"INSTANT" WINE

by A. S. Henderson

If you have just started winemaking and want an 8 % wine which is suitable for table use, quickly—made, rapid to mature, and low-priced, try this "instant wine" recipe

Ingredients :

1 medium (pint) tin grapefruit juice
1⁄2 lb. EDME light dried malt extract
1 lb. granulated sugar
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
Yeast

Water to 1 gallon

Method:

Dissolve the sugar in up to 1⁄2 gallon of water, putting the saucepan over a very low heat to speed up the solution. Meanwhile dissolve the dried malt extract in a little cold water, open the tin of fruit juice, and funnel everything into the fermentation jar. Dissolve the yeast nutrient with a little warm water and add to the jar, top up with cold water to the shoulder (this should reduce the whole to a safe temperature) and add the yeast. Shake well, and fit a fermentation lock. Stand in a warm place and watch it go ! Within 24 hours the stream of bubbles should be continuous, not less than 1 per second. After a day or two, a thick layer will form on the bottom. Give the jar a swirl round daily to agitate the deposit. When gravity has dropped to 1004, or less (10-14 days), filter. Boil a little filter pulp for 2 mins. in half a pint of water, place a piece of clean linen in a funnel and pour the filter pulp on to it, then pour the wine carefully on to the pulp so as not to disturb it. Return the first few wine glassfuls to the funnel until the filtrate looks reasonably clear. Repeat the filtration two or three days later, and keep the finished wine a week in a cool place before drinking. Other fruit juices (except, God forbid, tomato !) can be used in the same way.