FERMENTED FRUITS IS MOVING - http://www.vinodafrutta.com

Fermented Fruits is moving to our own little patch of real estate within the HTBWMedia.com / BaronVonInternet.com community of Information and Community based websites and blogs. Our brand spanking new URL is http://www.vinodafrutta.com The site is still under construction but the receipe's are in the background waiting to be published with a brand new recipe for YEAST FREE Strawberry Mead. Yup, tried and tested without adding ANY Yeast. So this means the Strawberry Mead will taste as it should, pure and natural. The fermenting process is taking a little longer, however the NATURAL yeasts from the Strawberries is currently vigorously reproducing so we should see some nice results WITH PICTURES, shortly. Oh ya, the new site also has the ability for approved members to post their own blogs, recipe books, articles and participate in the community Wine / Mead making Forum. So if you enjoy the art of fermenting fruits, join the community at http://www.vinodafrutta.com I'd love to chat. Drop me a note there if you have any questions. Cheers Heinz
Free Wine & Mead Making Tips, Tricks and Community

Club Dubya - My new Online Community

Check out Club Dubya. My newest experiment in "Social Networking" Call me Naive, but I would like to create a non-corporate online community with an emphasis on the word "Community" Maybe I'll even stick in a Wine making section if there is enough interest. It is still being worked on, but feel free to drop in and say Hi. There is already a few members and we are growing.

www.clubdubya.com

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Club Dubya - Don't Harsh My Mellow Eh!

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Saturday, January 19, 2008

Sparkling Peach wine - The original Bellini

Peach has a great significance in different cultures. It can be of different colors such as red, yellow, pink, white or a blend of these colors. The tradition of making peach wine is popular in many countries. The Bellini is an Italian sparkling peach wine, which was believed to originate during 1930s at Harry’s Bar in Venice. It was named after a famous opera composer.

Peach wine is good for general health and making peach wine at home is an easy but wonderful hobby. In practice, peaches generally contain a very little character and a second ingredient is mandatory for giving it a delicious shape. Here is a recipe for making peach wine that uses raisins in it.



Peach With Raisins Wine

The first step for making peach wine is to select good and fresh peaches. Thoroughly wash 3 lbs of ripe peaches in cool water. You do not need to peel the peaches. Cut them into thin pieces and throw the stones aside. Now mash the peaches and mix ½ cup chopped raisins into the mix. Take 1 qt of boiled water and add 1 lb of sugar and stir it carefully to dissolve. Wrap it with disinfected cloth and let it sit until it comes to room temperature. Now mix cool water to make it equal to one gallon.

After that, add the juice of one large lemon and one crushed campden tablet into the mixture and let it sit for the next 12 hours. Now add ½ tsp peptic enzyme and set aside for another 12 hours. Mix 1 tsp yeast nutrient and blend it thoroughly. Now ferment the solution for next three to four days and stir it twice daily. Now pour all the mixture into a nylon-straining bag and squeeze it tightly so that the maximum amount of juice can be extracted.

Now it is the time to add more sugar to the solution. This is a crucial phase in making peach wine. The sugar not only gives the additional flavor, but it helps in further fermentation. Add ½ lb sugar into the mixture and stir well to dissolve it. Now move the mixture into secondary fermenter and make it airtight. After that the fermentation slows down and terminates.

Now, you are on your final phase of making peach wine. Within the next two weeks, you need to stir it for the final time and put it into bottles. If possible, age it for six months to one year to give it an aged flavor.

Source: secrettowinemaking.com

Thursday, January 10, 2008

The story of wine since 3500 B.C.

Here is an interesting little article on the history of wine. I also remember reading something awhile back which stated there was reference to mead in prehistoric "caveman" days where honey dripped into puddles and fermented. A little bit muddy for my tastes but back then they figured it was some nectar from the gods.... Kinda makes sense in a caveman sort of way.



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Source: sthelenastar.com

The origins of wine are clouded in prehistory.

The grape from which wine is best made, Vitis vinifera, originated in what is today the disputed land between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the wild grape there having the additional name of silvestris. The wine, made from that grape, was probably insipid, especially as compared with today’s wines.

More solid evidence was discovered at an archeological dig, called Godin Tepe in what is now modern Iran. Archeologists discovered a 3500 B.C. ceramic vessel that held reddish crystals. These resembled the tartrate crystals which are found today on the bottom of many corks of wine bottles. They came from the wild grape sylvestris, which still grows there today and which ferments overnight.

One theory about wine making is that a Neolithic man made grape juice from wild grapes, forgot it or left it alone for awhile, then tasted it: “Praise the gods; I am tasting heaven!”

Another theory is that it was a development of previous knowledge. Archeology has evidence that mead or honey wine and beer existed prior to wine, made from grapes. And the people of the time applied their knowledge of fermentation to grape juice.

In time, the knowledge of wine making and domestication of the wild grape spread around the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, and Mediterranean Sea, and eventually all over the world. Egyptian hieroglyphic depicts feasts with wine. Homer refers frequently to wine in his Iliad and Odyssey. The roots for the word enology, the study of wine, come from the Greek, oinos meaning wine, and logos meaning study.

The Romans spread the culture of wine and viticulture all over their known world — from their word for wine, vinum we get the many words like vine and vineyard. The Bible, both Old and New Testament, discusses wine. Many religions, both ancient and modern, have adopted wine as part of their rituals.

Pottery of many ancient cultures depicts aspects of wine. In time many lands cultivated their own grapes by cross pollination, grafting and individual agricultural methods.

Today, most of the people in varying lands throughout the world drink wine and have vineyards, and produce their wines from their own unique varietals.

The early American colonists did not have much interest in wine. An exception was Thomas Jefferson, who tried to grow European grapes at Monticello.

Prohibition was an indication of the way the American citizen viewed wine. However, after the repeal of Prohibition, the citizenry of the United States began to take an interest in wine, slowly but increasingly. That was the era of jug wines when wines of the same color were mixed together with no indication of the varietal and given the name of a district in Europe. Today the name of Burgundy or Chablis or Champagne and similar district names can be used only by those districts in Europe with a few exceptions.

In the late ‘30s and early ‘40s, varietals began to be the vogue. Wineries began to be interested in the grape as a varietal. Also, the maxim was white for fish and poultry, and red for red meat.

Today, the majority of the populace has reached a new sophistication. Wineries and vineyards exist in all 50 states. Wineries produce both varietals and special blends of wines, which people enjoy. Wine is recognized as a food, and like all foods, the individual matches all the foods so that they blend into a pleasing taste. And even that rule can be set aside for the person who prefers one wine for all his or her meals. Wine like all else in life follows the Latin saying: “De gustibus non disputandum est.” Freely translated, it is, “One does not argue about taste.”

Monday, January 7, 2008

Watermelon Wine Made Easy

Of course, I wouldn't use the Campden, but other than that is sounds intersting.


Grapes are not the only fruit that can be used to make wine. Although they are the most common, the truth is that other fruits can be used to make wine as well. In fact, it is very easy to make wine with watermelon or other fruits, such as blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Not only is watermelon wine easy to make, but it also provides a nice contrast to the standard grape option. Give it a try and see for yourself!

Easy As One Two Three

Making watermelon wine is extremely easy in fact, it is one of the easiest wines to make. To begin, make sure that you have all of the winemaking equipment necessary to the winemaking process. Next, gather the ingredients you will need specifically for making watermelon wine. These ingredients are: 1/2 gallon Watermelon Juice, 1 Campden tablet, Water, 1/2 pound sugar, 1/8 tsp Tannin, 1 tsp nutrient, 2 1/2 tsp Acid Blend, and wine yeast.



Begin by cutting the watermelon into quarters and removing the rind as well as all the seeds. Then cut the watermelon into slices. Using a strainer bag, squeeze the juice from the watermelon into a primary fermentor. (Put the strainer bag into a primary fermentor as well.) Add all the remaining ingredients to the primary fermentor at this time, with the exception of the yeast. Stir the mixture, cover, and let it sit for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, remove the cover and add the yeast to the primary fermentor. After three to five days, pour the juice into the secondary fermentor. Squeeze the juice in the strainer bag into the secondary fermentor, and then discard the bag.

After this point, it is safe to continue with the normal fermentation process. Remember that this process takes time and that it is important to have patience. The longer you allow the wine to ferment, the better it will taste. Also remember that your easy-to-make watermelon wine will taste better if you let it age several months after it is bottled.

Fruity Fun

Easy to make watermelon wine is also poplar because the ingredients are easy to acquire. It is a great selection both for someone who is just starting to make their own wine, and for someone who has been doing it for years. Whatever the circumstances, this easy watermelon wine will make a great addition to your evening meal.