Tannin Powder (#6504); 3 tsp Acid Blend (#6501); ½ tsp
Pectic Enzyme (#6507); 1 tsp Bentonite (#7101); 1 tsp
Sparkolloid (7106), save this for later use; Lalvin
K1V-1116 or Red Star Pasture Champagne yeast(#2201 or
2207).
Method: Mix additives (excluding the yeast and
Sparkolloid) in a bowl. Dissolve additive mixture in a
quart of warm bottled water. Add honey (stir to mix)
and remainder of bottled water to 1 gallon and stir
for at least 5 minutes or until dissolved/dispersed in
primary fermenter. Take S.G. reading, the must should
be at approx. 1.090, if not add honey to bring the
gravity up to 1.090 (Approx. 1/3-1/2 cup of honey will
raise the S.G. 10 points in 1 gallon of water from
1.080-1.090). (Continue instructions from recipe #1.
Red Wine highlighted in bold face starting at: Pitch
yeast…....) Aging at least 6 months or longer (1-2
years) in bottles or secondary fermenter will improve
and mellow the flavor of mead.
5. Blackberry Melomel -
Ingredients: 2¼ lb Honey; 1¾ lb
Blackberry Puree (or 2 lb Blackberries); Bottled Water
to 1 gallon; 2 tsp Acid Blend; ½ tsp Yeast Energizer;
½ tsp Pectic Enzyme (#6507); 1 tsp Bentonite (#7101);
1 tsp Sparkolloid (7106), save this for later use;
Lalvin D47 yeast.
Method: Mix additives (excluding the yeast and
Sparkolloid) in a bowl. Dissolve additive mixture in a
quart of warm bottled water. Add honey (stir to mix)
and remainder of bottled water to 1 gallon and stir
for at least 5 minutes or until dissolved/dispersed in
primary fermenter. Take S.G. reading, the must should
be at approx. 1.090, if not add honey to bring the
gravity up to 1.090 (Approx. 1/3-1/2 cup of honey will
raise the S.G. 10 points in 1 gallon of water from
1.080-1.090). (Continue instructions from recipe #1.
Red Wine highlighted in bold face starting at: Pitch
yeast…....) Aging at least 6 months or longer (1-2
years) in bottles or secondary fermenter will improve
and mellow the flavor of Blackberry Melomel.
6. Blackberry Wine -
Ingredients: 49 oz. Blackberry
Fruit Puree + 1¼ lb Corn Sugar (or 5 lbs. Blackberries
+ 1¾ lb Corn Sugar); Bottled Water to 1 gallon total
volume; ½ tsp Acid Blend; ½ tsp Pectic Enzyme; 1 tsp
Bentonite; 1 tsp Sparkolloid, save this for later use;
Lalvin 71B-1122 or Red Star Cote Des Blancs yeast.
Method: Refer to recipe #1. Red Wine for
Method.
7. Blueberry Wine -
Ingredients: 49 oz. Blueberry
Fruit Puree + 1¼ lb. Corn Sugar (or 5 lbs. Blueberries
+ 1¾ lb Corn Sugar); Bottled Water to 1 gallon total
volume; 1½ tsp Acid Blend; ½ tsp Pectic Enzyme; 1 tsp
Bentonite; 1 tsp Sparkolloid, save this for later use;
Lalvin 71B-1122 or Red Star Cote Des Blancs yeast.
Method: Refer to recipe #1. Red Wine for
Method.
8. Raspberry Wine -
Ingredients: 49 oz. Raspberry
Fruit Puree + 1¼ lb. Corn Sugar (or 5 lbs. Raspberries
+ 1¾ lb Corn Sugar); Bottled Water to 1 gallon total
volume; ½ tsp Acid Blend; ½ tsp Pectic Enzyme; 1 tsp
Bentonite; 1 tsp Sparkolloid, save this for later use;
Lalvin 71B-1122 or Red Star Cote Des Blancs yeast.
Method: Refer to recipe #1. Red Wine for
Method.
9. Peach Wine -
Ingredients: 49 oz. Peach Fruit
Puree + 1¼ lb. Corn Sugar (or 5 lbs. Peaches + 1¾ lb
Corn Sugar); Bottled Water to 1 gallon total volume; 1
tsp Acid Blend; ½ tsp Pectic Enzyme; 1 tsp Bentonite;
1 tsp Sparkolloid, save this for later use; Lalvin
K1V-1116 or Red Star Montrachet yeast.
Method: Refer to recipe #1. Red Wine for
Method.
10. Apricot Wine -
Ingredients: 49 oz. Apricot
Fruit Puree + 1¼ lb. Corn Sugar (or 5 lbs. Apricot +
1¾ lb Corn Sugar); Bottled Water to 1 gallon total
volume; 1 tsp Acid Blend; ½ tsp Pectic Enzyme; 1 tsp
Bentonite; 1 tsp Sparkolloid, save this for later use;
Lalvin K1V-1116 or Red Star Montrachet yeast.
Method: Refer to recipe #1. Red Wine for
Method.
11. Cherry Wine -
Ingredients: 49 oz. Cherry
Fruit Puree + 1¼ lb. Corn Sugar (or 5 lbs. Cherry + 1¾
lb Corn Sugar); Bottled Water to 1 gallon total
volume; 1 tsp Acid Blend; ½ tsp Pectic Enzyme; 1 tsp
Bentonite; 1 tsp Sparkolloid, save this for later use;
Lalvin 71B-1122 or Red Star Cote Des Blancs yeast.
Method: Refer to recipe #1. Red Wine for
Method.
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