# Any homemade wine makers out there?



## dougmays (Dec 25, 2012)

so I've never made wine but i want to give it a try. i found a basic recipe online that seems to be widely used

*Ingredients*

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

4 cups sugar

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen juice concentrate - any flavor except citrus, thawed

3 1/2 quarts cold water, or as needed

Combine in a milk jug (or similar) and place a balloon over the spout and reinforce with a rubber band. Wait till baloon inflates and then deflates (about 6 weeks).

Questions

- Does this make good tasting wine?

- Does anyone follow this method with fresh fruits instead of frozen concentrate?

- Has anyone done this and found a way to make it stronger?

- Can this type of wine be "aged" to make for a better taste or is it pretty much going to taste the same?

- how long will it lasted if sealed out of the fridge?

thanks in advance


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## handymanstan (Jan 5, 2013)

Bump  I would like to know this too..


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## ifitsdeadsmokeit (Jan 5, 2013)

you are probably better off going to a homebrew store and buying a wine kit than doing it this way....


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 5, 2013)

You can certainly do it that way, but why?
You're not going to end up with a good final product using bread yeast.
That's more a recipe for prison hooch, than decent wine.

Visit your local home brew supply.



~Martin


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## dward51 (Jan 5, 2013)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> That's more a recipe for prison hooch, than decent wine.


I was thinking the same thing.  Only thing missing is "strain through a slice of bread, drink the liquid and eat the bread".  Those guys will ferment anything.


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## linguica (Jan 5, 2013)

Properly made and aged wine is a heck of a lot of work and takes 6 to 12 months to age.  Your recipe is more like the beginnings of bath tub brandy. The fully fermented liquid could be distilled. Also distillation by freezing is a possibility. I used to make "raisin brandy" like that.


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## handymanstan (Jan 5, 2013)

Thanks for the input I like to drink wine and when I read this post I thought it can't be that easy.  I believe I will just buy wine and leave the brewing to others.

Stan


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## bdawg (Jan 5, 2013)

I agree with DiggingDogFarm.

That recipe will not produce a good wine.

Go to your local home brewing/winemaking store and do it right.

This would be analogous to smoking a baloney and expecting it to end up tasting like a smoked prime rib.

Garbage in, garbage out.

HTH-


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## ifitsdeadsmokeit (Jan 6, 2013)

and one other very important detail left out of your recipe is that everything that the wine comes in contact has to be completely sanitized, from the spoon to mix it all, the pot it is in, the jug you ferment in, bottles, corks.  If you leave that part out, you will never have anything close to wine...even if you buy a kit.  If you are really interested, most homebrew stores offer classes where you can make a batch and not have to invest in the proper equipment to do it right.  If you like the product, then you can go the next step.


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## hillbillywilly (Jan 6, 2013)

I've made quite a few varieties of wine bit my favorite only takes 45 days start to finish.  Lemon wine (A.K.A. - Skeeter Pee.)  Google "skeeter pee" I did buy a wine starter kit, but you only use a few items.  Lots of recipes out there.  I don't like dry wines more of the country "sweet" wines are what I prefer. Not an expert but willing to help any one out if needed.  Another fun and rewarding hobby along with smoking foods. 

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## linguica (Jan 6, 2013)

How  could you refuse to drink anything called Skeeter Pee? Simple recipe but needs a few special wine making tools.

http://skeeterpee.com/?page_id=17


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## dougmays (Jan 6, 2013)

hmm alright i'll try a homebrew store..or just go with store bought. but i'll let you know how my prison punch tastes:)


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## linguica (Jan 7, 2013)

I just like saying Skeeter Pee..........


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## hillbillywilly (Jan 9, 2013)

Here is a pic from my latest batch. The one on the left I put a package of tropical punch koolaid in it for a different flavor and color. :) :beer:







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## hillbillywilly (Jan 9, 2013)

A better pic to see how clear it gets. 
	

		
			
		

		
	







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## grogger27 (Jan 9, 2013)

I did the balloon wine in a gallon jug when I was in high school. We got drunk, and I don't think I've been that sick since. You could gain the same results from drinking balloon wine as taking a mule kick to the head, a temporary state of euphoria followed by a week long headache.
Now on the other hand, listen to hillbillywilly when he says skeeter pee is good. Its great ice cold on a warm day, very refreshing. I like the idea of adding a different flavor to it as well. My wife will cut it with ginger ale or 7up.
Good luck.


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## hillbillywilly (Jan 9, 2013)

Yeah and it will sneak up on ya when its hot out and ya drink it with ice..  lolwe have to make 6 gallon about every other month.  Not to mention I get a lot of friends that like it.  Thinking about going to the 30 gal batches. :beer:

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## jimalbert (Jan 9, 2013)

I will recommend something slightly different.  You can make wine out of anything that doesnt move.  PERIOD.  Get yourself a hydrometer (maybe 6 bucks) a couple fermentation locks (you could use baloons) wine yeast (buck a pack) and a boat load of sugar.  If you add enough sugar to whatever it may be your fermenting to make the hydrometer float to 1.090 on the scale you will have roughly 13% alcohol (depends on the yeast).  Add your yeast to the must and let ferment until specific gravity reaches 1.020 and move to secondary.  Rack a few times and stabilize.  Sweeten if necessary.  Bottle.  The recipe you described will work if you want to play around.  If you have any questions at all let me know.  I am on my 140th gallon this year.  The last wine im doing (Rhubarb) will be bottled very shortly.

Jim


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 9, 2013)

jimalbert said:


> I am on my 140th gallon this year.




140 gallons in 9 days???

:icon_eek:



~Martin :biggrin:


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 9, 2013)

Apfelwein is an easy and cheap hooch to try.
Apple juice is relatively cheap.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f25/man-i-love-apfelwein-14860/


~Martin


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## linguica (Jan 9, 2013)

jimalbert said:


> I will recommend something slightly different.  You can make wine out of anything that doesnt move.  PERIOD.  Get yourself a hydrometer (maybe 6 bucks) a couple fermentation locks (you could use baloons) wine yeast (buck a pack) and a boat load of sugar.  If you add enough sugar to whatever it may be your fermenting to make the hydrometer float to 1.090 on the scale you will have roughly 13% alcohol (depends on the yeast).  Add your yeast to the must and let ferment until specific gravity reaches 1.020 and move to secondary.  Rack a few times and stabilize.  Sweeten if necessary.  Bottle.  The recipe you described will work if you want to play around.  If you have any questions at all let me know.  I am on my 140th gallon this year.  The last wine im doing (Rhubarb) will be bottled very shortly.
> 
> Jim


In the Caribbean they make the same thing then run it through a still. They call the finished product "skull popper"


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 10, 2013)

All my other hobbies seem to annoy my wife because of start up costs, Smoking meats, Sausage making, etc... This stuff, Skeeter Pee and Apfelwein sounds like fun with a high yield from a small foot print. She will have to get over it...JJ


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## hillbillywilly (Jan 10, 2013)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> jimalbert said:
> 
> 
> > I am on my 140th gallon this year.
> ...



Lol just caught that. :D

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## flyweed (Jan 10, 2013)

I consider myself a fairly serious "mazer" (mead maker)  I love honey wine!  Have made MANY over the years.  My favorite is one I call Strawberry Pizazz..made with 14 pounds of Orange Blossom Honey and 18 pounds of fresh strawberries.  It is really good.  I also do a couple of different Hard Ciders as well. I see someone posted about ApfelWein..I've tried it and don't care for it at all. Not very complex, and fairly "untastey"

Dan


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## linguica (Jan 10, 2013)

Strawberry mead sure sounds good.


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 10, 2013)

flyweed said:


> I consider myself a fairly serious "mazer" (mead maker)  I love honey wine!  Have made MANY over the years.  My favorite is one I call Strawberry Pizazz..made with 14 pounds of Orange Blossom Honey and 18 pounds of fresh strawberries.  It is really good.  I also do a couple of different Hard Ciders as well. I see someone posted about ApfelWein..I've tried it and don't care for it at all. Not very complex, and fairly "untastey"
> 
> Dan


Dan can you post some Recipes and instructions or useful links for Mead production. My Daughter Casey (Ski302) has been bringing up Mead quite frequently lately...JJ


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## ifitsdeadsmokeit (Jan 11, 2013)

I would be interested too...how many gallons does that get you...that is a lot of strawberries....i've only made mead once...but I've become a sipper in my older age...and lazy..so much easier to just go down the road to my local brewpub and tell them to fill up a 5 gallon keg...havent touch my brew equipment in over 6 years...


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## flyweed (Jan 15, 2013)

yeah I'll post the recipe up here in just a bit..sorry been a bit busy to get on the forum much lately.

Dan


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## jimalbert (Jan 15, 2013)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> 140 gallons in 9 days???
> 
> 
> 
> ...


HAHAH sorry 140 gallons last year.  I have 10 gallons of Rhubarb I have to bottle now and then I am making my famous mint wine.  mMMMMMMM....


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## 1beezer (Jan 15, 2013)

HANDYMANSTAN said:


> Thanks for the input I like to drink wine and when I read this post I thought it can't be that easy.  I believe I will just buy wine and leave the brewing to others.
> 
> Stan


+1


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## dougmays (Jan 16, 2013)

ditto on the recipe:) this might be just what i was looking for


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## smokincody (Aug 17, 2013)

flyweed said:


> yeah I'll post the recipe up here in just a bit..sorry been a bit busy to get on the forum much lately.
> 
> Dan


I can almost taste it from here! any luck on posting the recipe?


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## java (Aug 17, 2013)

i just started my first batch of plum and my first batch of watermellon wines.

now i have to try skeeter pee, thanks guys, the wife gunna kick my butt!


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## GaryHibbert (Oct 7, 2013)

Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Oct 7, 2013)

If you would be so kind------please tell me about your mint wine.  I've made pretty much every kind, but mint.  It sounds like it could be a total winner.

Gary


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