Chapter 3. Homemade Wine Recipes For Root Wines

The fame of these wines will never die. This is understandable when one considers that potatoes, parsnips and carrots give you wines of superb character: wines that bear striking resemblance to expensive spirits. Below you'll find a few homemade wine recipes for root wines.

These wines are commonly known as 'carrot whisky' or 'potato Scotch' or whatever it is, and, make no mistake about it, these wines do develop many of the characteristics of whisky when kept a long time.

The first five recipes here make really good wines. Those of you who want something quite exceptional and slightly more expensive should use those recipes calling for the addition of either wheat or raisins or both.

It will be seen that, in the recipes in this chapter, we add oranges or lemons or both. The reason for this is that, unlike fruit, roots contain no acid. Acid is essential to a satisfactory ferment and for the purpose of improving the flavour of the finished wines. But do not imagine that this small amount of acid will make for an acid wine or that it will be enough to give the wines the flavour of the oranges or lemons we shall not be using sufficient for that.

The ability to adjust the acid content of these wines so easily merely by adding the juice of an extra lemon or orange accounts to a large extent for their popularity. We can make these wines with the absolute certainty that there will not be the slightest astringency in them as sometimes occurs in fruit wine made following a miserable summer or when unripe fruits have been used. It is possible to test and adjust the acid content of fruit mixtures, but this involves the use of costly laboratory equipment and some experience in laboratory technique if it is to be accurate. By sticking to the recipe, you are assured that the varying acid contents of fruit have been allowed for and that the wines will not be over acid except under the most abnormal circumstances. The necessary acid is given to the root wines by the lemons and oranges. Two lemons contain the equivalent of a quarter-ounce of citric acid. Therefore, if it is more convenient to use this by all means do so, and add this at the time you would add the juice of the lemons. You should, however, use the oranges as well where called for as their flavour is required, whereas only the acid of the lemons is necessary.

For trying trouble-free homemade wine recipes, it is best to use old roots, that is, main crop that have been stored. These contain less starch than the fresher roots. Starch boiled into the liquid at the start will remain in the finished wine if we are not careful. There is no easy means of removing starch cloud from wines, filtering will not shift it. A starch-destroying enzyme may be used, but this is not for the beginner; the best plan therefore is to avoid the presence of too much starch. The reason for this is that if the yeast has too much sugar and starch to cope with it will not handle either properly. But by adding the sugar in stages, the yeast will not be overworked and will convert the starch to sugar and then to alcohol. But if there is too much starch and too much sugar the result will be a pea-soup-like wine.

When making wines from potatoes it is best to wait until May or early June when the last of the previous year's main crop is nearly exhausted and if these have long sprouts on them it will not matter provided the sprouts are rubbed off before the potatoes are used. Do not use any roots with damp patches on them. Parsnips that have had a couple of October frosts make good wines and if they have had these frosts while lying on the soil, so much the better. Small shrivelled carrots which have lost their hardness make the best carrot whisky while the last of the stored beetroot makes the best beetroot wines. Another factor to consider when using old roots is that we do not get what is often termed an 'earthy' flavour into the wines. Fresh mangolds may be used. These are a winter food for cattle and are available from farms from October onwards. Two shillings worth of mangolds (mangel-wurzels) will make about five gallons of one of the nicest of pale-gold wines. Turnips and swedes well, I am sorry, I have heard of people who have made something with these roots, but I must confess that friends and I who have carried out trials with them have been forced to conclude that while they might make good wines, we have not had much success with them, and we have decided that with so many other kinds of material available it is hardly worth while wasting time trying to evolve a reliable recipe for each of these roots.

Note

The sulphiting process advised for making fruit wines is not suitable for making root wines. Nor is any method that does not call for actually boiling the roots. Wines made from roots that are not boiled almost always have an unpleasant after-taste or 'tang' and often give rise to stomach upsets.

When using recipes calling for wheat and raisins, it must be borne in mind that these must be sterilized before being added to the 'must'. See note and method of sterilizing under the heading 'Grain Wines and Wines from Dried Fruit', page 104. Also explained under this heading is the reason for adding tea when making wines with the recipes in this chapter, tea being added to most of the recipes which do not include raisins. When straining hot liquids or solids, as we shall be, it is a good plan to tie one cloth on to the fermenting vessel (polythene pail), allowing sufficient sag, and then to put another piece over this. This will enable you to lift off the top cloth containing the solids without having to go to the bother of trying to untie the string while at the same time trying to prevent the weight of the solids dragging them into the strained liquor.

Clearing root wines. In the ordinary way root wines, like all wines, begin to clear as soon as fermentation loses its vigor, but, of course, no wine can become perfectly clear in the sense that it is perfectly clear for bottling until all fermentation has ceased. This is because the agitation of fermentation is certain to keep minute solids in suspension if only to give a slight haze. As I have already mentioned earlier, even a clear wine has some deposit to throw.

When fermentation has ceased, root wine usually becomes clear in stages. The top inch becomes clear in a matter of days, and then within a few days of fermentation having ceased the top half of the wine is usually brilliantly clear and later on you will be able to observe that what appears as a flat-topped fog bank is slowly settling to the bottom, leaving brilliant wine above it. The fog bank I have described may be of three or four densities, the bottom being heavy deposit, those layers above being lighter so that the top one is but a fine mist.

As with other wines, it is best to let these have their own way and clear of their own accord, which they will do in time usually within a week or two even if you happen to encounter a slow clearing.

However, if you are in a hurry or if that cloud seems slower than usual in settling, you can help it by using isinglass.

One ounce of isinglass from a chemist will cost about one and sixpence. Take a little of the wine and crumble about one-eighth of an ounce for each gallon of wine to be treated over the surface of this and warm it gently in an enamel saucepan, stirring until the isinglass is dissolved. Then pour this milk into the bulk. This should clear the wine very quickly, but it might still take several days.

Bakers' yeast and household sugar are used in these recipes, and you will find the results far above your expectations.

The reason for using five quarts of water in these recipes is that we are using enough ingredients for a gallon of wine, and because we shall finish up with one gallon. If we used only one gallon of water we would end up with about three quarts of wine because about a quart will be lost during boiling and other operations.

Be sure to remove any scum that rises while the roots are being boiled this is most important.

EASY POTATO WINE

2 lb. potatoes, 1 lb. raisins, 4 oranges, 4 lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, nutrient, 5 qts. water.

Scrub and grate the potatoes and put them in half a gallon of water. Bring slowly to boiling point and simmer for one minute, and then strain into the fermenting vessel. Add half the sugar at once and stir until all is dissolved. Then put in the cut-up raisins and cut-up oranges and peel. Allow to cool and then add the yeast. Cover as directed and ferment for ten days. Then strain, wring out dry.
Boil the rest of the water and sugar together for one minute and when cool add this to the rest. Then put into a gallon bottle and cover as directed again or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

Wine made with the above recipe is especially suitable for turning into potato gin. See page 87.

EASY PARSNIP WINE

 2 lb. parsnips, ½ lb. raisins, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 4 lb. sugar, 5 qts water, 1 oz. Yeast.
Scrub and grate the parsnips and simmer them gently for five minutes in three quarts water taking off all scum that rises. Strain and add half the sugar at once and stir until all is dissolved. Then put in the cut-up raisins and cut-up oranges and lemons and their peel. Allow to cool and then add the yeast.

Cover as directed and ferment for ten days. Then strain and wring out as dry as you can. Boil the rest of the sugar and water together for one minute and when cool add this to the rest. Then put into a gallon bottle and cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

PARSNIP WINE

 4 lb. parsnips, 4 oranges, 3½ lb. sugar, 5 qts water, 1 oz. Yeast.

The above makes an excellent imitation of whisky, but to achieve this it must be kept for a long time.

The preparation of ingredients and directions for making this wine are identical with those for making easy parsnip wine (see above).

MANGOLD WINE

Known in country areas as mangel-wurzel wine, this is a true favorite. The mangolds may be obtained from farms from October until the end of April.

5lb. mangold {usually one medium-size root), 2 lemons, 2 oranges, 4 lb. sugar, 5 qts water, 1 oz. yeast.

Do not peel the mangold, scrub it thoroughly and cut it into thin slices or dice it, being careful not to lose any juice. Bring to the boil and simmer gently in half a gallon of water for fifteen minutes.

Then strain on to two pounds of sugar in the fermenting vessel, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Then add the cut-up oranges and their peel. Allow to cool and then add the yeast. Cover as directed and ferment for ten days.

Then strain out the oranges and squeeze dry. Boil the rest of the sugar and water together for two minutes and when cool add this to the rest. Put into a gallon jar and cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

Note

If there appears to be insufficient water while simmering use more but keep account of how much is used and reduce the amount to be added later on accordingly.

BEETROOT WINE

5 lb. beetroot, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 4 lb. sugar, 5 qts water, 1 oz. yeast.

Peel the beetroots, slice them finely being careful not to lose any juice. Put them in three quarts water and bring to the boil, simmering gently for not more than ten minutes. Strain into the fermenting vessel and add half the sugar, stirring until all is dissolved. Then cut up and add the oranges and lemons and their peel. Allow to cool, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Cover as directed and ferment for ten days. Then strain out the oranges and lemons and wring out dry.

Boil the rest of the water and sugar together for two minutes and when cool add this to the rest. Put into a gallon jar. Then cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

MIXED-ROOT WINES

Mixtures of roots make excellent wines as those who have mixed odd drops of various wines will confirm. Indeed, it is mixing odd drops of wine that gives people ideas for recipes. They think that a certain mixture of potato and parsnip wine really is delightful, and so a new recipe is born. They decide to make the blend by using half of each of the ingredients used in each wine and make a good job of it.

The following mixtures have all been tried and proved reliable, and all may be worked to the directions given for making easy parsnip wine on page 56.

Recipe 1

2 lb. potatoes, 2½ lb. carrots, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 3½ lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 5 qts water.

Recipe 2

2 lb. potatoes, 2½ lb. parsnips, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 4 lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 5 qts water.

Recipe 3

2½ lb. carrots, 2½ lb. beetroots, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 4 lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 5 qts water.

Recipe 4

2½ lb. carrots, 2 lb. parsnips, 4 oranges, 2 lemons, 4 lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 5 qts water.
 

Recipe 5

2lb. potatoes, 2½ lb. beetroots, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 4 lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 5 qts water.

JUNGLE JUICE

The following recipe is an improved version of a recipe which is known in every corner of this country as 'Bravery's Extra Special Fine Old Jungle Juice'. That recipe, having been offered to readers of Noel Whitcomb's column of the Daily Mirror, brought no fewer than 30,000 requests. And today, five years later, it is acclaimed by individual correspondents and wine-making clubs everywhere. The Secretary of the Coventry Circle writes: 'Bravery's Jungle Juice is a well-famed liquor that has delighted many a member's throat and palate.'

3lb. old potatoes, 6 oranges, 1 lb. raisins, 1 lb. wheat, 4 lb. sugar {do not use invert), 1 oz. yeast, 5 qts water.

Use very old potatoes. See note on ingredients at the beginning of this chapter.

Cut up the oranges and their peel and boil them gently for three minutes in three pints of water. Then stand this aside to cool. Do not peel the potatoes, but scrub them thoroughly. Then grate or slice them finely and bring them to the boil in six pints of water. Simmer gently for not more than ten minutes, taking off all scum that rises. If scum continues to rise at the end of ten minutes simmering, continue simmering until no more rises, taking off every bit of it.

Strain into a polythene pail and add half the sugar at once, stir until dissolved. Then add the wheat and cut-up raisins. Then add the oranges and the water in which they were boiled. While the liquid is still lukewarm, sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in.

Ferment for ten days.

After this, strain out the solids and return the liquor to the fermenting vessel.

Then boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining pint of water and when cool add this to the rest.

Continue to ferment in a warm place for a further ten days when it should be put into jars under fermentation locks or covered as directed and left in a warm place until all fermentation has ceased.

CARROT WHISKY

This recipe is among the valuable contributions of Noel Whitcomb's homemade wine recipes, who is the famous columnist of the Daily Mirror.

6 lb. carrots, 1 gal. water, 1 tablespoonful raisins, 1 lb. wheat, 1 oz. yeast, 2 oranges, 2 lemons 4 lb. sugar.

Scrub the carrots clean don't peel them and mash them. Put them in the water, bring to the boil and simmer gently until tender. Then strain off the liquid (you can use the carrots for food most dogs love them). Into the fermenting vessel put the sugar and sliced lemons and oranges and pour the hot liquid over them. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and stand until lukewarm. Then add the chopped raisins and wheat and sprinkle the yeast on top. Leave to ferment for fifteen days, then skim, strain and bottle.

To get the fullest flavor, keep it for nearly a year if you can.

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