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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Homemade Grape Wine (Kerala) | Pure Grape Wine~My Mom's Recipe (Christmas Delight)

Pure grape wine with a slice of plum cake is the remarkable delight of Kerala Christmas and I miss this so much from my mom.Every year she used to plan it well in advance and there are a variety of snacks ,cakes and wine.I still remember when we were at Bangalore,Dad used to buy baskets of black grapes from the nearby vineyard as it was very cheap out there and we used to enjoy walking in the vineyard and admire those hanging ones on the climbers.Lovely memories and when wine gets ready dad helping mom in straining and pouring it into bottles.We used to carry it to Kerala and gift our relatives too.Last year some how I couldn't preapre wine and the year before that I tried wine with pineapple and ginger too .That is also good will post sometime later as I don't have the clicks.But at the top I rate grape wine as the best among these.This is my second attempt with grape wine.




So,friends sharing this grape wine recipe with you all on Christmas week.I have not added a drop of water to this (strictly followed my mom's steps)and I have got 1.2 litres of wine.You will also surprise yourself looking at it .But this is true..Many recipes call for adding water..am not pretty sure of its long life,this is sure a keeper for years !!!



Ingredients
red /purple seedless or with seeds grapes 1kg (2lbs)
*sugar 3/4kg- 1kg
wheat kernels 1/2 cup
*egg 1 beaten (optional)
cloves 5-6
cinnamon 5-6 small sticks
jadipatri /mace 3-4 small pieces


Method

  • Take an earthen ware preferably a bharani or a transparent glass jar with an air tight lid.Wash  the grapes after removing the stalks and under running water. Slightly crush the grapes with your hands just to open the tip.
  • Put them into the cleaned jars with sugar(refer notes) and other ingredients alternating each layer. Close the lid not very tight and leave in a cool dark place. The jar can be just shaked without opening every 5th day so that the contents are mixed well. If you are using egg white, add this on the 15th day or so that it doesn't get over fermented. Open the lid on the 21st day and you see all grape skins float to the top with nothing inside.


Texture of grapes on 21st day


  • Just drain the liquid part with out shaking the bottle much and strain it in a cheese cloth .Don't squeeze the strained contents. Pour it in clean dry bottles and leave undisturbed for another 20 days. Decant and pour the clear part of wine/decant  in clean dry bottles and preserve. Sweet intoxicating wine is ready to serve.


Servings 1.2 litres of wine without adding any water.


(PS: Please read through the comments section before attempting this recipe to get a fair idea )

NOTES
* Modify the amount of sugar according to the sweetness of grapes.The maximum sugar required is 1kg for 1kg sour grapes.Add only half the sugar in the beginning,gradually increase sugar until the 10th day and check sweetness if you are not sure of the sweetness.
* This wine can be stored in air tight containers for years together.
* If you are using wheat kernels,there is no need to add egg white (my mom never added)as it alone would taste great.Egg white also helps in clearing the wine.
* There should be enough space in the jar after putting the grapes and sugar,otherwise the wine may flow out during fermentation.
*Good quality glass jars are required otherwise it may burst in the process of fermentation.
*You can open the jar if you are not comfortable shaking it with lids closed but the flavors might be lost.
* If you don't get the bright color,you can caramalize but I haven't tried it yet.I usually get this color.Add about 3tsp of sugar in a wide pan and wait till it attains golden brown.Keep stirring slowly,not to burn your hands.Add 50ml water through the sides of the pan at the point where you want the caramelisation to stop and stir again.Put off flame,let it cool and add.
* Don't use the sedimented contents by squeezing ,the actual taste of wine will be lost.The sediments can be discarded.
* I have seen many recipes by adding boiled cooled water to it.If you wish that,you may even add 2 liters of boiled,cooled water to it.But I personally tried once,it gives a diluted wine taste.If you're adding water then increase the sugar content accordingly.
* If you feel on 21st day the grape skin don't float leave it again for another 10 days.As the cold climate,quality of grapes,quality of wheat kernels may also affect the maturity of wine.


Sending this to my event - Christmas Delicacy ,The Kerala Kitchen event hosted by Kaveri @ Palakkad chamayal



42 comments:

Sangeetha M said... Best Blogger Tips

Great recipe and perfect for the occasion~Xmas!!
very nice effort and well presented!!
loved your pictures a lot :)
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Priya Suresh said... Best Blogger Tips

Guess how you will miss all those nostalgic moments, grape wine looks absolutely stunning,mom's recipes never goes wrong..

Square Meals said... Best Blogger Tips

Beautiful. Hope you have a lovely holiday season. :-)

Mahi said... Best Blogger Tips

Home made wine?? Fantastic! Merry X-mas!

Teena said... Best Blogger Tips

Great attempt!! I've never prepared wine myself. As u've mentioned, my mom's grape wine was my favourite too..Me too Missing the good old X'mas in Kerala...Wine looks so tempting Julie !

Sensible Vegetarian said... Best Blogger Tips

I can see all the lovely Christmas celebration catching up in your blog. Wishes for a merry Christmas Julie.

Hamaree Rasoi said... Best Blogger Tips

You really have wonderful memories with your parents...
This grape wine is perfect for the season.

Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi

cookbookjaleela said... Best Blogger Tips

nice juice

cookbookjaleela said... Best Blogger Tips

i am also preparing this sour grape in different way

Deepa. R. Krishnan said... Best Blogger Tips

Juls,
Merry Christmas in advance..!
Thanks 4 this recipe..wanted to try this,was not very confident..
I m gonna bookmark this..
Keep rocking !

La @ FoodSlice said... Best Blogger Tips

Juile, this wine is tempting me to try it out. I have black grapes at home that i usually make fresh juice with.. i now need to find some wheat kernels. One question - if you are doing this in an earthern pot or glass jar, would that be airtight? I am amazed you can make your own wine :)

Pushpa said... Best Blogger Tips

What a refreshing drink,looks very yummy.Happy Holidays.

Anisha said... Best Blogger Tips

Simple and easy recipe to make wine at home... Will try this next time I make grape wine. Pictures look great..

cindyrina said... Best Blogger Tips

Great Wine for Christmas and New Year celebration!!!1

Anusha said... Best Blogger Tips

Julie, you must have posted this sometime before now i want to have it but i have to wait a month

Zareena said... Best Blogger Tips

Lovely dear. Though we don't make or drink,we have heard a lot about homemade wine. This looks perfect.
Thanks for the award dear. i actually forget to include it in my recent post. Will do that. Thanks a lot for considering me.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Grape juice looks so inviting and awesone...

simran said... Best Blogger Tips

wow!i have always wanted to make wine.....just didnt know how !now thanks to you i am definately going to try this out...looks easy to do and the wine looks divine!

Kaveri Venkatesh said... Best Blogger Tips

Awesome glasses of wine Julie...Looks wonderful...tasted it just a few day's back at my friend's place...tasted heavenly. Bet your's tastes the same way.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.

PrathibhaSreejith said... Best Blogger Tips

Wine looks fabulous Julie, I'm loving it. Pics are really good as well :) Christmas is around the corner, Wishing u and family a Merry Christmas...

Jayanthy Kumaran said... Best Blogger Tips

omg...sooooooooooper tempting ..:)
excellent pics julie..

Tasty Appetite

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

my friends mom used to make ginger wine, never tried it, but my friend used to steal some from the bottle when we were growing up. this post is just in time for the Xmas season. Wishing you and your family a joyous holiday season.
Love Ash.

Treat and Trick said... Best Blogger Tips

Delightful drink, perfect for celebration!


http://treatntrick.blogspot.com

Sobha Shyam said... Best Blogger Tips

wine looks great..nice clicks..

Shema George said... Best Blogger Tips

can i have a glass??? it look really good...very clear and good color !! gr8 job dear !!
LifeScoops

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Very refreshing drink,perfect for festive celebration.

Sarah Naveen said... Best Blogger Tips

love love love this..nice recipe too..

Merry Christmas Dear !

MyKitchen Flavors-BonAppetit!. said... Best Blogger Tips

Great and awesome luking Wine. I was luking for non-alchoholic Wine recipe and this is it.Thanks Dear for sharing!

Anzz said... Best Blogger Tips

Merry Christmas Julie. The wine looks lovely. I will try that one for sure.

Amila said... Best Blogger Tips

wow!!Looks great!!Book marked from your event..Once my husband asked me about making wine @home,Now I found the recipe,seems I need at least 21 days,I will start tomorrow,BTW what is adipatri /mace ?

Julie said... Best Blogger Tips

Thanx all :-)
@ Amy :Jadipathri/ mace is the outer red flower covering of nutmeg.You can replace crushed nutmeg to this,if you don't find mace.
Do try this out n you can surprise your husband..let me knw the outcome as well..

Amila said... Best Blogger Tips

done it!!now waiting to see the results...no patience... :) thanks for the recipe..

The Energetic Female said... Best Blogger Tips

okay so.. me n my husband went ahead n attempted with this recipe with the bestest of ingredients we could get as it says pure grape wine recipe... so yestrdy was the 21st day n so we opend our jar to strain it n TADAA... nothing had changed it tasted like sweet grape juice n no where like wine ..!!... omg...where did we go wrong ... followed your recipe to T.. n v got here to c this result...???!!!... shld hve followed our last years recipe with store brought grape juice simple, easy n gud...!!... ok nw... so we finally went ahead n added some yeast in .... n fingers crossed now to c wot happens until xmas...!!... hmm.... ok so my question here is is this the way the wine is supposed to be on the 21st day..???.... or wot went wrong according to u..??!!...

Julie said... Best Blogger Tips

Hi Beena,
Felt sad to hear that it didn't work good for you,but to us it was just a good enough matured wine on 21st day & I usually let it sit for another 21 days after straining,by the time its fully matured and cleared..I think if you haven't added an egg white ,you can go ahead and add it,keep for 10 days and strain it(adds fermentation & clearing the wine)..or just strain and wait for another 21days or till christmas,grape wine usually matures after straining too(the more u keep the better this wine),or as u say,yeast too helps in fermentation..u can add that too,but I haven't tried that way..
As u asked,what went wrong..There are many factors that can affect to the preparation including the climatic conditions,if its very cold..it may take another couple of days to mature as well..If you are in a humid place,it may reduce the time..and other factors include the quality of grapes too.Hope u get it correct and Wish u a happy X'mas too!!

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

planning to try this wine shortly Julie

Julie said... Best Blogger Tips

@Swasthi Blank Thanx Swasthi,& good luck to u:)
Do let me know how it turned out!!

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

I have tried this recipe with wheat kernels and added yeast also along with this. I have kept the grapes for fermenting for 25 days. I strained it and kept for 15 days. Now when I tasted it... its somewhat like sweet grape juice concentrated L:(. What i should do to get it fermented.

Julie said... Best Blogger Tips

@Jujin Rajan There are several factors that hinders the actual fermentation esp the climate.The only thing I would suggest will be to add an egg white(don't beat the egg white/shake the bottle or else it turns out very frothy).Leave aside till christmas and strain again.If it turned out very sweet,then add about a litre/dilute as per taste of boiled cooled water.Hopefully this may give you a better result.The older the wine gets the more it matures.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

I made ur wine recipe.Every on love it..❤️❤️we have our one grape yard.This year also i made wine with your recipe..but i didnt add egg both time....but again its a winner..Thank you for recipe

Julie said... Best Blogger Tips

@Asha .s Thanks a lot,Asha..this is one of the best comments of the day,you made my day..am so happy that it turned out good and your family loved it..Thanks again for the feedback dear :)

Maria said... Best Blogger Tips

Hi,
Can I use bangalore blue grapes for this wine. I f we didn't use yeast it will ferment?

Thank you
maria

Julie said... Best Blogger Tips

@Maria Hi Maria,
Yes you can use Bangalore blue grapes. The quantity of sugar added must be modified as per the sweetness of the grapes. Adding wheat kernels helps aid in fermentation.It just takes longer than usual yeast fermentation. You may have to leave for another 21 days after first decantation at room temperature for the good mature wine. Depending on the climate at your place, the fermentation process takes time. Use a cool, dark place for faster results. Hope this helps.