How to Make Apple Juice Wine at Home: 6 Recipes with Photos

The beneficial properties and harm of the drink

Apple wine, if consumed within the recommended limits, is very beneficial for the body. It helps combat stress, strengthens the central nervous system, and improves brain function. The drink effectively removes toxins, thereby slowing the aging process.

Regular consumption in small doses stabilizes gastrointestinal function, restores acidity, and normalizes sugar levels. Wine can also lower high blood pressure, dilate blood vessels, and restore metabolism.

You should avoid apple alcoholic drink if you have the following diagnoses:

• gastritis;
• ulcer;
• pancreatitis;
• hepatitis.

Wine is also contraindicated for pregnant women, women during lactation, children and adolescents under eighteen years of age.

Selection and preparation of products

Choose fruit that is juicy, sweet, and ripe. Overripe or slightly rotten fruit is acceptable. The variety isn't particularly important; you can even experiment with several varieties.

The drink should be made from freshly picked fruits that have been stored for no more than five days. Washing the fruit is strictly prohibited, but removing the seeds along with the partitions is essential. After wiping the apples with a napkin, they need to be cut into slices and passed through a juicer to obtain clarified juice with a minimum amount of pulp.

A ready-made canned product can be used as an alternative. However, store-bought reconstituted juices should never be used.

Video: Apple Cider from Store-Bought Juice

This video provides a step-by-step master class on how to prepare the drink.

Homemade apple juice wine recipes

Any housewife can make homemade apple liqueur. There are many recipes for this drink, but we'll share the most popular ones.

Classic recipe

Classic apple wine is an aromatic, clear drink with a beautiful amber hue. Its natural alcohol content is around 12% alcohol.

The first stages of the process

To separate the pulp from the apple juice, the fruit is placed in a deep container and left for a couple of days. The neck of the container is covered with cheesecloth. The mixture is stirred constantly for the first two days to help the pulp rise to the top and initiate fermentation.

On the third day, carefully remove the pulp from the surface with a colander, add 100-150 g of granulated sugar, stir, and seal with an airtight lid. Sugar is added every five days thereafter. This process is carried out gradually, at a rate of 50-100 g per liter, dissolving the crystals in a small amount of must and re-sealing the vat with a water seal. The sweetness level depends on the type of wine being made: dry or dessert.

Fermentation

To ensure proper fermentation, apple wine is placed under a water seal. The resulting mixture is then left in a dark room at room temperature. Under these conditions, the bottle should sit for 30-60 days until fermentation has completely stopped.

If by the end of the second month the number of bubbles does not decrease and the sediment is slow to settle, the wort is poured into another container and placed under the seal again.

Maturation

After the wort has fermented, it is carefully strained and poured into clean, dry bottles. It must be aged before consumption. This is accomplished by keeping it for several months at temperatures ranging from 6 to 15°C. Every 14 days, the drink is racked and poured into a new container. When the liquid has completely cleared and there is almost no sediment left, the spirit is ready to serve.

A simple recipe

For wine novices, this simple recipe is perfect:

1. Cut a kilogram of cored fruit into small slices.
2. Sprinkle 30-40 g of cinnamon on top, then pour in a liter of filtered water.
3. Boil the mixture until the fruits become soft.
4. After rubbing the mixture through a sieve, leave it to ferment.
5. Once fermentation is complete, decant the wine.
6. Add 4 cups of granulated sugar and then mix well.
7. A little later, drain the settled drink, strain and bottle.

From fermented apple juice

Spoiled home-canned goods can be turned into delicious fortified alcohol, so don't rush to throw them away.

1. Dilute 6 liters of apple juice with 500 g of granulated sugar.
2. Stir until the crystals dissolve, then add the same amount of sugar.
3. Place the mixture in a fermentation chamber and install a water seal on it.
4. When fermentation has stopped, strain the liquid and add 600 ml of vodka.
5. After pouring the drink into bottles, let it sit for 6-7 days.

With the addition of water

This method is a great alternative if you don't have a juicer.

1. Finely chop 10 kg of peeled and cored fruit.
2. Dissolve 400 g of granulated sugar in 7 liters of warm boiled water, and then pour the resulting syrup over the apples.
3. Place the workpiece under light pressure for several days.
4. When fermentation begins, strain the wort, add another 600 g of sugar and place under a water seal.
5. After five days, add granulated sugar again (3 cups), leaving the preparation for another week.
6. After draining the fermented wine from the sediment, let it mature for 2-4 months.

With pear juice

Pears pair perfectly with apples, making this alcoholic drink very aromatic and delicious.

1. Combine 9 liters of freshly squeezed apple juice with 2 glasses of pear juice.
2. Add a kilogram of granulated sugar and leave to ferment.
3. Once the active process is complete, filter the liquid.
4. Add the same amount of sugar and then let the mixture sit.
5. After pouring the strained alcohol into bottles, let it sit for at least a month.

With lemon juice

Using this recipe, you will get a refreshing drink with a unique sweet and sour taste.

1. Pour boiling water over one and a half kilograms of finely chopped fruit.
2. Place under pressure for 3-4 days.
3. After straining the liquid, add 1.5 kg of granulated sugar, 15 g of cinnamon, the juice of two lemons, and a couple of tablespoons of dry wine yeast.
4. Keep the bottle under the airlock until the fermentation process subsides.
5. Drain the mixture and then let it sit for another 6-7 days.
6. After straining the alcohol, pour it into bottles and leave it to mature for six months.

How to store and consume homemade wine

When stored properly, apple cider vinegar will keep for three years. It's best kept in a dry cellar or basement at a constant temperature of around 8°C. Bottles should be hermetically sealed to prevent air from entering.

Alcohol is traditionally served chilled in tall glasses. It can be drunk neat or diluted with mineral water. It pairs well with sweet dishes and hot side dishes.

If you're not a fan of strong drinks, apple wine is just the thing for you. Made without added alcohol, it's low in alcohol, making it difficult to get drunk.