Making Wine

I've decided to try my hand at it.

INGREDIENTS
1 quart of crushed fruit of your choice

1.5 to 2 cups of granular sugar (I use Dixie Crystals)
1 package of yeast (e.g., Fleishman's)

Almost 1 gallon of water (I use distilled & deionized H2O)


MATERIALS
A glass gallon jug or bowl (your fermentation vessel)
Several layers of cheese-cloth and a rubber band

Pyrex measuring cup for measuring sugar, &c.
Glass jar-type blender or a hand blender: for crushing fruit (chop into small pieces first)
Revere-ware sauce pan (at least 3-quart size) for boiling H2O
Collander, cheese-cloth, and large pitcher for straining
2000-ml Erhlenmeyer filter flask, Buchner funnel, and coffee filters for filtering (OPTIONAL)
Funnel (helps in bottling)
...and finally, bottles and labels

And now, HERE'S HOW IT'S DONE!

I froze my fruit for two days to concentrate fruit sugars (ice wine trick)

Crush/blend the fruit after chopping into small pieces.

Juices from fruit

Dissolve the sugar in 1 quart hot water on the stove.

There will be some residual grains of sugar left in the Pyrex measuring cup. Use this cup to warm about 2 cups of water in the microwave, and dissolve the yeast in it.

The yeast should start to foam slightly in less than half an hour.

After the sugar-water in the sauce pan has cooled, pour it in the jug/bowl with the fruit.

Then add the dissolved yeast (make sure the jug's contents have cooled at least to 100F or below so as not to kill the yeast!).

Finish filling the jug/bowl with the rest of the pure water (up to about 2 inches from the top).
Yeast should be bubbling in the jug within an hour or so.
Cover the jug/bowl mouth with cheese-cloth (at least 4 layers)

Seal edges or tie with rubber band and place in a clean area out of bright light.

After 2 or 3 weeks, strain the wine with the collander & cheese-cloth in the pitcher.
If you wish, you can also filter the wine through a coffee filter using the vacuum flask & Buchner funnel (helps remove more residual yeast.
Bottle your wine and let it "age" for at least another 2 weeks or so (preferrably a couple of months or more to get rid of the yeasty flavor).
When you think it's ready, pour some wine in a nice glass .
Savor the wonderful aroma ...AHHHH!!! And think of the hard work and expertise that went into it. Kick back and relax and enjoy the finished product!