Wine is an ancient drink that enjoys continued popularity. It is prepared from grapes, as well as from. But still, both professional winemakers and amateur winemakers prefer grape wine.
Making wine at home makes it possible to obtain a high-quality natural product, so many are happy to try their hand at winemaking. Good grape wine is good for the body, but you should drink it in moderation.
The process of making wine consists of several important stages and takes from 40 to 100 days. The most important period in the creation of an intoxicating drink is fermentation, which can be divided into three stages: fermentation, vigorous and quiet fermentation.
During fermentation, the taste, aroma, color of the future wine, its quality, and beneficial properties are formed. Therefore, during fermentation, it is necessary to pay special attention to the wine preparation and all the processes occurring in the future wine. The slightest mistake can lead to all your efforts and hopes going down the drain.
Process Features
In order for the fermentation process to begin in a wine preparation (pulp or juice), yeast fungi are needed. Baker's yeast will not work. For winemaking, natural (wild) yeasts that live on the surface of the berries are used (there are many of them on grapes), pure yeast cultures, which are used in the industrial production of wine, or a starter is prepared.
The most affordable at home. It’s easy to prepare: pour 100 g of dark grape raisins with two glasses of boiled water (+35 0), add 50 g of sugar, stir. Important: you cannot wash raisins! Place the container with the workpiece in a warm place. The fermented starter is added to the pulp. Store ready-made raisin starter for no more than 5 days.
Many winemakers, especially when making homemade wine not from grapes, play it safe by adding a handful of high-quality raisins, which are a source of wild yeast, to the pulp.
Fermentation is the result of the breakdown of sugar in the wine into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
To remove gas, a water seal (water seal) is installed in the fermentation tank. This could be an industrial product, a homemade device, or a medical rubber glove. The shutter not only removes wine gas, but also protects the wine stock from contact with air.
Temperature
Temperature conditions play an important role in wine production. The most favorable temperatures for fermentation of wine material (pulp, wort) are 18–20 o C. There should be no sudden temperature changes in the room where the wort ferments, since such thermal changes negatively affect the vital activity of yeast fungi.
There should also be no draft in the room, and the contents of the fermentation tank should not be exposed to sunlight. If the wine material ferments in a glass container, then it must be covered with a dark cloth.
If the production of homemade wine occurs in the autumn, then it is better to place containers with wort in a room that can be heated. This will allow you to maintain the required thermal conditions regardless of weather conditions.
Fermentation is a biochemical reaction during which heat is released. As a result of the decomposition of sugar, the temperature of the wort can significantly increase. It is worth considering that this can lead to negative consequences: when the temperature of the wort approaches 30 ° C, rapid evaporation of alcohol may occur, which will lead to the appearance of a bitter taste.
This usually occurs during a period of vigorous fermentation. Therefore, it is important to constantly monitor the temperature so as not to miss such a situation.
If the temperature of the wort increases, it must be forcibly cooled. To do this, if possible, temporarily reduce the temperature in the room. You can place the fermentation container in a basin of water or cover it with a cloth soaked in cold water.
Fermentation stages
The fermentation period can be divided into several stages. Fermentation in a properly prepared wine stock begins within 6–12 hours. From the beginning of the first stage, which is called violent fermentation. It is accompanied by intense bubbling, foam appears on the surface, and the characteristic hiss of escaping gas is heard (wine is playing).
Therefore, it is recommended to fill the fermentation bottle with wine material no more than 2/3, so that the foam cannot block the water seal. Carbon dioxide, which will not have an outlet, can not only rupture the shutter, but also rupture the container. To avoid such trouble, the wine mixture is stirred several times a day. The period of rapid fermentation is from 4 to 8 days.
After this, a period of quiet fermentation begins. The wort will ferment until the yeast has processed all the available sugar. The duration of quiet fermentation depends on many factors, but one of the main ones is the sugar content in the wort. A high-quality water seal must be installed on the fermentation tank. 
How long will the wine ferment under optimal conditions? On average, quiet fermentation lasts 20 days. During this time, the wort becomes lighter and sediment accumulates at the bottom of the container. The completion of this stage can be determined by the cessation of gas evolution (absence of bubbles). This moment cannot be missed so that the wine does not sit on the lees, as this will affect its taste.
When homemade wine is ready, it must be carefully removed from the sediment (for example, using a dropper hose). Filter if necessary. Taste. At this stage, you can adjust the taste of the wine. If the young wine is sour, you can add sugar to your taste to make it pleasant to drink.
The intoxicating drink is poured into a clean container, a water seal is placed to protect it from souring, and it is transferred to a cool place where the wine will remain for 30 to 45 days. This stage is called post-fermentation, it completes the maturation of the drink.
A wine is considered ripe when fermentation and sediment formation (organic and mineral) have completely stopped.
To check the readiness (ripening) of the drink, fill a couple of unpainted glass bottles, close them with a twisted glass, and leave them warm for 10 days. If the drink has not changed during this time, remains clear, without sediment, then it is bottled. If changes have occurred, then the wine must still ferment.
Stopping fermentation
Fermentation is a rather capricious process; for its successful occurrence, strict compliance with all technological conditions and standards is necessary.
The slightest glitch can lead to it starting. In order to save the wine material and not lose the chance to get high-quality wine, the process must be resumed as soon as possible.
What can be done if fermentation has stopped?
How to stop fermentation in a finished drink
Young wine is a special product. It contains many bacteria and microorganisms that can unexpectedly begin active activity, as a result of which the fermentation process will resume. Sudden activity may be caused by temperature fluctuations or other factors. As a result, finished wine in storage must be urgently saved. The problem is that it is difficult to visually determine that the drink has started to ferment again.
To avoid such trouble, many winemakers stabilize the young drink at home using:
- pasteurization;
- fixing with alcohol;
- cryostabilization.
It is fermentation that determines the quality, taste and aroma of wine. If you strictly adhered to the technology, then when the time comes to drink the finished wine of your own production, the result will not disappoint you.
In winemaking, there is no single technology used by everyone that will produce a quality product. There are a large number of different recipes, a lot of nuances. Everyone who is interested in the independent process of making alcohol makes it using their own tricks. However, the main thing is the fermentation process, since it determines the important characteristics of the wine.
Features of the process.
The main role belongs to yeast fungi. As a result of their activity, they convert sucrose into carbon dioxide and alcohol. The quality of the finished drink will depend on the temperature and period of time at which homemade wine ferments. To prepare the base, grapes or other fruits or berries are taken, all raw materials are carefully sorted, ground or crushed, then placed in a suitable container, which is covered with gauze and placed in a dark place. So the mass sits for a limited number of hours before the first signs of fermentation appear. Then a glove is put on the container to monitor the formation of gas.
It is difficult to determine exactly how long a good homemade wine should ferment. Typically, the process lasts from 30 to 90 days. The duration depends on the amount of sugar, the quality of the yeast and the temperature.
Fermentation of any type of wine at home is usually divided into 3 stages:
- elementary;
- stormy;
- quiet.
At the first stage, yeast fungi adapt to the new environment and begin to actively reproduce.
At the second stage, the proliferation of bacteria ends, they occupy the entire volume of the wort, resulting in the release of alcohol. This period lasts from 10 to 100 days, depending on how strong the finished drink should be. The longer the vigorous fermentation goes on, the more alcohol there will be in the liquid. The first few days the mass foams and hisses strongly, and active production of carbon dioxide occurs.
Afterwards the wort calms down and the number of bubbles decreases. The foam formed at the beginning settles at the bottom of the container, and the process begins in the lower layers. This lower fermentation phase of homemade wine lasts until the fungi convert all the sugar into alcohol. At this stage, few bubbles are released, a sediment forms above it, and the liquid becomes lighter.
It is important to remember that the fermentation process must be actively supported. To do this, you must follow some rules:
- Shake the sediment. Dense sediment makes it harder for yeast to work. To help them, the liquid needs to be shaken. To do this, you can shake the vessel or stir the sediment with a clean wooden stick.
- Aerate the wort. If fungi multiply too slowly, it is recommended to give the wort access to oxygen, this will stimulate the work and proliferation of bacteria. You can pour the liquid into another container or simply leave it open for 3-4 hours. This should be done only during the lower fermentation phase, when 6–7° alcohol is formed in the product.
- Add sugar. This may be needed for strength. Sugar is added fractionally. After each addition of sugar, the wort should be stirred with a clean wooden stick.
- Maintain the correct temperature. It is very important to ensure that the drink is kept at the same temperature. If it is too hot, the yeast will begin to process sugar too actively, which will deteriorate the quality and strength of the product. If it is cold, the wort will stop fermenting and will spoil.
At the last stage, when the wort stops fermenting, almost all the sugar is converted into alcohol, and the number of active yeasts decreases. During this phase, the taste of the drink is formed. It lasts from 50 to 350 days. The resulting product is poured into a clean container and stored in a cool, dark place (basement or cellar) at 10–15°C.
How long should homemade wine sit? White is aged for at least 1.5 months, red - from 2 to 3 months. Then it is poured into bottles, tightly capped and stored at a temperature of 5–9°C in a supine position.
What to do when the wine stops fermenting
When the wort ferments, it is important to follow all the rules. In order to monitor the maturation of the drink, a rubber glove is put on the container. When the yeast actively reproduces and converts sugar into carbon dioxide, the glove inflates. This signals that the active phase of maturation is underway. However, even if all recommendations for making the drink are followed, there is a possibility that the raw material will not begin or stop fermenting. What to do?
Why doesn't the rubber glove pick up on fermenting homemade wine? There are a number of reasons why this happens and recommendations on how to avoid it.
- Not enough time has passed. After a water seal is installed, for example, a lid with a tube, the process does not begin immediately; activation of the yeast takes a couple of days. Perhaps the time just hasn't come yet.
- There is no sealing. There will be no bubbles in the liquid when the container with the wort is not tightly closed. In this case, the glove will not rise. To correct the situation, remove the foam from above and add a little sugar.
- Incorrect conditions. The optimal mode is 15–25°C. At low temperatures, yeast stops multiplying; at high temperatures, they die.
- Poor quality yeast. You can never be sure that the yeast is good; it can often stop working for unknown reasons. In this case, homemade starter, ready-made wine yeast or several unwashed grapes are added to the wort.
How long a quality homemade wine will ferment depends on how you monitor the fermentation process and follow all recommendations.
Features of the temperature regime for wine fermentation at home
The best maturation of the drink is slow. 15–25° are the best conditions for this process. Changes must not be allowed.
At what temperature does homemade wine ferment well? The optimal temperature for white wines will be 14–18°C, for red and rose wines - 18–22°C. The fermentation time of high-quality homemade wine also depends on this:
- 10–14° - 20 days;
- 15–18° - 10 days;
- 20° - 5–7 days.
In conclusion, experts advise paying attention to some nuances that will help make the “drink of the gods” a real source of pride.
- Select raw materials carefully; rotten berries and fruits should not be allowed to enter.
- The fruits must be sweet and ripe so that the yeast actively converts sucrose into alcohol.
- The dishes must be dry and clean.
- During storage, it is recommended to pour the drink into another container once every six months, straining out the sediment.
- You cannot store the product near starters, vegetables, or near animals and birds; it very quickly absorbs foreign odors and deteriorates.
We will not repeat the beneficial qualities of homemade grape wine, since the fact has long been well known. Among the main ones, for example, grape wine normalizes blood pressure, treats anemia and improves appetite, and regular, daily consumption of a small amount of wine helps remove radionuclides from the body. But even if it were not so healthy, people would still make this drink because of its unique taste and ability to lift the mood. There is a large number ways to make homemade grape wine. And it is clear that everyone has their own secrets, nuances and characteristics. But the basic principles and rules for preparing grape wine are the same for everyone - the grapes are collected, sorted, sorted, pressed, and fermented. All homemade wines are prepared using this simple algorithm, and only small additions or special additives lead to the birth of different varieties of this drink. Another important success factor is the time parameters of the various stages. homemade wine production and the experience gained.
Before making homemade grape wine, you need to properly plant and grow grapes that would best suit your purpose. The grapes should be harvested as late as possible, when they are fully ripe and have reached maximum sugar content and decreased acidity.
The raw materials must be as clean as possible, because one of the rules of winemakers is to never wash grapes. Natural colonies of yeast fungi live on the skins of grapes, thanks to which the further fermentation process occurs. To prepare wine, the berries should be selected especially carefully, literally going through each one, removing all spoiled and rotten ones, so as not to spoil the taste of the drink in any way.
Preparing the pulp
The best cookware for making homemade wine– enameled or glass. Metal utensils are completely unsuitable, since contact of wine with metal causes a chemical reaction, and the drink darkens and acquires a bad taste. Alternatively, you can use plastic food containers. For preparation, it is best to use large containers - 20-50 liters, since in small volumes grape wine ferments faster, and it is very difficult to control the process. Before use, all utensils should be washed thoroughly with hot water and soda.
Place the selected berries in a large saucepan or basin and begin crushing. Some winemakers advise doing this directly with your hands, some use canvas bags for this, twisting the berries in them and squeezing the juice out of them, and some crush them with an ordinary masher. Whatever method you choose, the main rule is one - crush all the grapes to a single one, so that not a single one remains intact.
The temperature of the room in which fermentation will occur should be 18-23 degrees. S. This is very important. At higher temperatures, the quality of the wine will be lower and acetic acid fermentation may even occur, turning the wine into vinegar. At lower temperatures, fermentation may not begin. That’s why, if the berries were picked at an outside temperature below 15 degrees. C, they cannot be crushed immediately, but need to wait several hours for them to warm up to the optimal temperature. The container with the pulp must be covered with a clean cloth to prevent wine flies from appearing. The next day fermentation should begin. The pulp will rise upward with the release of carbon dioxide, forming a cap over the wort. The raised layer of pulp needs to be stirred several times a day. If this is not done, the pulp may sour. On the 3-5th day, the pulp is squeezed out through a colander, and it is best to squeeze it out with a simple juice press, which you can make with your own hands or buy ready-made; the pulp is used for livestock feed or thrown on a compost heap. During the fermentation of the pulp, the coloring and aromatic substances found in the skins of the berries are extracted, and wine prepared in this way is much more aromatic, more intensely colored and extractive than wine prepared with squeezed juice.
Fill the container about 2/3 full, as the “cap” will rise over time.
The initial stage is vigorous fermentation
As soon as a slightly sour smell comes from the pulp, it should be immediately poured into any container with a narrow neck. For us, these were 20-liter glass bottles, onto which we immediately put on any type of water seal - rubber medical gloves with “fingers” pierced with a needle, plastic double caps, recently sold in the markets.
You can also use a classic water seal, which is done like this: a hole is drilled in a strong long plug into which a narrow rubber hose is inserted. The cork is tightly coated with plasticine or wax on top, and the lower end is lowered into a jar of clean water, where carbon dioxide will escape. The main thing is to block the access of oxygen and ensure the release of carbon dioxide produced during fermentation.
Important details: the upper end of the hose should be at the level of the exit from the cork, and the pulp should be poured into the bottle no higher than three-quarters, so that the juice does not spill out during fermentation.
Not wandering? Let's force it!
If the weather is cool and the juice does not begin to ferment for a long time, you can do two things. Pour out a liter or a half of juice, mix with sugar and heat to 40 degrees, and then pour back into the bottle. Or put 150 grams of finely crushed raspberries into an open jar, cover with gauze and wait a few days for the raspberries to ferment. Then pour this yeast into the bottle and mix with the contents. The process will begin.
Next, we monitor the condition of the pulp.
From 1% sugar 0.6% alcohol is formed. But since most grape varieties in the central regions rarely accumulate sugar more than 20%, it is impossible to obtain sweet wine with a strength of more than 10-12%. To do this you need to add sugar. After 2-3 days, the fermenting wort should be tested for sugar. As soon as you feel that the wort has become sour (which means the sugar has already been converted into alcohol), you need to add 50 g of sugar for each liter of it, mixing thoroughly. Repeat this several times until you feel that the sugar content does not decrease. This means that fermentation has basically stopped, and the wort has accumulated about 15% alcohol. The fact is that the bulk of yeast cannot live in an environment with an alcohol content above 15-16%. That is, they destroy themselves and settle to the bottom.
From the beginning to this moment (depending on the temperature), the wort ferments for 2-4 weeks. Suspended particles sink to the bottom, and the wort is partially clarified. You need to remove it from the sediment using a siphon (hose) and add sugar to your taste. Some suggest that after this, place the container under a water seal in the cellar for further clarification and maturation of the wine, which lasts several months. But a water seal is not needed at this stage for wine with a strength of 15%. A wine with such alcohol content will never turn sour. The simple fact is that at this moment very quiet fermentation will take place, and in a hermetically sealed container (say, in a glass bottle) such CO2 pressure can be created that it will simply burst. In order to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to suppress the vital activity of the remaining particularly strong (pardon the pun) yeast individuals. Yeast bacteria at temperatures above 70 degrees. They die. Therefore, the wine must be pasteurized at a temperature of 75-80 degrees. C for two hours. For those who have a gas water heater, it is very convenient to do this in a bathtub, provided, of course, that the volume of wine is significant. Personally, I immerse about 100 liters of wine in a bath in 3-10-20 liter cylinders. The cylinders should not be filled completely, as intense fermentation will take place for some time with copious amounts of foam released. Naturally, the plugs or lids must not be tightly closed. In the absence of a column, pasteurization is carried out on a gas stove. After finishing the heat treatment, the cylinders are filled to the top and tightly sealed with stoppers. The next day, after cooling, they are taken to the cellar. The heated wine brightens beautifully and, quickly maturing, becomes soft, velvety and harmonious. All you have to do is remove it from the sediment a few times.
First drain
We prepare another bottle - wash it, dry it, and place it next to the full one. We insert a rubber hose into the pulp almost to the very bottom and strain all the juice through it. As a rule, two full bottles of pulp yield one juice without pulp, grains or peel.
Let's taste it. If it is sour, add 150–200 g of sugar for each liter of juice and put it under the water seal again. At this time, you can remove the containers from a sunny place and place them indoors. Sometimes the juice is very tart, so some people add a liter or a half of water to it. But it's better to do without it.
Secondary or peta wine
What to do with the pulp from which the juice has already been taken? We do things differently. Some owners whose family drinks little wine simply throw it away. But there are people, including myself personally, who love repeat wines - to my taste, they are both subtler and more refined than the first, brighter, more concentrated and intoxicating wines.
We measure how much juice has left the bottle, heat the same amount of clean, preferably soft water, dissolve sugar in it - from 200 to 300 g per liter - and pour in the pulp. She will also wander, but for a longer time. As soon as the pulp becomes completely colorless and is compressed into a dense layer, it can be thrown away. And put the juice, like the primary juice, for fermentation.
How wine matures
Now is the most important stage. When quiet fermentation begins, we ourselves will see how the sediment will sink to the bottom. The more often we remove it, the clearer the wine will become.
Next, the blending process begins. Of course, this must be done if the farm has many varieties of grapes and among them are very sour ones and, conversely, very sweet ones. In the end, by adding, diluting, introducing additional sugar levels, we make it the way we like it best. But many of us prefer to make dry and semi-dry natural wines.
If desired, you can mix white with red and pink. But a higher class should not be confused with, say, Riesling with Aligote, Bordeaux with Isabella, Lydia with Muscat of Hamburg, etc. In such cases, rose wines are not mixed with any other wines at all.
As a rule, wines fermented in September ripen by the New Year. During this time, they are removed from the sediment twice or three times. If we see that the wine is not yet ripe, but has completely stopped fermenting, it can be refreshed by pouring it twice in the air from one bottle to another.
At wineries, wine is artificially clarified by adding gelatin or egg whites. My advice is to do without it. Ripe wine, which is promptly freed from sediment, will clarify itself. When the wine matures, it acquires its inherent taste and strength, it needs to be fixed.
Pasteurization
To prevent ripe wine from turning sour in the future due to the penetration of air, it must be fixed by interrupting the process of quiet fermentation. To do this, we prepare bottles of champagne, cider or any dark bottles. Washed and dried, they are waiting in the wings. Bottles should only be glass.
Having poured wine into them, carefully seal them and, wrapping them in tow or any cloth, lower them into a large saucepan, filling it with hot water. We insert a thermometer into one of the bottles. As soon as the wine in the bottles heats up to 60 degrees, keep it in this state for 20 minutes, take it out and send it to a cool, dark place, laying it on its side.
Diseases of wine and methods of its treatment
When making homemade grape wine, there is a possibility that the process will go wrong for various reasons. Here are the main symptoms and methods of control.
Acetic fermentation of drink
Symptoms of the disease: a film forms on the surface of the liquid, grape alcohol is converted into vinegar.
Reason: this disease occurs when the required absolute purity of the process is not observed at any stage of making homemade wine. It is possible that the recipes were violated when adding yeast or sugar. Failure to comply with the temperature regime for fermentation of the drink. Failure to follow proper product storage rules.
Treatment of wine disease: if the disease is detected at the initial stage (transparent thin film), the drink can be “cured” by sterilizing the liquid at 65-75 degrees and adding additional alcohol.
Obesity drink
Symptoms of the disease: homemade grape wine becomes oily, thick, and viscous.
Reason: wine obesity occurs during “oxygen starvation” in anaerobic conditions.
Treatment of wine: a diseased drink is treated by simple aeration by moving (transferring) the contents from one container to another clean container, or by heating the liquid for 15 minutes at a temperature of 50 degrees.
Souring of the drink (mouse disease)
Symptoms: Homemade grape wine smells like mouse urine.
Reason: such wine diseases appear when the technology and cleanliness of preparation are not followed, or when the finished drink is not properly cared for.
Treatment of the drink: 15-minute pasteurization of the product at 80 degrees. Sometimes adding a little citric acid to homemade wine helps. However, a drink that has become very “sick” cannot be restored.
Wine mold
Symptoms: the presence of a grayish film on the surface of the liquid, which subsequently wrinkles, increases in thickness and, as a rule, acquires a yellowish or dark gray color. The strength of the wine decreases, the drink loses its aroma, acquiring an unpleasant odor.
Reason: failure to maintain cleanliness during the preparation of the drink, violation of fermentation requirements, violation of product storage rules.
Treatment of wine: the drink must be passed through activated carbon.
These are, perhaps, all the main diseases that homemade grape wine can be exposed to. True, sometimes the drink also develops various foreign flavors, but they, like many of the above-mentioned diseases of wine, arise mainly when the purity and production technology are not observed.
Remember that good and healthy homemade wine can only be obtained with full compliance with production technology, absolute cleanliness of the room, hoses, dishes and, of course, your hands. And then no wine treatment will be required.
Grape wine made with your own hands is always unique; it cannot be compared with what is sold in the store, not to mention the quality of purchased wine.
Making wine? The procedure is multi-stage, taking from 40 to 100 days, in which the most important stage is fermentation, since it is this that determines the quality of the future product, its beneficial properties and taste. During this period, special attention should be paid to the processes occurring in the future drink in order to obtain a quality product.
Features of the wine fermentation process
Fermentation processes are caused by yeast fungi. In order to obtain a drink of any strength, they use wine yeast (not baker's yeast!), wild? those that are on the surface of the berries, or prepare the starter. The most popular sourdough starter at home? from raisins. They prepare it like this: pour a handful of raisins with 2 tbsp. warm water, add 50 g of sugar. Place in a warm place, after which the fermented starter is added to the pulp. Raisin sourdough cannot be stored for more than 5 days.
Fermentation is the process of converting sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. To release the latter, a water seal is installed on the container, which is used as a tongue-and-groove seal or an ordinary rubber glove. Which of the following should I use? It is not so much important as ensuring the tightness of the joints. After all preparations, place the container in a warm place.
Features of temperature conditions
Home winemaking must be accompanied by compliance with a certain temperature regime. This indicator is the most important, since it is what launches? processing mechanism. The most favorable temperature is considered to be 18–20 ° C both for the room and for the wort itself. This indicator should be the same throughout the day, since frequent and sudden thermal changes retard the activity of yeast fungi.
If homemade wine is prepared in the autumn, then the best place for the wine container will be a heated room. Drafts and sunlight must be avoided, and if glass containers are used, they must be covered with a dark cloth.
The wort has the ability to increase its own temperature during the decomposition of sugar. Overcoming the thermal threshold of 30° C threatens the rapid evaporation of alcohol and the appearance of a bitter aftertaste. Therefore, it is important not to miss this point by taking regular temperature measurements and, if necessary, performing forced cooling. You can cool the container in several ways, for example, by placing it in a bowl of cold water.
Fermentation time
The wort must ferment in several stages. Fermentation actions usually begin after 7-12 hours. From this moment, the first stage begins, which is called violent fermentation, which lasts 4-8 days, accompanied by bubbling and hissing of the escaping gas. If there is less free space in the container, the foam can clog the water seal. The accumulated carbon dioxide can not only knock it out, but also rupture the container. To avoid this, ventilate and stir the contents of the container several times a day for 5-7 days.
After vigorous fermentation comes quiet. This stage continues until all the sugar has been processed. It lasts about 20 days, after which loose sediment settles at the bottom.
Young homemade wine is removed from the sediment, tasted, sugar is added if necessary (how much exactly is a matter of taste preference) and sent for further fermentation for about 30-40 days. The container is placed in a cool place and closed with a shutter to avoid souring.
What to do when fermentation has stopped
It happens that fermentation processes that have begun suddenly stop. The question arises of how to renew them. Before taking radical measures, do you need to check the tightness of the water seal? in many cases this is where the problem lies. If the container is not closed tightly enough, will there be any bubbles? carbon dioxide found another way out. This means that the wort has not stopped fermenting, it’s just not noticeable. It is necessary to immediately check the tightness of the water seal and, for reliability, cover the joints with varnish, dough or other natural adhesive. Otherwise, the wine, while fermenting, will turn sour.
The most common reason why homemade wine does not ferment is non-compliance with the temperature regime. At temperatures below 10°C, yeast fungi “go dormant”, and at temperatures above 30°C? die. Therefore, the container in which the fermentation processes have stopped precisely because of a violation of the temperature regime should be moved to a more suitable place. ?Asleep? the yeast will resume its activity again, but if overheating is observed, you will have to add 
container a new portion of wine starter (the same amount as was originally added).
One of the reasons why the wort stops fermenting is its low or, conversely, high sugar content. A hydrometer measuring device will help determine this indicator. Ideally, sugar content is 10-20%. If the value obtained during measurement exceeds the specified threshold, then this means one thing: an excessive amount of sugar has become a preservative for the yeast and in order for the wort to ferment again, you need to add sour juice or boiled water. Topping up is done no more than 15% of the total volume. If the sugar content is low, add granulated sugar (50-100 g per 1 liter). After these actions comes to life again? a seemingly hopelessly damaged product.
If the fermentation processes stop due to bad yeast (we are talking about the unstable functioning of wild strains), then in this case you should add either a sourdough bought in a store or prepared yourself. You can also use crushed grapes at the rate of 5-7 berries per 10 liters (no need to wash the berries) or good raisins (40-60 g per 10 liters).
How to stop fermentation
Young house wine? living substance. Various bacteria and microorganisms live in it, which can completely unexpectedly resume fermentation abilities. It would seem that the drink stopped fermenting, and, moreover, after being removed from the sediment, it was sent for storage. Bottles can be stored for a certain period of time without causing any suspicion to the winemaker, however, a slight change in storage temperature, or other reasons, can cause lactobacilli and fungi to become active. To prevent this from happening, the wine is stabilized using pasteurization, alcohol fortification or cryostabilization.
Pasteurization? This is heating to prevent the development of diseases and acetic acid fermentation. Bacteria and fungi die when heated, and the risk of unnecessary fermentation processes is reduced to zero. Pasteurization is carried out very simply: bottles of wine are placed in a pan, at the bottom of which a towel is laid in several layers, then water is poured so that the level of wine in the bottles is closed. The water is heated to 70°C and the bottles are kept for half an hour. It will be easy to control the temperature if you place a water bottle with a water thermometer inside next to it. After pasteurization 
the contents of the bottles are cooled. Now you can safely store it.
Fortification with alcohol or vodka is carried out both to increase the strength and to stabilize the product. It is important not to make a mistake with the dosage. The following rough calculation will help determine exactly how much vodka or alcohol is needed for fortification: to increase the strength by 1° add 2% 40% vodka or 1% 90% alcohol. In this case, the strength will be 17°, and bacteria and microorganisms will die. The product will no longer ferment.
Cryostabilization, or cold stabilization, will also help to cope with unnecessary fermentation. Cold treatment involves placing containers with the drink in a cold place for 14-20 days, the temperature in which ranges from +5 to 0°C. This place could be a basement or a refrigerator. After cryostabilization, homemade wine is removed from the sediment and bottled. It can be stored for as many days as required for aging.
In addition to the methods listed, there are other methods that make the finished product stop fermenting: adding sulfur in the form of potassium sulfite, or fumigating storage containers with sulfur wicks.
Homemade wine is distinguished by a variety of flavors and an economical preparation process. The fermentation rate of this drink depends on many factors.
To get excellent results, experienced winemakers must follow technologies common to each fermentation process.
The fermentation process is carried out by wine and yeast fungi found on the skins of berries and fruits, which process fructose and sucrose and convert their alcohol. In addition to alcohol, carbon dioxide is released during the fermentation process.
There are a huge number of recipes for making homemade wine. Its composition can include not only traditional grapes, but also any fruits and berries that are suitable for making wine due to their taste.
To improve the fermentation process of a drink prepared at home, when choosing berries and fruits, you should consider:
- Ripeness of berries and fruits;
- The variety of the selected crop;
- The taste should be quite sweet;
- Berries and fruits must certainly be fresh;
- Dishes, as well as items necessary for cooking, must be clean;
- Temperature conditions. Each type of homemade wine has its own;
- Tightness of the container and water seal. Preference should be given to glass, plastic or wooden containers;
- Prepare the water seal. You can do it yourself using a straw or a medical glove, or you can buy a ready-made water seal in the store.
Attention! If you choose the wrong raw material from which the future wine will be infused, the whole process can become more complicated. In most cases, inexperienced winemakers have to add additional sugar to the drink and also dilute yeast, while calculating their quantity is quite difficult.
Apple
The basis of apple wine can be any variety of apples, as well as any combination of varieties: sour and sweet flavors will interact interestingly with each other.
The main requirements for choosing apples will be their ripeness and juiciness.
This cooking method is one of the most budget-friendly, especially for owners of their own garden plots:
- The container should be filled with apple juice so that 1/4 of the container is free for foam and carbon dioxide to escape. This rule applies to the preparation of all types of homemade wine.
- The optimal temperature for apple wort is 20-22 degrees.
The fermentation of apple wine is 30-60 days. The end of the process is determined by the absence of gas emissions and the appearance of sediment.
Apple wine has a slightly tart, bitter taste, so it needs to be filtered and kept for another 60-120 days in a cool place. The result should be a drink of a beautiful amber color with a magnificent apple smell and a strength of 10-12%. Apple wine can be stored for no longer than 3 years.
Reference! If apple wine has been playing for more than 55 days, to eliminate the bitter aftertaste, the wine must be poured into another container without sediment and left to ferment further. This applies to fermentation of all types of wines.
How to make homemade wine from apples and how long it should ferment is explained in the video:
From pulp (from cake)
Pulp (cake)– this is a berry or fruit mass together with juice, pulp, peel, seeds of berries or fruits, remaining after their processing. Wine made from pulp is one of the most economical methods of winemaking.
It can be prepared from almost any berries and fruits:
- Raneta,
- rowan,
- currants,
- apricot,
- pears
The peculiarity of making homemade wine from pulp lies in the temperature at which it is kept. It should be no lower than 27 degrees, since the wort turns out to be quite heterogeneous and hard. Infusion of wort from pulp is usually done in open containers using yeast.
In this case, the grape mass forms a “cap” and rises to the top of the vessel, container, in which the wort is infused.
To avoid the rotting process, two fermentation technologies are used:
- Fermentation “with a floating cap” from pulp;
- Fermentation “with a submerged cap” from pulp.
When choosing the first fermentation method, the mass should be shaken daily 5 to 8 times a day for 5 days to prevent the formation of vinegar and to activate the coloring matter of fruits or berries.
The second method is the most simplified– you need to press down the formed “cap” using a fine grid to a depth of 30 cm. It is also necessary to stir the entire mass, but the frequency of stirring should be 2 times less than with the first method.
Attention! With the first fermentation method, wine from pomace is the most saturated in both color and taste.
Subtle taste of Isabella grapes
The Isabella variety is known for its high yield and is widely used in the preparation of homemade wines.
Sugar should be added at a rate of 100-300 grams per liter. Sugar is added in several stages. It is divided into 3 parts. The first half is added at the beginning of preparation, and 5 days after the start of fermentation, another 1/3 of the sugar is added. The wort is stirred and left to ferment again. After another 5 days, add the third part of sugar.
The ideal temperature for fermentation is 16-22 degrees.
The fermentation process of wine made from this variety lasts 35-70 days.
Reference! Isabella wine is banned in the European Union due to its high content of hydrocyanic acid and methyl alcohol. However, this grape variety has long been popular in preparing homemade drinks. The recommended daily intake is no more than 200-300 ml.
The features of preparing an aromatic drink from Isabella grapes are described in the video:
Plum
To prepare a wine drink from plums, it is better to use sweet varieties or combine sour varieties with sweet berries.
The amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of the selected variety and varies from 100-350 grams per liter. Sugar is also added in stages, as when preparing apple wine: at the beginning the first half, and every 5 days the remaining parts.
Homemade plum wine should be fermented in a dark place with a temperature of 18 to 26 degrees.
Attention! Fermentation of the wort takes approximately 60 days.
The process of clarifying plum wine takes about 3 months, but it is impossible to achieve complete transparency of the drink due to its high pectin content.
The shelf life of plum wine is no more than five years.
The peculiarities of fermentation of plum wine are described in the video:
From the thorn
Wine made from thorn plum or prickly plum is only slightly inferior to grape wine.
Raw berries are not consumed, so making wine is the best way to use them:
- The berries must be used whole, puree them together with the pit and dilute with water 1:1.
- The mixture must be left to ferment in an open container, covered with gauze, and then strained using a fine sieve.
- The acceptable fermentation temperature for sloe is 20 degrees.
The wort is infused for 45 days, then poured into bottles and kept at a temperature of no more than 16 degrees for 8 months.
The result is a wine of rich ruby color with a tart aroma.
Important! You will have to add a large amount of sugar due to the taste of the damsons. Approximately 200-250 grams per 1 liter, sometimes more - 300-350 grams.
Red
To make red wine, you can use a huge number of red berries, berries with black, blue colors and their combinations.
Red wine is the most common type of wine prepared at home.
Fermentation of red wine must take place at a temperature of 17-18 degrees for 35-45 days.
Then the wine must be “removed from the sediment.” The finished drink is aged for at least 1 month at a temperature of 10-14 degrees.
Important! Prepare red wine only in plastic or wooden containers! Stir and grind the berries with a wooden spoon or mortar. The finished drink must also be sealed with a wooden stopper and stored in a lying position.
White
A special feature of the preparation of the drink is that natural yeast contained in the berries of white grape varieties is used as a starter.
The fermentation temperature should vary between 15-20 degrees. The fermentation process itself is quite long and will take about 2 months. If fermentation does not begin or suddenly stops, you will have to add yeast, a special starter or a little raisins to the drink.
To obtain a semi-sweet white wine, it is necessary to interrupt the fermentation process shortly before its end in order to retain some of the sugar. To do this, you need to sharply increase or decrease the temperature of the wort.
Then you need to remove the formed yeast and put the wort on 7-14 days into a cool room. Afterwards, the wine must be “removed from the sediment” and poured into a glass container.
Attention! The process of “clarification” of white wine is quite labor-intensive: to give the drink transparency and achieve the desired taste throughout the year, it will need to be “removed from the sediment.”
What is special about dry wine?
Dry wine differs from the preparation of other types of wine by its low sugar content, and yeast cannot be used in its preparation.
Therefore, you should approach the choice of berries most carefully:
- They should be quite sweet.
- Among the grapes you should choose varieties such as Kadarka and red Muscat.
- It is advisable to have a special device for checking sugar levels - an aerometer. 15-22% is the optimal percentage of fructose content in berries.
- The ratio of sugar and berries is 1:100.
- It is necessary to harvest in dry weather, otherwise the amount of necessary “natural” yeast will not be enough.
The fermentation process is the complete absorption of fructose and its conversion into alcohol by yeast.
The fermentation temperature of wort for dry wine is not lower than 20 and not higher than 27 degrees.
Reference! By adding the largest amount of sugar to dry wine, you can get a dry semi-sweet wine.
Factors affecting fermentation time
Wine fermentation time depends on the following factors:
- Types and quantities of raw materials selected for the production of wort;
- “Activity” of yeast fungi;
- Tightness of dishes and water seals;
- Room temperatures.
On average, the fermentation process takes from 1 to 3 months. After this, homemade wine is ready to drink, however, to make the taste more pleasant, most wines should additionally be kept in a cool place for 1 to 8 months.
Temperature
The vital activity of fungi, which are responsible for the fermentation process, depends on the temperature of the wort. At low temperatures, the fermentation process slows down, and at elevated temperatures, most of the fungi may die and the whole process will stop.
Each variety of homemade wine has its own temperature regime.
The optimal fermentation temperature is 15-27 degrees. You need to place the starter in a specially designated place where the temperature will be stable.
Important! Temperature changes, for example, high during the day and low at night, also have a detrimental effect on the entire process. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the temperature of the wort, guided by a 3-degree interval.
At what temperature the wine ferments is described in the video:
What to do if fermentation stops?
It also happens that the fermentation process may stop or not begin at all. To understand the next steps, you need to find out the factors that impede fermentation.
Let's look at what needs to be done step by step:
- Step 1– Check the sugar level in the wort. This can be done using a special device - a hydrometer. If you don’t have such a device, you can taste the wine - it should be sweet, but not too much. Granulated sugar must be added at the rate of 50-100 g per liter of liquid.
- Step 2– Make sure there is no mold. This is only possible if the rules of hygiene in preparing the drink are not followed. In this case, you can try to remove the mold if it is present in small quantities.
- Step 3– Make sure the container is tight and, if necessary, close the lid or water seal more tightly.
- Step 4– Make sure that the wort is kept at the optimal temperature and in a room where there are no sudden changes or drafts.
Reference! You should not immediately pour out the prepared wort; first make sure that you have done everything possible to restore the fermentation process. You don't always get great wine the first time. To give the drink strength at the final stage, you can add alcohol to your taste.
What to do if the wine stops fermenting is explained in the video:
The process of proper wine fermentation is quite labor-intensive. You need to take into account all the factors influencing it, then you will get a delicious homemade drink.
When preparing a drink according to the same recipe, you are unlikely to get an identical taste. Each time you will discover more and more new flavors. Using the above information, you will certainly receive wine of the “highest standard”!