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