Fresh pumpkin wine is a rather unusual alcoholic drink. In fact, the taste of pumpkin wine will delight even an experienced taster, because extraordinary fruit, vegetable, and nut notes are felt. And ginger, honey, raisins, lime or lemon will help make a drink already rich in vitamins and beneficial microelements even tastier.
Features of preparing pumpkin alcoholic drink
Pumpkin wine contains a lot of useful substances, which makes the alcoholic drink a record holder for health benefits among others.
It includes:
- vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, PP, E, F, T;
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- cellulose;
- iron;
- copper;
- phosphorus;
- cobalt.
From fresh juice and young homemade wine, the body receives a lot of vitamins, therefore, its immunity becomes better.
But consumption in dosed volumes also contributes to:
- improving metabolism;
- improving intestinal motility;
- removal of waste;
- normalization of salt levels in the body;
- improving blood circulation.
It is important to prepare the ingredients correctly. The pumpkin is taken as orange as possible, juicy, without damage. It should not be stored for more than 4 months. It should be noted that:
- the pumpkin is peeled and seeds removed;
- Only pre-boiled water is suitable;
- you can use lime, lemon, sugar, but everything must be of good quality;
- containers and instruments are sterilized before use.
The brighter the pumpkin, the richer the color of the alcoholic drink. If you want to get a wine as close as possible in color to white, then take a slightly yellowish one, if for red, take a rich orange one.
How to make pumpkin wine at home
Choose the recipe to your taste.
Simple recipe
Even a novice winemaker can make the simplest recipe. This recipe does not include yeast, so the wine may not ferment as much as regular grape wine. You will need to take:
- 5 kilograms of fresh pumpkin pulp;
- 5 liters of boiled water;
- 1.5 kilograms of sugar (volume may vary depending on the sweetness of the pumpkin).
First, the peel is cut off from the vegetable and the seeds are removed.It is cut into small pieces, but you can also use a food processor or blender (but do not grind it to a puree). After this, transfer the pumpkin pieces into an enamel container or made of high-quality plastic. Leave until fermentation occurs.
This can take up to 3 days. After that:
- squeeze the juice out of the pumpkin pulp;
- mix with sugar and water;
- pour into a bottle;
- cover with a water dispenser or attach a regular rubber glove;
- remove until ripe for two months.
During these 60 days, the condition must be checked. If the wine has stopped fermenting, which is not so rare, then they look for the possible cause of the drink’s illness. If everything is in order and the wort has acquired a pronounced wine taste, it is bottled.
It needs to be kept in the refrigerator for at least another 30 days in transparent bottles.
Option with ginger
Ginger will give an unusual note, but at the same time it will leave the drink just as seasoned, tender and tasty. You will need to take:
- 3 kilograms of pumpkin pulp;
- 50 grams of peeled fresh ginger;
- 4 cups sugar;
- juice of one or two lemons;
- packet of standard yeast for baking.
First, the ginger is grated. Fill with water (about 4 liters) and leave for a day. Next, pour the liquid into the bottle, add the remaining ingredients, place a rubber glove and leave in a warm place without sudden temperature changes.
Pumpkin wine according to this recipe is usually ready in 40-45 days. You can understand this by lowering the glove (but you should make sure that this did not happen for other reasons).
To add even more flavor to the pumpkin mixture, you can use various spices.
Nutmeg, cloves and cardamom go best with orange vegetables.
With honey
Many people complain about the high sugar content in alcoholic drinks. You can try preparing a drink with honey, to which it is not added. Take:
- 3 kilograms of pumpkin pulp;
- 500 ml honey.
Juice is made from pumpkin, you will get about 2-2.5 liters. All the honey is added to it (you can heat it to make it easier to stir). The wort is poured into a container and left to ferment for 3 days. Then, separated from the heavy sediment, it is poured into a fermentation container. Leave for at least 2.5 months in a dark but warm room for fermentation. Then bottled and left on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator for at least 2 months.
With wild raisin yeast
You will need to take:
- pumpkin 4 kilograms;
- water 2 liters;
- raisins 100 grams.
You need to pass the pumpkin through a meat grinder or grind it in a blender. Add raisins to the vegetable puree, put the mixture on the fire, bring to a boil and immediately remove. Wrap in a warm towel and place in a warm place for three days. Fermentation is carried out according to the classic recipe.
American hanging method
This recipe, quite unusual in its name, is quite easy to implement under normal conditions. You will need to take:
- 10 kg pumpkin;
- 5 kilograms of granulated sugar;
- 2 grams of dry baker's yeast.
The top of the pumpkin is cut off, the peel and seeds are removed. Pour sugar and yeast inside, close with the cut part like a lid. Secure the cutting area with tape. Place in a bag and hang at a distance of up to a meter from the floor. Leave the structure like this for up to two weeks. Pierce the pumpkin and the whole mixture will flow into the bag.
Pour it into cylinders and leave to ferment according to the usual algorithm.
With lemon and lime
Take the usual number of ingredients, plus two pieces of lime and lemon.The juice is poured out of them immediately before fermentation in the bottle.
What problems may arise during the cooking process?
Winemakers face the following difficulties:
- fermentation in the second stage - increase the temperature;
- fermentation continues - let it ferment in the bottle;
- fermentation does not start at all - add yeast;
- an unpleasant smell of mash appears - do not allow germs to enter;
- bad taste - change the number of ingredients.
Further storage of the finished product
Can be stored for up to a year. Place in a dark and cool room.
