Homemade Blackthorn Wine Recipe

Sloe berries produce a beautiful homemade wine that delights with an unusual rich taste. The manufacturing process is simple, you just need to stock up on a sufficient number of fruits and follow the instructions correctly. Next, I will tell you how to create sloe wine at home using the correct recipe, tested in practice.

Sloes contain 2.5-11% sugar, about 2.4% acids and 1.3% essential tannins. As a result, the usefulness of sloe wine is comparable to grape analogues from the best types of reddish grapes. But first, it is very important to sort through the fruits, removing rotten and moldy ones, and sterilize the containers used with boiling water or steam. These measures will help avoid infection of the wort with pathogenic microbes and mold.

The difficulty in making homemade sloe wine is that the fruits of this shrub do not release juice well. First, you will have to treat the berries with boiling water, this is the only way to get a sufficient amount of juice.

Ingredients:

blackthorn fruits – 2.5 kg;
sugar – 1.5 kg;
water – 3 liters;
unwashed raisins – 100 gr.

On the surface of the raisins there is wine yeast, thanks to which the wort ferments.

Sloe wine recipe

1. Prepare sweet syrup. To do this, mix all the sugar and water (1 liter) in a container, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a minimum. During the cooking process, snow-white foam will appear, which must be removed from time to time. The sweet syrup is considered ready when the snow-white foam no longer appears.

2. Boil 2 liters of water. Wash the sloe berries in running water, place in a saucepan, and pour boiling water over them. Boil for 5-10 minutes over low heat. When the skin begins to burst, remove the pan from the heat. Cool to room temperature.

3. Pour the wort into the fermentation container, filling no more than 75% of the size. Add unwashed raisins and a third of the prepared sweet syrup (should also be at room temperature). Stir, close the container with a water seal, the diagram of which is shown in the figure. Transfer to a black space with a temperature of 18-25°C. After 8-12 hours, fermentation should begin: foam will appear and the water seal will begin to gurgle.

Water seal designs for wine, mash and beer

After 7 days, add the remaining two-thirds of the syrup, mix well and close the bottle again with a water seal.

4. After fermentation has stopped (the sloe fruits will settle on the day, carbon dioxide bubbles will stop releasing from the water seal, the wort will become lighter), which usually lasts 30-50 days, drain the sloe wine from the sediment into another container through a straw. Taste and add sugar if desired. You can also fix the wine with alcohol (40 degrees) or vodka in an amount of 2-15% of the size.

Seal the container (preferably filled to the top) or place it under a water seal again for 1-2 weeks (I recommend if sugar has been added).

Attention! If fermentation continues longer than 55 days, in order to avoid the development of a bitter aftertaste, it is necessary to remove the wine from the sediment and place it under a water seal again.

5. Transfer the drink to the refrigerator or basement at a temperature of 6-16°C. Leave to ripen for 3-8 months.

6. If sediment occurs (at first once every 10-15 days, later less frequently), pour the sloe wine through a straw into another container. Carry out the function for a couple of months.

7. An aged drink that does not contain sediment can be poured into bottles for storage and hermetically sealed.

The finished wine has a strength of 8-12%. Shelf life in a black, cool place is up to 3 years.

The usual step-by-step recipe for homemade damson wine

The berries of damsons (wild plums) have a sour-tart taste, which is why they are sometimes eaten fresh. They make jam and make sauces. Few summer residents know that thorn wine at home is not inferior to grape wine in taste. Wine made from damsons is suitable for both meat dishes and desserts.

Preparing the berries

The pulp of the blackthorn is compacted and fibrous. Fruit preparation is aimed at facilitating the extraction of juice in the future.

The berries are picked after the first frost. They soften and just give out juice. After the berries are collected, you need to spread them in one layer on oilcloth or bedding for a couple of days so that they dry and wilt. There is no need to wash the berries before this.

During the time spent on the litter, wild yeast forms on the surface of the fruit, enhancing fermentation, increasing the degree of the drink and its properties. But rotten berries are not used, otherwise the drink will have a bitter aftertaste.

When the blackthorn has withered and acquired a sour smell, they begin to squeeze out the juice. All berries must be crushed. It is better to press manually with a pestle in an enamel bowl. The dishes must be clean and sterilized to prevent bacteria from getting into the drink. There is no need to remove the bones.

When the berries are prepared, proceed to the next step of making the drink.

Sloe wine without yeast

When making wine from damsons, they use either the fermentation method or the Cahors method. The exhibited recipes for sloe wine outline step by step how to properly prepare homemade sloe wine without yeast so that it is tasty.

Using the method of making wine from sloe without yeast means that fermentation will occur due to wild yeast contained in the berries without the addition of auxiliary ones.

With this method of making wine, the berries are pressed to release the juice and poured into a bottle with a wide neck. Fill with warm water 1:1. The neck is covered with mesh fabric (a collection of different and interacting tissues form organs) to provide access to oxygen and to prevent dirt and insects from entering. Leave it in a warm place for 3-4 days.

After 3 days, the pulp will separate and float out - a crushed mass of berries. Primary enzymatic processes are activated, which is indicated by the appearance of hissing and a sour smell.

It is important to prevent mold and souring from occurring, so the pulp needs to be stirred and beaten from time to time.

When the pulp is completely separated (this takes up to 3 days), it can be removed. To do this, squeeze the pulp through cheesecloth and filter the remaining juice. Add water 1:1.

Add sugar. To do this, you need to take a small amount of wort and dissolve the sugar in it. Before dissolving the sugar, the liquid can be heated, but when combined with the rest of the consistency, it must be at room temperature.

To make blackthorn wine semi-sweet, add 800 g of sugar and 0.5 liters of water to 3.5 liters of purchased juice.

The finished wort must be poured into a container where fermentation will take place. It should not be filled 100% - 1/4 of the container must be free, because damson wine ferments intensively.

Install a water seal. Instead, you can use a honey glove with a finger pierced with a needle.

The bottle should be placed in a black space with a temperature of +22…+23°C. Fermentation lasts 40-45 days. The end is indicated by a fallen glove and the absence of bubbles in the water seal. The liquid will take on a lighter color and a sediment will appear.

Sloe wine with raisins

To create sloe wine, yeast or raisins are added to enhance fermentation. It is recommended to add yeast if fermentation does not occur, which happens occasionally. It's better to use raisins.

Sloe wine at home; regular recipe, ingredients:

blackthorn - 2.5 kg;
sugar - 1.5 kg;
black raisins - 200 g;
water - 3 l.

Prepare sweet syrup. Dissolve sugar in 1 liter of water. Place the resulting mixture on low heat. Wait until it starts to foam. Remove the snow-white foam from time to time. When no foam begins to form, the syrup is ready. Remove from heat, cool.
Sort out the damson fruits and wash them under running water. Do not remove the bones. Pour boiling water (1.5-2 l) over the cooked berries. Cook over low heat in an enamel pan for 10-15 minutes (until the skin begins to explode). Let cool.
Pour into a bottle prepared in advance - clean and sterilized. Add raisins (no need to wash) and add ⅓ sweet syrup. Mix the purchased wort. Seal the bottle with a water seal and leave for 7 days.
After a week, pour the remaining syrup into the wort, stir, and install a water seal.
When a dense sediment appears and there are no gas bubbles, the liquid can be drained without disturbing the sediment. Pour into another bottle and leave to ferment for a week.
Filter the young wine through fine mesh gauze in 3-4 layers to avoid clouding. Pour into bottles and seal. Store in a dark, cool place (cellar).

The result will be a clear dessert sloe wine.

Tincture on the turn

The usual traditional recipe for vodka tincture.

vodka - 0.5 l;
turn - 0.8 kg;
sweet sand - 150 g;
1 pinch of nutmeg.

Sort the berries, wash, dry, and put in a jar. The seeds can be removed or tossed (they give a velvety taste).
Mash the cooked fruits, add nutmeg.
Pour vodka into a jar of berries until the end, close the lid, and leave in a dark place for 3 weeks. Shake occasionally for the first 2 weeks. Throw on the third so that the sediment falls out.
After 3 weeks, filter the liquid and add sugar. It is better to add sugar not all at once, but evenly, so that the taste is balanced.
Leave the tincture for another 2 weeks.
If the drink becomes cloudy, filter again.
To make the tincture invigorating and the taste more interesting, you can add a pod of pepper before standing again. You need to try it every day. When the tincture becomes quite spicy, remove the pepper.

Option 2 is more difficult, but the result is impressive.

thorn fruits - 1.5 kg;
moonshine or vodka 65° - 2 l;
sweet sand - 0.5 kg;
water.

Sort the berries, but do not wash them. Press with the seeds (do not crush them).
Place in a 3-liter jar in layers, adding a small amount of sugar between each layer (up to 150 g in total).
Cover the jar with gauze and place in a warm space. After 1-2 days the mixture will begin to ferment. If the process does not start, add water or wine yeast.
After fermentation begins, put a water seal or rubber glove on the jar and pierce your finger. Remove to black space. Leave until the end of fermentation at a temperature of +18...+24°C (up to 3 weeks).
When fermentation is over, drain the liquid and add pure alcohol at the rate of 50-70 g per 1 liter of drink.
Pour vodka or alcohol over the berries, leave for 2-3 weeks, then strain the mixture.
Mix the purchased tinctures. Sweeten or dilute with water or syrup as needed.
Stop infusing for another 2-3 weeks; then carefully filter.

Fortified damson wine

The resulting sloe wine at home has a strength of 8-12°. It is easy to increase to 17-20° using sugar or alcohol.

To create fortified sloe wine, you need to use the main production recipe. It differs in that after the end of the main fermentation, sugar is again added to the liquid at the rate of 50-100 g per 1 liter of drink. Install a water seal and leave for 5 days.

Later, the wine is drained without touching the sediment and filtered. It is necessary to fix the wine by adding vodka.

Afterwards, the wine is infused for a week, decanted, and filtered.

Fortified wine is more stable; stored for up to 5 years.

Conclusion

When making wine or tincture from sloe, experiments are encouraged - the characteristics of the berries allow you to reveal the flavor and aromatic bouquet of the wine without spoiling it. You can add spices and herbs. Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, and anise mix well with sloe. Ancient recipes contain sage, lemon and orange zest. They will enrich the taste of the drink and diversify it.

Sloe wine at home, regular recipe

Blackthorn is a prickly bush with tart berries that are virtually impossible to eat. In practice, it is a type of plum. Not everyone understands, but these berries can be used to make great homemade alcohol. Sloe wine at home, the usual recipe for which we will describe in the article, will be a good table decoration on any holiday, and also a good treat for dear guests.

Preparation of raw materials and tools

To make wine, you need to be careful when choosing dishes and tools. Firstly, you need to carefully wash and sterilize all the dishes so as not to introduce unnecessary microbes into the drink that can spoil it. Secondly, you need to choose a container that does not oxidize, in other words, glass, wood, and so on. If iron utensils are used, it is better that they are made of stainless steel. Plastic is also not recommended because it can react with the drink and release poisons into it.

Composition of wine based on the type of drink

Everyone understands that wine is divided into types depending on the strength and sugar content. To obtain various drinks, it is necessary to use the proper proportions of the composition. Let's look at the composition of the most common types of wine. The indicated proportions are calculated for 10 liters. wort, from which the output will be approximately 8 liters. ready-made alcohol. If the smallest amount of drink is required, it is necessary to reduce the amount of ingredients, observing the proportions.

Light table wine will have the following composition:

sloe berry juice – 3 liters (approximately 6.6 kg of fruit);
water – 6.3 l
sugar – 1.5 kg.

If you want to prepare a strong drink, then the composition will be as follows:

juice –5 l. (berries approximately 10 kg);
water – 4 liters;
sugar 3 kg.

Accordingly, in order to prepare dry wine, you need to minimize the sugar content. If you need something sweet or even liqueur, then reduce the amount of water and increase the sugar.

Sloe wine at home, regular recipe

As mentioned above, we will look at two recipes that are more widespread and are considered the most ordinary. The first method of production is by fermentation; for the second option, the Cahors method is used.

Yeast-free production option

Because wild yeast strains will be used for fermentation, we do not wash the berries. We pour the thorns into selected dishes and carefully knead them. The main goal is to completely crush all the berries. The mass that comes out after the crush is placed in a container with a wide mouth and warm water is added in a one-to-one ratio. The neck must be covered with gauze to prevent the access of dust and insects, but at the same time not to impede the flow of oxygen. Place the container in a dark, warm space for 2-3 days.

After a specified period of time, the pulp will separate and it will float up. Also, during this period of time, primary fermentation should be activated; the corresponding signs of this will be a sour smell and hissing. During this period, it is important to prevent the formation of mold, therefore the cap of pulp on the surface must be frequently knocked down and stirred; it is better to do this once every 3 hours.

After three days, when the fermentation process has begun and the pulp has completely separated from the juice, you can take the last one. To do this, simply strain and squeeze out the seeds and fibers through cheesecloth. Pour water into the juice, its amount is determined by the initial composition, which was indicated above, minus the size of the water already used. It is also necessary to introduce sugar; for this, take a small amount of wort and dissolve the crystals in it. You can warm up the liquid a little, but before pouring it into the bulk of the wort, it is important that it cools to room temperature.

Pour the finished wort into the fermentation container; it is important not to fill it completely. Sloe wine ferments quite intensively, so at least a quarter of the container must be free. We install a water seal or put on a honey glove with a finger pierced with a needle. The active fermentation phase must take place at a temperature of 20-22 degrees in a dark place. The process lasts about 40 days, its completion will be indicated by a fallen glove or the absence of bubbles in the water seal. The wine should lighten and give up sediment, it is important to watch the action, but at the same time do not stir the liquid. If you plan to produce a strong drink, then for best fermentation, sugar must be added in portions, at intervals of a week.

After the active fermentation phase has ended, the liquid must be carefully drained from the sediment, usually using an elastic hose. At the next step, the wine has not yet finished fermenting, so we fill the container to capacity and install a water seal for the first 2-3 days. Then we seal it tightly and send it to ripen for 3-4 months in a cold, dark room. During this period, sediment separation continues and it is better to pour the drink from time to time.

Later, the wine must be bottled and stored in the cellar. It is ready to drink, but the longer the drink is aged, the tastier it will be.

Recipe with yeast

You can make sloe wine at home using the usual recipe using yeast. It is better to purchase special wine ones, but if you couldn’t find them, you can use baking ones. It is important to take into account that brewer's yeast is completely unsuitable. This technology is also called kagornaya.

As a base, you can use both the above composition and the following:

5 kg of berries;
3 kg sugar;
2 liters of water.

The berries are washed and mashed. Pour in a liter of hot water (75-80 degrees) and place on low heat to maintain the initial temperature for 10 minutes. The first batch of water is drained and the second batch of water is added, and the function is repeated.

Then you need to combine both volumes of water and add sugar, mix thoroughly until completely dissolved. Yeast can be added only after the wort has cooled to a temperature of no more than 35 degrees. Then we install a water seal and set it aside in a dark and warm space for active fermentation.

Next, production takes place according to the scenario described a little higher. We wait for the end of fermentation, drain it from the sediment and put it away for ripening. Sloe wine made at home, the usual recipe for which is given above, comes out very tasty and fragrant.

Sloe wine at home - 5 simple recipes with step-by-step photos

Sloe wine deserves no less attention from winemakers than grape wine. The development of its production is quite simple, and the drink comes out fragrant, with a pleasant sourness. One of the main reasons for the success in the production of this wine is the timely collection of raw materials, in other words, thorn fruits. They are collected after the first frost, when the sugar content of the wild plum increases and its astringency decreases. Sloe wine is famous for its healing qualities; its moderate consumption helps to overcome digestive infections (The term means various types of interaction of foreign microorganisms with the human body) and cope with vitamin deficiency.

Homemade sloe and plum wine

The sloe fruits in this recipe are mixed with plums, which reduces the viscosity of the wild plums. To obtain a wonderful dessert wine, you need to be patient: from the production of the base of the future wine to the tasting of the finished drink, it will take one and a half to two months. It is also necessary to take care in advance of the availability of suitable containers for infusing the drink.

Production time: 2 months.

Product quantity: 3 liters.

Ingredients

Manufacturing process

Sloe wine with yeast

Industrial yeast accelerates the fermentation process, so wine can be obtained within a few weeks from the moment the base for the drink is created. It is recommended to use wine yeast; it does not actually change the natural taste of the wine.

Ingredients:

Blackthorn fruits – 12 kg.
Sweet sand – 6 kg.
Water – 4 l.
Wine yeast – 200-220 g.

Manufacturing process:

Sloes can be used together with the seeds or separated from the fruit - as desired. In any case, the fruits must be thoroughly washed and placed in a huge container for the upcoming cooking.
Boil 3 liters of water and pour it over the thorn fruits, boil at low power until cracks appear on the fruits.
From 4 l. boil syrup with 6 kg of sugar and water. To do this, put a container with water and sugar on the fire, bring to a boil, stirring, reduce power and cook the syrup, skimming off the foam. When the foam does not form, remove the syrup from the stove - it is ready.
Place the boiled sloes in a container for the upcoming fermentation, pour in 1/3 of the amount of sweet syrup. Dilute wine yeast as indicated in the instructions. Most often they are added directly to the future mash, from time to time they are diluted with water earlier, creating a starter. The usual yeast consumption is 200 g per 10 liters. blanks.
Mix everything thoroughly, install a water seal and place the wine stock in a room with a temperature of 23-25 degrees for a week.
After a week, strain the solution, separating the liquid from the pulp. Add the remaining sweet syrup to the strained watery fraction, stir and place again in a warm room for a week, installing a water seal on the container.
Afterwards, drain the wine, separating it from the sediment, pour into bottles and leave for about another week. The bottled wine is ready to drink.

Sloe wine with raisins

This is a yeast-free recipe for homemade sloe wine, and the role of yeast in it is played by raisins. The wine takes quite a long time to prepare - more than 3 months and comes out indescribably fragrant, light and pleasant to the taste. The amount of sugar can be adjusted depending on the degree of sweetness of the drink you want.

Ingredients:

5 kg of blackthorn fruits.
3 kg sugar.
2 liters of water.
1 tbsp. raisins

Manufacturing process:

Create a preparation for future mash from raisins and sweet syrup. To do this, mix 2 liters of water with 3 kilograms of sugar, bring the mixture to a boil and cook it over low heat until the formation of a snow-white coating on the surface stops. Remove the foam during cooking with a slotted spoon. Cool the syrup and add raisins to it.
Wash the thorns and, without removing the seeds, place them in a saucepan, add a little water and boil the fruits until they begin to explode.
Cool the cooked sloes to room temperature and combine with sweet syrup and raisins. Cover the container with the contents with a piece of gauze and leave for 5 days in a warm room.
After about 5 days (maybe a little more), the liquid from the pulp will calve. At this point, it is necessary to separate the hard component (pulp) from the water.
Pour the strained wine syrup into a huge jar or bottle, put a water seal and wait approximately 30 days until you receive the so-called young wine.
Pour the wine into bottles, avoiding any sediment, and leave to mature in a cool place. The best aging period for wine is 3 months.

Fortified sloe wine

This wine is prepared with the addition of vodka, so the result is a fairly strong drink. The color of the wine differs from that prepared without vodka: it is the lightest and most transparent, and the taste resembles a sweet and sour liqueur.

Ingredients:

6 kg of thorn fruits.
2 kg sugar.
1 liter of vodka.

Manufacturing process:

Wash the thorn fruits and separate them from the seeds. It is better to take overripe berries, collected after several days in the cold. It is even better to keep them warm for a certain number of days before making wine.
Mash the thorns with a masher until the fruits are separated into pieces and form a pulp. Place the berries in a glass jar.
Pour the indicated amount of sugar into the jar and fill everything with vodka. You can reduce or increase the size of sugar and vodka, depending on the desired sweetness and strength of the drink.
Cover the jar loosely with a lid and leave it at room temperature for at least a month. The usual rule applies here: the longer the drink is infused, the tastier it will be.
At the end of the infusion period, separate the liquid from the fruit using cheesecloth and a colander.
Bottle the wine and store in a cool place.

Fortified sloe wine is mixed with both hearty dishes and fruit desserts.

Spiced sloe wine

Sloe wine, prepared at home with the addition of spices, is a ready-made base for mulled wine. It is prepared with the addition of juice from blackthorn fruits and wine yeast, and the spices can be selected to your own taste. Most often, winemakers advise using star anise and cloves.

Ingredients:

3 liters of blackthorn juice.
5 liters of water.
1.5-2 kg of sugar.
Wine yeast – 170 g.
10 star anise and buds of dried cloves.

Manufacturing process:

Wash and pit the blackthorn fruits. A convenient method for squeezing their juice is using a juicer.
Add half the indicated amount of sugar, half the amount of water to the juice and put on fire. Bring the liquid to a boil, cook for 5-7 minutes over low heat, stirring.
Let the syrup cool and put it on the fire again, adding spices. Boil for 4 minutes after boiling and cool the spicy syrup to a temperature of about 35 degrees.
Add yeast to the warm liquid and cover the container with a narrow cotton cloth (A collection of different and interacting tissues form organs) or a piece of gauze and leave in a warm place for 4-5 days.
After this time, add the remaining sugar to the wine, add water, stir everything and install a water seal on the container with wine. Wait a couple of weeks.
Bottle the wine and leave for about 7 more days.

Sloe wine with a light spicy scent of star anise and cloves can be consumed heated as mulled wine, adding citrus fruits and cinnamon.