Content
Japanese quince fruits are rarely used for fresh consumption. The structure of the pulp is hard, grainy, not juicy. Due to the presence of tannins in the fruit, the juice is astringent and the taste is bitter. Most often, the fruits are used for winter preparation, for example, you can make jam, jam or wine from quince.
Features of making wine
To prepare an alcoholic drink, it is better to use Japanese quince. It contains a lot of sugars, and there is natural yeast on the surface. Take varieties of any ripening period. After harvesting, the quince is not immediately processed, but is left in a cool room. The fruits of early varieties are kept for two weeks, and late ones - 1.5–2 months. During this time, the structure of the fruit will become softer, and the bitterness will disappear in the taste.
It is advisable to first prepare the wort, then make wine from it. This technology allows you to increase the shelf life of the drink. The raw materials are placed in any fermentation container, the main thing is that the neck size allows the valve to be installed.To do this, use a rubber medical glove with a punctured finger or put a rubber tube into the water.
There are several reasons why a wine may not turn out well. If you exclude them, then there will be no problems with preparing a homemade quince drink:
- Poorly treated fermentation or starter vessel. Before processing quince, the container is washed with soda, rinsed and doused with boiling water.
- The ratio of the ingredients in the recipe is not correct.
- During the process of pouring the starter, bacteria entered the fermentation container. It is recommended to carry out all intermediate processes wearing medical gloves.
- The quince is poorly processed; partitions or seeds have entered the workpiece.
And the most common reason is that low-quality fruits were used for the wort.
Selection and preparation of ingredients
Raw materials for wine are used only of good quality; the taste, color, and aroma of a low-alcohol drink will depend on this condition. Only ripe fruits are taken. Particular attention is paid to appearance. The quince fruit should have a smooth, bright yellow skin. If there are dark spots or signs of mold or rot on the surface, the affected areas can be cut off.
Quince preparation:
- If the recipe does not include yeast, then the fruits are not washed. If the surface is dirty, wipe it with a dry cloth.
- The quince is cut into two parts and the core and seeds are completely removed.
- The raw materials are passed through a meat grinder, press or cut into pieces.
The fruit pulp contains a small amount of juice, so water is added to the wort. For these purposes, you can use settled or spring water.
Recipes for making quince wine at home
Japanese quince wine is made with the addition of apples, grapes, lemon, or in the classic way - without additional components. There are options when the raw materials are pre-heat treated. The result is a low-alcohol drink. If desired, it can be fixed with vodka or alcohol. Several of the most common options will help you make your own wine.
Classical
Components:
- quince – 10 kg;
- sugar – 500 g at stage 1, then 250 g for each liter of liquid;
- citric acid – 7 g/l;
- water – 500 ml per 1.5 liters of liquid.
Technology:
- Quinces are not washed. The core is removed, the fruits are cut into pieces and grated on a grater with a fine grid or use a meat grinder.
- The workpiece is placed in an enamel or plastic container.
- Dissolve 500 g of sugar in cold water and add to the quince.
- Cover the top with a cloth to prevent foreign debris or insects from getting into the workpiece.
- The resulting wort is left for 3 days to start fermentation. Stir occasionally.
- If pulp particles float to the surface, remove them with a clean slotted spoon. Within 8–12 hours of the first day, the starter will ferment.
- The wort is filtered, the pulp is carefully squeezed out, and the waste is thrown away.
- Measure the volume of the resulting liquid. Add citric acid according to the recipe, water and sugar at the rate of 150 g per 1 liter. Stir until the crystals dissolve.
- Pour the raw material into the fermentation tank and install the shutter.
For complete fermentation, provide a room temperature of 22–27 0C.
Algorithm for further actions:
- After 5 days, remove the seal, drain a little liquid and dissolve 50 g of sugar in it (per 1 liter). Pour it back and return the water seal.
- After 5 days, the procedure is repeated according to the same scheme: sugar – 50 g/1 l.
- The wine is left to ferment.
The process can take from 25 days to 2.5 months, readiness is determined by the shutter.
The winning wine is separated from the sediment and poured into bottles or glass jars, and the temperature is reduced to +10–15 0C. The infusion process takes 5–6 months. At this time, monitor the appearance of sediment. It is separated periodically.
With lemon
The lemon recipe has a balanced sweet and sour taste. Required components:
- lemon – 6 pcs.;
- quince – 6 kg;
- water – 9 l;
- sugar – 5 kg;
- yeast (wine) – 30 g.
Wine making process:
- The fruits are crushed to a puree. Place in a cooking container.
- Add water, stir and boil the mixture for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and leave for 4 days
- Carefully separate the liquid from the sediment.
- The zest is crushed.
- Lemon, yeast and sugar are added to the liquid.
- Place in a container with a water seal.
- The fermentation process will be short-lived; when it is finished, the wine is poured into a clean container. A 10 liter glass jar will do. Leave to infuse.
During the aging process, the sediment is periodically separated. Then bottled.
Simple recipe
This is the simplest option that even novice winemakers can use. Minimum ingredients required:
- quince – 10 kg;
- sugar – 150 g per 1 l;
- water – ½ of the volume of juice obtained.
Step-by-step technology:
- The processed quince is passed through a juicer.
- Combine the juice and pulp and measure the volume.
- If there is a lot of raw material, pour it into an enamel bucket.
- Add raw water at the rate of 5 liters per 10 liters of wort.
- Add sugar in a ratio of 100 g/1 l, having previously dissolved it in water. Taste: the wort should not be cloying or sour. It’s best if it turns out to be a little sweeter than regular compote.
- The container is covered with a clean cloth and placed on pre-fermentation for 4 days.
- When the process begins, a foam cap will appear on the surface. It needs to be stirred several times a day.
- The mass is filtered and tasted for sweetness. If the product is sour, add water and sugar.
- Pour into containers with a water seal.
After 10 days, the precipitate is drained and sugar (50 g/1 l) is added.
When the process is complete, it is bottled and left to infuse.
With grapes
Everyone will like this grape-quince drink. Required components:
- grapes – 4 kg;
- quince – 6 kg;
- sugar – 1.5 kg;
- water – 4 l.
Wine making process:
- The grapes are not washed. It is pressed to a homogeneous mass together with the fruit brush.
- The quince is ground to a puree using any convenient method.
- Combine fruits and add water. Pour in 550 g of sugar, previously dissolved in water.
- The container is covered. Fermentation will take 3 days.
- Squeeze the mixture well, add 2 liters of water, taste it, add sugar if necessary.
Pour into containers with a water seal. After two weeks, filter the sediment and add sugar.Leave the wine to ferment. Then the sediment is drained and left to infuse.
A sparkling wine
A low-alcohol drink prepared in this way is similar to champagne.
Components:
- quince – 1 kg;
- sugar – 600 g;
- vodka – 500 ml;
- wine yeast – 2 tbsp. l.;
- water – 5 l.;
- raisins – 2 pcs. by 0.5 l.
Technology:
- Boil syrup. When it cools down, pour it into a fermentation container.
- The quince is cut into small cubes and added to the syrup.
- Yeast and vodka are added.
- They install a water seal. Keep warm for two weeks. The temperature is reduced to 15–18 0C and the workpiece is not touched until fermentation is complete.
- Carefully separate the sediment and bottle it.
- Add 2 pcs to each. unwashed raisins.
- Seal the containers with resin or sealing wax.
Placed horizontally in the basement.
With barberry
Additional ingredients are often added to an alcoholic drink to add interesting notes. Winemakers recommend making quince wine with barberry berries. To prepare it you need a minimum of ingredients. Drink composition:
- barberry – 3 kg;
- quince – 3 kg
- sugar – 4 kg;
- raisins – 100 g;
- water – 12 l.
Technology:
- Fruits and berries are crushed until smooth.
- Place in a container, add raisins and 1 kg of sugar.
- Leave for pre-fermentation for 3 days. The mass is mixed.
- The raw materials are squeezed out as much as possible and placed in a fermentation vessel.
- Add water, 2 kg of sugar. Close with a water seal.
- After 10 days, decant and discard the sediment. Add 0.5 kg of sugar.
- After two weeks, the procedure is repeated.
When the wine is won, it is bottled for infusion and placed in the cellar for 6 months. The sediment is removed periodically.
Terms and conditions of storage
Quince wine is considered ready if there is no sediment at the bottom. Until this time, it is separated several times. The winning drink is bottled and hermetically sealed. Wine must be stored in a dark place with a temperature no higher than +7 0C. Experts recommend not standing bottles, but placing them horizontally. The shelf life of a low-alcohol drink is 3–3.5 years.
Conclusion
Quince wine has a high content of iron and potassium. It contains rare vitamin K2, which is necessary for the absorption of calcium. Wine is prepared only from quince or with the addition of citrus fruits and grapes. The drink turns out to be low-alcohol. It has an amber color and a pleasant tart aftertaste.
Reviews of quince wine