Thursday, February 09, 2012

How to Make Wine ala Peace Corps


So you want to make your own wine, but you don’t own a vineyard?

Ingredients:
Fruit or flavorings (amount vary – see below)
4 kilograms sugar
9 tablespoons of yeast (Brewer’s yeast is best, but baking yeast works too)
½ cup strong tea
1 liter Sobo (any flavor)
Water

Materials:
Two 20-liter plastic buckets with lids
One bandana or similar piece of cloth

Bottling Materials (Optional):
18-20 old booze bottles
18-20 small squares cut from plastic bags
18-20 rubber bands
Funnel

Instructions:
Determine what you want your flavor your wine with. Almost any fruit or edible herb will work.  The amount varies for the type of flavoring you have chosen.  Large fruits, such as mangoes, guavas, or bananas will take about 20 individual fruits.  Smaller things like mint leaves, lemon grass or chidede will take about 8 loosely packed cups.  There are no set rules for these measurements, so play around with them as much as you like.  For large fruits, cut them into smaller pieces or mash them up a bit.  For things like mint, bruise the leaves so that the flavor will be released.

1)      Dissolve the 4 kgs of sugar with warm water in a clean plastic bucket
2)      Add the flavorings that you have decided on
3)      Add ½ cup of strong tea (this adds tannin that helps mellow the wine)
4)      Fill the bucket within 2-4 inches of the rim with warm water (leave room for foam)
5)      Sprinkle the 9 tablespoons of yeast on the surface of the water (stir in if desired)
6)      Cover and leave for 7-10 days
7)      Strain contents through CLEAN cloth into second CLEAN bucket to remove solids
8)      Leave for another 7-10 days and it’s ready for drinking

Bottling Option
1)      Take the finished product and funnel into clean old booze bottles
2)      DO NOT CAP! Fermentation is still taking place and the bottles will explode
3)      Seal the mouth of jars with plastic squares and rubber bands.  This will allow room for expansion

So far I have made papaya, banana and lemon grass wine.  Delicious!  Play around with flavors and enjoy!

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