Ingredients:
1) 10 pounds of fresh, pitted cherries
2) 8 cups of granulated sugar
3) 4 quarts of water
4) 1 package of wine yeast
5) 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Method:
1) Clean and rinse the cherries thoroughly to remove any dirt or impurities.
2) After cleaning, remove the pits from each cherry. While this can be a tedious process, it is essential to remove the pits to avoid bitter taste and poison if the seeds are crushed.
3) Crush the cherries using a blender, food processor, or juicer to extract the juice and pulp.
4) Place the cherry juice and pulp into a sterilized fermenting bucket.
5) Add the lemon juice and sugar to the bucket and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
6) Add the water to the bucket, stirring well to mix all the ingredients.
7) Take a wine yeast packet and sprinkle it on top of the mixture. Stir the yeast into the cherry mixture.
8) Cover the bucket with a lid or piece of cheesecloth and leave it at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
9) After 24 hours, remove the lid or cheesecloth and give the mixture a good stir.
10) Recover the bucket and let it sit for three to four weeks in a cool and dark place. During this time, the mixture will ferment and turn into wine.
11) After three to four weeks, siphon the wine into a carboy, leaving any sediment behind.
12) Once you have siphoned the wine into the carboy, let it sit for another three to four weeks before bottling. During this time, the wine will clear and improve in flavor.
13) Finally, bottle the cherry wine and cork the bottles tightly. Allow the wine to age for a further three months before serving.
Tips:
1) Make sure you clean all your equipment and utensils with hot water and soap to avoid any contamination.
2) Use a high-quality wine yeast that is specifically designed for fruit wines.
3) Keep the cherry wine in a cool, dark place while it ferments and ages.
4) You can adjust the amount of sugar in the recipe to suit your taste preferences.
Conclusion:
Making your cherry wine at home can be a rewarding and impressive experience. With this easy-to-follow recipe, you can create a delicious wine that will impress your friends and family. The rich and bold flavor of cherries makes this wine perfect for any occasion and can be enjoyed as a standalone drink or paired with food. So why not give it a try and enjoy the fruity, refreshing taste of homemade cherry wine?