| When homebrewers talk about making fruit wine, they often use specialized terminology. The process is broadly similar regardless of whether you're using berries, apples, peaches, plums, cherries, or tropical fruits. Below is a detailed explanation of the key terms and stages involved in producing a 1-gallon batch of fruit wine. |
A Simplified Process Flow is . . .
Select and prepare fruit.
Crush fruit to create the must.
Adjust sugar, acid, tannin, and nutrients.
Add pectic enzyme and sulfites if desired.
Pitch wine yeast.
Conduct primary fermentation with fruit present.
Strain and transfer to secondary fermenter.
Rack periodically off sediment.
Allow fermentation to finish and wine to clear.
Stabilize if sweetening.
Age until flavors mature.
Bottle and condition.
Enjoy the finished fruit wine. |
Fruit is the primary ingredient that provides flavor, aroma, color, and some natural sugars. Different fruits contain varying levels of sugar, acid, tannin, and pectin
Sorting is the process of removing spoiled, moldy, or damaged fruit to prevent off-flavors and contamination.
Washing is simply the cleaning the fruit to remove dirt, insects, pesticides, and wild microorganisms.
By crushing we mean breaking open the fruit to release juice. Soft fruits can often be mashed by hand, while harder fruits may require chopping or crushing.
Pulp is the mixture of fruit flesh, skins, juice, and seeds after crushing. |
The complete mixture of fruit, water, sugar, nutrients, and additives before fermentation begins is referred to as the Must. In grape winemaking, the term usually refers to crushed grapes; in fruit winemaking, it refers to the prepared fruit mixture.
Most fruits require adjustments to create a balanced wine. |
Specific Gravity (SG) is a measurement of dissolved sugars in the must. It indicates potential alcohol content and is measured with a hydrometer.
The SG reading taken before fermentation beginsis referred to as Original Gravity (OG)
An estimate of the alcohol percentage that can be produced from the available sugar is known as Potential Alcohol
Chaptalization is the addition of sugar to increase potential alcohol content. Many fruits do not contain enough sugar on their own to produce a stable wine. |
Acid Adjustment is the process of adding acid or reducing acidity to achieve proper balance. Wine that is too acidic tastes sharp; wine with too little acid tastes flat.
A mixture of common wine acids, typically citric, malic, and tartaric acids. is known as Acid Blend
Tannins are natural compounds that contribute structure, mouthfeel, and a slight drying sensation. Fruits low in tannin may require added wine tannin.
Pectic Enzyme is an enzyme that breaks down pectin in fruit, improving juice extraction and helping prevent haziness.
Yeast Nutrient provides a source of nitrogen, minerals, and vitamins that supports healthy yeast growth.
Campden Tablet is a sulfite tablet used to suppress wild microorganisms and protect wine from oxidation. It is commonly added before pitching yeast. |
Primary Fermentation
Yeast is the microorganism that converts sugar into alcohol, carbon dioxide, and flavor compounds.
By pitching we mean adding cultured wine yeast to the prepared must.
Rehydration is the process of awakening dried yeast in warm water before adding it to the must.
Fermentation is the biological process in which yeast consumes sugar and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide.
The vessel used during the vigorous early stage of fermentation is known as the Primary Fermente . For fruit wines, this is often a food-grade bucket.
A floating layer of fruit pulp and skins that rises to the surface due to carbon dioxide production can form.This is referred to as a cap
Stirring or pushing floating fruit back into the liquid to improve extraction and prevent spoilage also known as Punching Down the Cap
The most active stage of fermentation, usually lasting several days is the Vigorous Fermentation which produces Carbon Dioxide (CO₂). This is a natural byproduct of fermentation that escapes as bubbles. |
Removing fruit solids after primary fermentation is done by straining.
A press can be used to extract remaining juice from fruit pulp. Small batches often use a straining bag rather than a press.
The sediment at the bottom of the bucket is known as Lees and consists of dead yeast, fruit particles, and other solids.
By racking we mean the transferring wine from one vessel to another while leaving sediment behind. |
Secondary Fermentation
Secondary fermentation is usually done in a glass carboy or demijohn where slower fermentation and aging occur.
Headspace is simply the air gap between the wine and the top of the vessel. Excessive headspace can increase oxidation risk.
On the top of the carboy or demijohn is a device that allows CO₂ to escape while preventing air and contaminants from entering.This is called an airlock.
Ageing is the slower stage of fermentation after fruit solids have been removed.
When fermentation is complete we use a hydrometer to take a reading so we can see the Final Gravity (FG).
If the wine has nearly all fermentable sugars consumed we say the wine is dry.
Residual Sugar is the remaining sugar in the finished wine. |
To preventing renewed fermentation we use Potassium Sorbate before sweetening or bottling. This is a stabilizer that prevents surviving yeast from reproducing
Potassium Metabisulfite can be used to protect wine from oxidation and microbial spoilage.
Aging the wine in a larger vessel before bottling is known as Bulk Aging.
Clarification refers to the natural settling or treatment process that improves clarity.
Fining Agents
If a wine won't clear we can use Fining Agents, a substances added to help suspended particles settle out. |
Other common terminology is Bottling, Siphoning which is transferring finished wine into bottles for storage and consumption.
If a wine is too dry to your liking we can add sugar, honey, juice, or another sweetener after fermentation has completed. This is known as Backsweetning.
After wine is bottled the period during which bottled wine matures and flavors integrate is called Conditioning.. |
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