The accelerated rhythm of life, workload and lack of rest can lead a modern person to enduring fatigue, or even drive them into stress. A little good wine at the end of the day will help relieve stress and relax the driven body. And if it is also a product of their own preparation, pleasure will be indescribable.
A matter of taste
History has not preserved data about who is behind the opening of winemaking. The oldest drink has always been highly valued by people of power - emperors, kings, famous generals. But Bohemia sang it, attributing to an unearthly origin, composed verses and warned of its possible cunning.
The choice of wine is primarily a matter of taste and preference. Berry wines, unlike grape wines, have a shorter time for production and aging. They are prepared from all kinds of forest and garden berries by natural fermentation. The resulting drink contains a moderate degree of alcohol and in its composition and taste is closer to the juice of the original product.
Berry varieties, due to their medicinal qualities and simple recipe, have long won popular recognition and firmly established themselves in the cellars and basements of houses. Raspberries, cherries, currants, mountain ash - all the berries are good and, of course, deserve special attention, but we will talk about wine from blackberries, how to make it an amateur without proper experience.
Wild beauty
Blackberry was first cultivated at the beginning of the 19th century. Due to its unpretentiousness, the fragrant berry is firmly nailed in the garden plots and does not think of losing ground to gardeners. Its appearance is very reminiscent of raspberries, only the fruits have a black and purple bright color. To date, breeders have bred more than 200 varieties of berries and do not think to stop.
Making wine from a blackberry at home does not require much effort, beginners may well cope on their own. The color and taste of wine from this berry is very saturated. Depending on the recipe and aging, a fragrant bouquet can be very tender or strong and tart.
Wine for a good company
Preparing for a holiday or simple friendly gatherings, good owners usually try to take into account the tastes and preferences of each guest. They will be able to surprise their guests if, along with the usual drinks, homemade blackberry wine is served on the table. A recipe in which there is nothing complicated will become a favorite topic of any feast. And sincere conversations with a glass of red can perfectly replace relaxation sessions or a psychoanalyst.
Drinking wine is a ritual that does not accept haste: good company, delicious food, relaxed atmosphere. Where, if not here, to share your joys and troubles? A blackberry wine will not only help to cheer up, but also emphasize the taste of the prepared dishes, giving them a special piquancy.
The benefits of blackberry wine
Mankind has been enjoying wine for more than a thousand years, and before official medicine made its discoveries, they knew about its benefits rather from the inspiration and experience of previous generations.
Interestingly, when processed into wine, the berry does not lose its beneficial properties. Vitamins of groups A, B, C will be good support for the immune system and nervous system. Patients suffering from anemia while drinking a drink will significantly increase their hemoglobin. For people with heart diseases and ailments of the gastrointestinal tract, 50-100 grams of wine daily will also bring substantial help.
The regular use of blackberry wine for medicinal purposes significantly improves the appearance of a person - skin condition, complexion, eye brightness, and overall tone increases. Convincing reasons are enough to include this drink in your diet.
Do it yourself
Everything that is cooked at home is undoubtedly always out of competition. Having tried once something tasty at a party, very often I want to try to cook it myself. Winemaking is no exception.
Old family recipes were always treated with care, trying to pass them strictly by inheritance. Each nation has its own secrets of blackberry wine recipe at home. And, preserving the identity of the culture, they are not always willing to share.
The decision to try yourself in winemaking will bring a lot of positive impressions. The manufacturing process itself is quite interesting and fascinating. And it can develop into something more than a one-time attempt to cook in the mood. Some people prefer tried and tested blackberry wine recipes; others like to experiment with ingredients. In any case, the result will be a natural product with an indescribable taste.
Simple rules and little secrets
For a beginner winemaker, it is necessary to understand and remember several important points, otherwise the work can be reduced to zero. It would be a shame to have the best homemade blackberry wine recipe to spoil everything with a simple negligence.
The first thing to consider is that the berry must be carefully selected and clean, excluding any spoilage and decay. It also should not be stale and dirty. The second thing that is important in winemaking is the fermentation process should take place in the dark. Well and the last, bottles are filled only on 2/3.
Whatever is written in the recipes of blackberry wine at home, it is better to double-check the information with experienced winemakers once again.
What masters advise:
- Collect berries in dry weather, just before the cooking process. The more fragrant it is, the tastier the wine will be.
- Do not wash the blackberry. On its surface are natural yeast, which positively affects the fermentation process.
- Add wine yeast only if the fermentation process has not started on its own or is weak.
- Permanent monitoring of fermentation temperature.
- When brewing wine for added brightness, you can add a little dried sage.
- In the preparation of wine do not use any metal.
- Keep bottles in a prone position.
Despite all the instructions and recommendations, mastery is achieved through our own trial and error.
How to make blackberry wine
Experienced winemakers recommend: for making wine it is best to take wild berries - a bouquet of taste promises to be unique and richer in comparison with a domesticated sister. But this is at will and opportunity.
The simplest wine recipe:
- Knead a blackberry (4 kg) with a wooden spoon, releasing the juice, and let stand for 3 days, periodically repeating the process.
- Dissolve 4 kg of sugar in 10 liters of boiled water and cool.
- Combine everything in one container, adding a little wine yeast.
- Close the container, remember to insert the fermentation tube, or put on a rubber glove with a pierced finger.
- After six weeks, the wine can be bottled, pre-filtered.
The calculation was taken on a 15-liter bottle, if desired, the amount of ingredients can be increased or decreased.
Another recipe:
1.5 kg of ripe berries are ground and added to the container. Then pour 1 kg of sugar and pour 1.5 liters of water. The strength of the wine with this ratio goes 16-18 degrees. The mixture is kept for a week, stirring occasionally, and then the selected juice is poured into a bottle with a rubber tube, where quiet fermentation is already taking place. After 6 weeks, the wine can be bottled.
In fact, there are many recipes for homemade blackberry wine. Someone, along with sugar, adds some honey or aromatic additives from mint leaves, orange, lemon. Creativity is where to turn.
Material and storage
The choice of containers in winemaking is a very serious moment, and you need to approach it responsibly. After all, not every container is suitable here, because the taste of the drink will depend on its material.
The best option is, of course, a wooden barrel, but it is not always affordable. In addition, with a barrel it will be troublesome in cleaning matters. Therefore, most home winemakers give preference to glass bottles. And importantly, they can observe the ongoing process and easier to control.
Now some are trying to use plastic containers, but their safety is very doubtful and controversial. Plastic during the fermentation of wine releases harmful substances to the human body.
It is recommended to store wine bottles in a dark and cool place with a stable temperature and humidity. The room should be well ventilated. It is also important to protect the wine from direct sunlight. Light adversely affects the quality of the drink, provoking its rapid aging.
Possible mistakes
Winemaking, despite its simplicity, requires dedication, accuracy and patience. At first, the beginner may have missed, but do not despair, the coherence of the process comes with experience and "full of bruises."
- Using a low-quality product - overripe or unripe berries.
- Loose packaging or incorrectly exposed fermentation tube.
- Constant churning and anxiety of the container, which makes the wine cloudy.
- Not enough sugar, making the drink acidic.
- Use of non-sterile bottles.
- Adverse temperature conditions.
A blackberry wine recipe at home is usually straightforward. If you follow simple tips and put the soul into the process, the result will delight you and your loved ones.