Content
- 1 Is there a pomegranate wine
- 2 Why is pomegranate wine useful?
- 3 How to make wine from pomegranate juice
- 4 Homemade pomegranate wine recipes
- 5 What do they drink pomegranate wine with?
- 6 What to eat pomegranate wine
- 7 How does pomegranate wine affect blood pressure
- 8 Calorie content of pomegranate wine
- 9 Contraindications to pomegranate wine
- 10 Terms and conditions of storage
- 11 Conclusion
Modern winemaking has gone far beyond the grape drinks familiar to everyone. Pomegranate, plum and even peach wine is produced in industrial quantities. Technologies for the production of homemade fruit wines are also developing every year, delighting winemakers.
Is there a pomegranate wine
The first factory-quality pomegranate wine was made about 30 years ago in one of the provinces of Israel. Some time later, the largest suppliers of this fruit - Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia - took over the baton. The development of this direction of winemaking aroused interest among lovers of homemade alcohol, so now you can find a large number of recipes for the production of pomegranate wine, oriented to home conditions.
The main disadvantage in the production of such a drink is the high acidity of the fruit. In order for the wine to ferment properly, water and a fairly large amount of sugar are added to the grape juice. Almost every bottle in the store is made using a similar technology. At home, winemakers use wine yeast to accelerate the fermentation of pomegranate wine.
Why is pomegranate wine useful?
Thanks to the production technology, the beneficial properties of pomegranate juice are preserved in wine. Drinking pomegranate wine in moderation can completely minimize the harm of alcohol, as well as bring tremendous benefits to the body. It is customary to refer to the main useful properties of such a drink:
- strengthening the cardiovascular system;
- improvement of the general condition of the nervous system;
- slowing down the aging of the body;
- powerful antioxidant effect;
- cleaning the gastrointestinal tract from toxins and toxins.
Wine improves immunity due to the content of linolenic acid in it, which also allows you to regulate fat metabolism and inhibit the formation of carcinogens in the tissues of the body. The benefits of pomegranate wine are also due to the high percentage of vitamins B6, B12, C and P, which strengthen the body and help it better fight viruses and infections.
Pomegranate wine can be especially beneficial for women. It helps to normalize hormonal levels and, as a result, reduces mood swings during menstrual cycles. Also, the use of this drink during menstruation helps to reduce pain.
How to make wine from pomegranate juice
The main component of any wine is the juice squeezed out of the fruit. To get high quality pomegranate juice that meets the standards of winemaking, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the selection of quality fruits. It is advisable to choose the most ripe pomegranates that have not been exposed to mold.
In the correct fruit, the peel is even and does not contain traces of mechanical damage. The grains must be fully ripe. It is believed that the sweeter the fruit, the better the final product can be obtained when making wine.
There are two methods of fermenting wine - using yeast and natural fermentation. Both methods have the right to life, since each of them is used to make drinks from raw materials of different acidity.
How to make yeast-free pomegranate wine
The technology of making wine from pomegranate juice without using yeast at home involves adding a small portion of the sourdough to the juice. Unlike grapes, on the surface of the fruit of which wild yeast live, pomegranate seeds are reliably protected from the ambient air by a dense crust.
The standard sourdough for making such wine is raisins soaked in warm water for several days. The standard ratio is 100 g of dry red raisins per 100 ml of water. To speed up the production of sourdough, add a couple of tablespoons of sugar to a glass of raisins. It is believed that 3-4 days is enough for wild raisin yeast to activate.
Pomegranate juice, sugar, water and sourdough are mixed in a fermentation tank. After that, the tank is covered with a lid and a water seal is placed. After the end of fermentation, the wine is filtered and poured into barrels for further infusion.
How to make pomegranate wine with yeast
Factory wine yeast is good because it is able to digest all the sugar contained in the juice into alcohol. However, sugar is still used to speed up fermentation. Water is also added to neutralize the acid balance of the finished drink.
In general terms, such a technology for making wine, except for yeast, is no different from the previous version. The ingredients are also mixed in a large vat and then placed under a water seal until complete fermentation. In fact, the use of wine yeast to make pomegranate wine can significantly increase the degree of the drink.
Homemade pomegranate wine recipes
Making a good drink requires the right raw materials. Pomegranates can be grown on their own, bought at the nearest supermarket. The main thing is that they are all quite ripe and sweet.
There are a large number of homemade pomegranate wine recipes - with the addition of raisins, citrus fruits or cereals. Every person who is engaged in home winemaking has his own special way of preparing this drink, which he considers to be correct. A beginner winemaker can easily choose the recipe he likes, you just need to strictly follow the instructions.
Classic homemade pomegranate wine recipe
Making wine using traditional wine-making technology allows you to get a product with a clean taste and indescribable fruit aroma. For cooking you will need:
- 2 liters of pomegranate juice;
- 600 g sugar;
- 50 ml of water;
- wine yeast.
The juice is obtained in any convenient way. Sugar, water and wine yeast diluted according to the instructions are added to it. All ingredients are mixed well in a fermentation vessel. Then the container is covered with a lid and a water seal is placed. The readiness of the wine is determined by the absence of traces of fermentation. After that, the finished product is filtered, bottled and sent to storage.
Delicious pomegranate wine with raisins
Raisins are used as an ingredient required for sourdough. In addition, fermentation of the drink with such a sourdough contributes to the easy carbonation of the drink. To make wine, you will need:
- 5 kg of pomegranates;
- 350 g sugar per 1 liter of juice;
- 30 ml of water per 1 liter of juice;
- 50 g red raisins;
- 25 ml of raisin starter culture for 1 liter of juice.
Peel the fruit and remove the white films between the grains. Juice is squeezed out of the grains in any way. The resulting juice is poured into a fermentation tank, sugar, water, raisins and sourdough are added to it.All ingredients are mixed to maximize the divergence of the starter culture, after which the container is covered with a lid and placed under a water seal. The finished wort is sent to ferment in a warm room with a temperature of 20-25 degrees.
When the wine stops showing signs of fermentation, it will need to be filtered through cheesecloth. The filtered wine is poured into a barrel or other container. After 3 months, the drink is filtered again and finally bottled.
Homemade pomegranate wine with barley
The recipe was invented in the United States at the end of the 20th century. Barley balances the taste of the wine and makes it whiter and light. A prerequisite is the maximum ripeness of the selected pomegranates. For cooking you will need:
- 15 ripe pomegranates;
- 1.5 kg of sugar;
- 200 g of barley;
- 4 liters of water;
- wine yeast.
Barley is boiled in 2 liters of water for 2 hours. Then the broth is filtered, and the barley is thrown away. Barley broth is mixed with pomegranate juice, water, sugar and wine yeast diluted according to the instructions. The container with the wort is covered with a water seal and sent to fermentation.
After the end of fermentation, the wort is filtered and poured into a barrel for further maturation. The finished product is bottled, sealed tightly and sent for further storage.
Red pomegranate wine with citrus
Another recipe comes from America. A distinctive feature of the finished product is the original citrus aroma and slight acidity. For such a drink you will need:
- 20 large pomegranate fruits;
- zest of 4 lemons;
- 4 oranges;
- 7.5 liters of water;
- 2.5 kg of sugar;
- wine yeast.
The zest is removed from citrus fruits. Juice is squeezed out of oranges and pomegranates, mixed in a fermentation tank. Water, sugar and skimmed zest are added to it. Wine yeast is diluted according to the instructions on the manufacturer's packaging. The container is placed under a water seal and sent to a warm place for fermentation.
After the end of fermentation, the pomegranate wine must be carefully filtered. For this, gauze rolled in several layers is used. The finished wine is poured into a keg and sent to ripen for 3 months.
What do they drink pomegranate wine with?
Traditionally, before serving, hand-made pomegranate wine must be cooled to 12-14 degrees. Since the drink is not overly cloying, chilling helps keep it sour and leaves a long, pleasant aftertaste in your mouth. If the wine is served warm, then for most people it will resemble a compote.
Since the wine is light and sweet, it is best served with desserts. The best options would be traditional Armenian, Turkish and Azerbaijani sweets - baklava or Turkish delight. Drinking wine with such dishes allows you to fully reveal its notes, as well as immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a country in which pomegranate wine is a national calling card.
What to eat pomegranate wine
In addition to sweets, pomegranate wine goes well with unsweetened fruits - apples, cherries or pears. It is also common to use such a drink with citrus crops - orange and grapefruit.
How does pomegranate wine affect blood pressure
Traditionally, pomegranate juice is considered to be an excellent aid in the fight against high blood pressure. Drinking a small glass of homemade wine made from pomegranate juice during a hypertensive crisis helps to reduce blood pressure by 10-15 units. This method of pressure reduction works effectively with slightly elevated blood pressure.
Experts agree that regular consumption of a small amount of wine from pomegranate juice can save a person from vascular diseases in later life. Another useful property of pomegranate wine is that it reduces the frequency of vascular spasms, thereby keeping blood pressure within normal limits.
Calorie content of pomegranate wine
Like any other alcohol, pomegranate wine is considered a high-calorie drink. The average caloric content of 100 ml is up to 88 kcal or 367 kJ. The average nutritional value per 100 g is as follows:
- proteins - 0 g;
- fats - 0 g;
- carbohydrates - 5 g;
Nutrient content may vary depending on the recipe. So, when using a decoction of barley, cereals secrete protein. When adding citrus fruits or increasing the amount of sugar, the level of carbohydrates increases slightly.
Contraindications to pomegranate wine
The main contraindication to drinking this drink is low blood pressure. Since the substances contained in wine contribute to an active decrease in blood pressure, it is highly discouraged for people who are prone to hypotension. A glass of pomegranate wine during a hypotonic crisis can be fatal.
It is also worth refraining from using it for people prone to allergic reactions. Pomegranate is a strong allergen that can cause bouts of suffocation and redness of the skin. In extreme cases, redness of the eyes can be observed, accompanied by severe itching.
Terms and conditions of storage
Since the technology of home production of wine from pomegranate juice has not yet been fully worked out and not brought to the ideal, the shelf life of the finished product is noticeably inferior to grape wine. It is believed that such a drink can be stored for up to 2 years if the correct storage conditions are observed. As with any fruit wine, the pomegranate drink is recommended to be consumed as early as possible from the moment it is ready.
To keep the product's characteristics as long as possible, you need the right premises. A cool cellar with a temperature of 12-14 degrees is best suited for storing wine. If it is impossible to organize the correct storage conditions, you can keep bottles in kitchen cabinets, but at the same time, their shelf life will be reduced to a maximum of six months.
Conclusion
Pomegranate wine is gaining popularity every year. Despite the fact that he is far from the success of traditional grape, its benefits and unique taste promise tremendous prospects. Prepared according to the correct recipe, it will not leave indifferent any gourmet.
