How to Make Cheap Wine at Home

Making 5 gallons of cheap wine at home is not complicated. You need the right supplies to make the process a success. The good thing about winemaking is it gets cheaper after the first batch is made, because the supplies have already been acquired. For a mild, sweet-tasting wine, this recipe uses 100 percent fruit juice frozen concentrate. Purchasing the concentrate on sale will reap the best savings for the money. Aside from the equipment, this recipe costs only around 75 cents to a $1 to make.

Things You'll Need

• 5-gallon food grade bucket
• 5-gallon glass carboy
• Pure gum rubber stopper
• Twin bubble airlock
• 5 lb. granulated sugar
• 10 cans frozen juice concentrate
• Package of Lalvin 1122 dry yeast
• 2 tbsp. no-rinse sanitizer
• 1 tbsp. pectic enzyme
• 1 tbsp. acid blend
• 1 empty plastic pop bottle
• Funnel
• Siphon
• Large dutch oven pot
• Large mixing spoon
• Hot tap water
• Large towel
• Note card, pen and tape

Instructions

1. Purchase items from a winemaking store. Homebrewit.com offers special deals on winemaking kits (see Resources). Choose the juice concentrate flavor from the frozen food section at the grocery store; shop when items are on sale. Concord grape, white grape raspberry, blueberry pomegranate and white grape peach are good wine flavors. Stock up on sugar when it goes on sale or buy in bulk to save money.

2. Find a comfortable work environment for making the wine. Fill the 2-liter bottle up with 2 tbsp. sterilizing powder and 4 cups water. Carefully sanitize all of the equipment. Pour the no-rinse sanitizer in the carboy and carefully swish around; expose every corner to the sanitizer. To do so, tilt and roll the jar in your hands if necessary. Set remaining sanitizer aside.

3. Slowly add 3 cups sugar, 3 cups hot water and 2 juice concentrates in the dutch oven. Stir with spoon until sugar is completely dissolved. Using the siphon for assistance, carefully pour the mixture into the sanitized carboy. Repeat until all of the juice and sugar is used up. Reserve 1 juice can full of wine mixture by dipping from the pan; add a packet of yeast and set aside.

4. Add acid blend, pectic enzyme and yeast to the carboy. Fill the rest of the way up with warm water---this completes making the wine mixture---or must. Stir slightly by gently rolling the carboy back and forth upright to mix all ingredients.

5. Secure the airlock into the bottom of the rubber stopper. Secure tightly into the top of the carboy. Lift cap off airlock and begin to add a small amount of the sterilizing solution from the bottle---fill only to the middle line of the airlock so it is completely even across in both tubes.

6. Move the carboy to a warm, dark location (between 62 and 75 degrees). Record the date when the wine was made on a note card---including the flavor or ingredients of the wineand tape to the side of the carboy. Allow the must mixture to ferment for 2 months. After 2 months, siphon sentiment from the bottom and pour the must into a sterilized bucket. Resterilize a rubber stopper and airlock. Allow to ferment 4 to 6 weeks longer. The wine will be ready when the airlock stops bubbling. Rack into wine bottles.

Tips & Warnings

• When using a glass carboy, keep it mind it will be difficult to move once it is full. Prepare the wine in an area close by where the carboy can stay during the remainder of the fermentation process. The winemaking can be reversed or improvised by using two glass carboys for all stages of fermentation and transfer. This recipe is for fruit juice concentrates only; do not use this recipe for fresh fruit or it will be inaccurate.

• If the mixture and equipment is not sterilized, the wine will not turn out or will taste like vinegar. If the airlock never starts bubbling, there could be a problem with the must. The yeast may not have started to grow, or the mixture could be contaminated. Wait 5 days and move to a warmer location. If after that time it still doesn't bubble, add another packet of yeast.

Resources

• Homebrewit: Winemaking supplies
• Midwest Home Brewing and Wine Making