The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of home made wines is
grapes. How can we not associate wine with grapes when all you see on the
shelves of liquor stores are countless wines produced by Zinfandel, Pinot Noir,
Cabernet and other types of grapes? There are, however, other fruits that can
make a great wine. Since home making wine has become a popular hobby it has
become more and more inexpensive and easy to make a creative wine all on your
own. These wines can be made of affordable fresh fruits possibly from your own
backyard. No matter where you live in the world, you are a short walk or car
ride away from edible plants, berries and fruits which can easily make a great
tasting creative wine. Many plants bear fruit that can be made into a delicious
wine to suit your individual taste.
The list of fruits which can be used to make creative home wines is endless.
To get a small taste of suitable, inexpensive fruits, you can choose from
strawberries, watermelons, peaches, blackberries, plums, grapefruits, pears and
pineapples to name just a few. To further assist you in your creative home wine
making, I have compiled a list of very inexpensive, creative fruits and other
surprising foods that can be made into wines that will leave you wanting more
and more. Some of these will be quite shocking for you to see in the context of
wine. However, they are assured to be delicious. Almonds, apple cider, apricots,
bananas, carrots, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, garlic, ginger,
honeysuckle, jelly, kiwi, mint, melons, onions, pea pods, pumpkin, raspberries,
sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons and zucchinis are some suggestions to
tasty, inexpensive yet creative wines that can be made at home. As with any
wine, you must first evaluate the fruit. A wine is only as good as the fruit
used to make it. To achieve the most superior wine, carefully choose each piece
of fruit used. Be sure that molds and bruises are minimal. You should also
thoroughly clean the fruit before crushing it. It is best to use fruits that are
fully ripe. When attempting to use a fruit before it is fully ripe, it has a
tendency to take away from the taste and richness of the wine.
Fruit wines are usually diluted with water before starting the wine making
process. This is done because many fruits are very strong in flavor or too high
in acid. This would greatly affect the outcome of the wine’s taste.
Some other great examples of inexpensive yet creative wines are Dandelion
Wine, Crabapple Wine and Tea Wine. Although cultivated for food, herbs and tea
for long periods of time, most Americans see dandelions as weeds and look to
remove them from their gardens. However, the flower petals on dandelions can be
used to make wine. Dandelion wine is typically a light wine with little body.
When using dandelions to make wine, pick the flowers just before starting to
make the wine, to assure freshness. There are different forms of dandelion wine,
one recipe is as follows: 2 qts dandelion flowers, 3 lbs granulated sugar 4
oranges, 1 gallon water, yeast and nutrient. Dandelion wine is well suited to
make into a sparkling wine.
Crabapple wine is another option for an inexpensive, creative wine that can
be made by yourself. You can leave the peeling on the apples, but should remove
the seeds. As always, thoroughly wash the fruit. A recipe for crabapple wine is
4lbs ripe crabapples, 2 lbs granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp tannin, ½ tsp acid blend,
½ tsp peetie enzyme, 1 tsp yeast nutrient 7 ½ pts water, 1 crushed Campden
tablet and champagne wine yeast.
Yet another affordable wine that can be made at home is tea wine. You can use
a variety of teas, such as black tea or green tea. The recipe for black tea wine
calls for 4 tablespoons bulk black tea, 1 11oz can frozen red or white grape
concentrate, 2 lbs sugar, 2 tsp citric acid, 6 pts water, 1 tsp yeast nutrient,
1 pkt wine yeast.
Regardless of what type of wine you choose to make, be creative and have fun.
Don’t be afraid to try new things. By making your own wine at home can possibly
create a new and delicious wine that will dazzle you and your friends.
