Chapter 11. Making Fruit Wines

The making of fruit wines is a boon to the townsman who finds these ingredients easily obtainable and they make good wines. Mixtures of dried fruit and grains make for strong, fully flavored, but not too fully flavored wines which, when not made too sweet, are often likened to whiskies and brandies. They need time to mature to reach their best two years is not too long, though at one year old they are very excellent wines. As with root wines the addition of some acid is necessary here (see 'Root Wines', chapter three), and this is put into the 'must' in the form of oranges and lemons.

Most dried fruit is heavily sulphited to prevent fermentation, and most wheat or other grain has been in contact with all sorts of dirt, dust and bacteria. Therefore they must be well cleansed before use. Break up the raisins and drop them into boiling water. As soon as the water boils again cut off the heat, strain the raisins and throw the water away. The raisins are then ready for use. Do the same with the wheat or other grain, but use a separate saucepan; they are then ready for use.

Most recipes for fruit wines allow for tannin in the fruits to be given into the 'must'. This tannin forms an important part of the flavor of the wine though few people realize it. But they soon know when there is too much because the wine takes on the flavor or 'tang' of strong, unsweetened tea. The little tannin given to fruit wines is usually just the right amount.

In the ordinary way there is no tannin present in dried fruit wines. Therefore it is as well to add one tablespoonful of freshly made tea not too strong to make good this deficiency. Special grape tannin is available, but tea is a cheap and handy source of which we might as well make use.

The addition of tea is included in the recipes.

2 lb. wheat, 2 lb. raisins, 1 lemon, 4 oranges, 3 lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 5 qts water, 1 tablespoonful of freshly made tea.

Boil half the water with half the sugar for one minute and then pour on the wheat and raisins. Put the lot into the fermenting vessel and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Cut up the oranges and their peel and put these with the rest. Work the orange peel between the fingers to press out the oil much flavor is obtained from this.

When cool add the yeast and ferment for ten days. Then strain out the solids and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar with a tablespoonful of freshly made tea.

Boil the rest of the sugar and water for one minute and when this is cool add to the rest. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

This is another recipe that has become well known amongst wine makers throughout the country.

1 ½ lb. wheat, 1 ½ lb. raisins, 4 oranges, 3½ lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 9 pts water and 1 tablespoonful of freshly made strong tea.

Prepare the wheat and raisins as already advised and put them in the fermenting vessel with the sliced oranges and their peel.

Boil half the sugar in three quarts of water for two minutes and pour this over the material in the fermenting vessel. Mix well and when cool add the yeast. Cover as directed and ferment for seven days, stirring well each day and covering again at once. Strain and wring out dry and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar with the tea. Then boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining three pints of water for two minutes and when cool add to the rest.

Cover again as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

3 lb. raisins, 3 lemons, 2 lb. sugar, 9 pts water, 1 oz. yeast, 1 tablespoonful of freshly made tea.

Less sugar than usual is required here because the large amount of raisins will give a lot of sugar to the wine which will not be dry. For a dry raisin wine use only one and a quarter pounds of sugar.

Put the raisins with the sliced lemons and the tea in the fermenting vessel. Boil all the sugar in all the water (or half the water at a time if your saucepan is on the small side), and add to the rest while boiling. When cool, add the yeast and ferment for fourteen days, stirring daily and covering again at once.

Strain and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

6 lb. prunes, 2 lemons, 3½ lb. sugar, 9 pts water, 1 oz. yeast. (No tea in this one.)

Wash the prunes in water in which one Campden tablet has been dissolved and put them in the fermenting vessel.

Boil two pounds sugar in seven pints water and pour over the fruit while boiling. Allow to cool and add the yeast. Cover and ferment for ten days, crushing well each day as soon as the fruit has become soft.

After ten days, crush well and strain out the solids. Wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor in a gallon jar.

Boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining two pints of water and when cool add to the rest. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

No lemons are required here as currants contain sufficient acid, neither is tea required.

4 lb. currants, 1 lb. raisins, 2¾ lb. sugar, 1 oz. yeast, 9 pts water.

Prepare the currants by the method given for prunes in the previous recipe, and put them in the fermenting vessel.

Boil half the sugar (or roughly half) in seven pints water for two minutes and pour on to the currants at once. Allow to cool and add the yeast.

Cover as directed and ferment for twelve days, crushing and covering again each day.

After twelve days, strain out the solids and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar.

Boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining two pints of water for two minutes and when cool add to the rest. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

This is a really delightful pale gold wine that most people like as a dry wine. See 'Low-Alcohol Wines for the Ladies', page 80.

6 lb. dried apricots, 2 oranges, 3 ½ lb. sugar, 9 pts water, 1 oz. Yeast, 1 tablespoonful of freshly made tea.

Put the apricots in the fermenting vessel with the cut-up oranges and their peel. Fold the orange peel and squeeze to get as much oil out of it as you can.

Boil two pounds sugar in seven pints water for two minutes and pour over the fruits while still boiling. Allow to cool and add the yeast.

Cover as directed and ferment for ten days, crushing by hand each day and covering again at once.

After ten days, strain and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor in the gallon jar. Boil the remaining sugar in the last two pints of water for two minutes and when cool add to the rest, and then add the tea.

Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

This wine has very little flavor of its own, therefore lemons and oranges must be added to give a nice flavor, and the amount of oranges here will make it into a lovely wine.

However, if you want a wine of little flavor for some special purpose, say, for blending with one that has too much flavor or for flavoring as you wish with an extract or whatever you may have in mind, use no oranges at all.

3 lb. of packeted or loose dates, 2 lemons, 6 oranges (see note), 2 lb. sugar, 9 pts water, 1 oz. yeast, 1 tablespoonful of freshly made tea.

The method of preparing ingredients and for making this wine is identical to that given in the recipe for making dried apricot wine.

3 lb. prunes, 1 lb. raisins, 1 lb. wheat, 2 lemons, 2 oranges, 3 lb. sugar, 9 pts water, 1 oz. yeast.

Prepare the raisins, prunes and wheat as has already been advised and put them with the sliced oranges and lemons in the fermenting vessel.

Boil half the sugar in seven pints water for two minutes and pour over the ingredients while still boiling. Allow to cool and add the yeast.

Cover as directed and ferment the mixture for ten days, crushing well each day and stirring up the wheat and covering again at once.

After ten days, strain out the solids, and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquor in a gallon jar.

Boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining two pints water and when cool add to the rest. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

2 lb. wheat,1 lb. raisins, 1 lb. potatoes, 2 lemons, 4 oranges, 1 oz yeast, 3 lb. sugar, 9 pts water.

Prepare the wheat and raisins as has already been directed and put them in the fermenting vessel with the sliced lemons and oranges.

Scrub, grate and boil the potatoes in five pints of water for not more than ten minutes, taking off all scum that rises. Boil gently for a little longer if scum still rises at the end of ten minutes until no more scum rises taking off every bit of it.

Strain this hot liquid over the ingredients in the fermenting vessel and throw the potatoes away. Then boil half the sugar in two pints of water for two minutes and add this to the rest. Allow to cool, add the yeast and ferment the mixture for ten days covered as directed.

After ten days, strain and wring out dry and put the strained liquor into a gallon jar. Boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining two pints of water and when cool add this to the rest. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

Imaginative readers will be quick to notice that varied amounts of ingredients make very different types of fruit wines, and they may wonder whether they can invent a recipe to suit themselves. They can. Almost any recipe in this chapter may be varied to suit individual tastes, or it may be modified and other ingredients or flavourings added. Take care when altering recipes not to use too much of any particular kind so that your overall amount of ingredients would exceed six pounds, otherwise the wine will be spoiled.