I was supposed to let my homemade wine ferment for a few more days, but impatience got the better of me....
So this afternoon I retrieved my secret concoction from its hiding place and (following instructions) filtered it to alleviate the sediments. But there was hardly any sediment at all. It looked pure and smelled like genuine wine.
I filtered the wine into a large pitcher,
then put it in a sterilized bottle
Unduly cautious of all things unknown, I carefully poured some in a glass......and hesitantly took a sip - not expecting much.
HOLY SHEEEE-IT!!!
That "wine" has a kick like an angry Burmese elephant!!!! I was totally shocked! I never tasted any wine that strong.
Online reviews of this homemade wine recipe warned that it could give you a mean hangover. They weren't kidding.
The alcohol content is supposed to be about 15 to 20 per cent - which I think is high for wine.
The hooch that I made tastes like the content is 40 or 50 per cent....
(just an uneducated guess)
So I put it in the refrigerator and will approach it with respectful care.
My initial reason for making homemade booze:
You can't buy any wine or "hard" liquor in this godforsaken hillbilly haven. A few little clandestine stores sell beer (only beer) at high prices - but alcohol is not available at Walmart or the local supermarket.
I used to buy beer, until about six months ago - - when they started asking for ID.
ID???!!!???
Hey, amigos - I'm about a hundred years over fifty. There's no way in hell I'm going to fork over ID for a freakin' six-pack of beer.
I'll make my own damn booze and to hell with these local loco heathens.
Now that I know how to do it, with obvious success, I plan to delve further (or farther??) into the deliciously illegal realms of homemade hooch.
My next project will be white wine - - and this autumn (if I survive) I plan to make apple wine.
The variations are as limitless as they are intriguing.
It sounds like it turned out well? ;) My Italian relatives who lived "east of the mountains" in a small town made homemade wine, and it was so strong that one glass would put people under the table. I was a child, so I didn't partake, but it's the only time I ever heard my dad giggle.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy a sweet white wine every once in a blue moon. I’m anxious to hear how the apple 🍎wine taste?
ReplyDeleteNice one, Jon. That wine must be strong, it pushed me off line twice. If it is that clever perhaps I should have the recipe.
ReplyDeletewhen they ask for proof of age, I show them the white hair on my chest.
ReplyDeletethey get upset when I drop my pants to show them I am on disability, too
Congrats on your success, Jon. Hopefully, you won’t have any side effects from the home made version, although if it has that high an alcohol content...how do you measure it? Yoy may be able to temporarily forget about your other ailments for awhile.
ReplyDeleteWoo-hoo! Got your sea legs yet?
ReplyDeleteI may have to pull out my grandmother's recipe, or do my own investiGoogling. Can't hurt, right?
Congrats for giving Mad Dog 20/20 competition in the fortified wine department. Very well done and I for one am impressed. It looks full-bodied for sure and the color, if photo accurate, is quite nice. You might just be a natural in the hooch making business. In which case you need to get some bottles and labels for your Tennessee Holy Sheee-it! The apple wine in the fall sounds great. Looking forward to your future wine making adventures!
ReplyDeletethere was a time in American History where EVERYONE made their own hooch.. Ah to bring back the Pre-Prohibition days. Personally I like beer... and I am grateful other people around me spend the time to make it. ( Seems time consuming and I would rather drink it than dote over a batch.) Still, we have three micro breweries just down the road! And several more within 50 miles. And most of them have at least one good beer to sample. Iowa still asks for ID though, even though I am bald and beaten down by life. I have no white chest hair to show off, but I like that method a lot.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your success, Jon! I'm impressed and ready to raise a glass in your honor. Yes, the alcohol content can be pretty high (fruit-sugar related?) but in summer, a half glass of ice dilutes it to manageable levels without much sacrificing flavor. You did good!
ReplyDeleteThat's so awesome! I love wine - especially if it is STRONG and SWEET! We can get beer, ale, and some types of wine at our local grocery stores, but NO LIQUOR here either! I actually love the Choco Vine with 14 percent alcohol in it because I have a sweet tooth! LOL!
ReplyDeletewow i'm impressed. good for you. that kick sounds sinfully delicious during these tough times. i've recently begun drinking craft beers or margaritas every now and again. but i also do ocassionally drink Bully Hill Wines from Hammondsport, NY. I prefer the Goat White Wine. met the purveyor of the vineyard, years ago. he was an interesting character. a real rebel, like you. https://www.bullyhillvineyards.com/about/heritage/ Who knows Jon, you may become the next big thing with your wine making endevours. enjoy.
ReplyDelete