If you find that you like making wines, I strongly recommend an excellent book. Although it is currently out of print, you should be able to locate a copy through your local libraries, either directly or through loan. With any luck you can locate a copy of your own through the various used and antique book stores. Successful Wine Making at Home by H.E. Bravery. Since wine making has become a popular hobby, you will find a good number of suppliers for the containers, tools, supplies and recent books on this topic.

The term crock used on this page simply refers to the first fermentation container. Although traditionally done in a crock, it simply needs a container of suitable material. I have always used a large 12-quart stoneware dough bowl for this purpose and a good kitchen muslin (sold in cooking supply stores) to cover the bowl as the ingredients are fermenting.

At the stage where the liquid is decanted off into a glass jug, compensation must be made for the fermentation that is still ongoing and gases still being produced. One method of stoppering the neck of the jug was a loose plug of cotton wool. More recently balloons were simply fitted over the neck and is the preferred method in many kitchens. A better method is to purchase a fermentation lock which is fitted over the neck of the jug and will indicate when all fermentation has ceased. All activity must cease before it can be decanted off into bottles and securely corked.

Raisin Wine

Ingredients
3 lbs raisins 3 lemons 2 lbs sugar 9 pints water 1 oz yeast 1 tbsp freshly made tea

NOTE: For a dry wine use 1¼ lbs sugar.

Place raisins with sliced lemons and the tea in a crock. Boil all the sugar in all the water and add to the rest while still boiling. When cool, add the yeast and ferment for 14 days, covered, stirring daily and covering again at once. Strain and wring out as dry as you can and put the strained liquid into a gallon jar. Cover or fit a fermentation lock to the neck and leave till all fermentation has ceased.

Raspberry Wine
This version makes a light, dry wine.

Ingredients
4 lbs raspberries 2½ lbs sugar 7 pints water (divided) ½ oz baker's yeast or 1 pkg wine yeast

Crush fruit in a crock and add 1 quart of boiled water that has been allowed to cool. Mix well. Leave in a cool place for 24 hours, stirring a couple of times. Strain through muslin and squeeze gently. Discard fruit pulp. Boil 1/3 of the sugar in 2 quarts of water for one minute, then allow to cool. Mix with the juice and return to the crock. Add the yeast and allow to ferment for ten days. Cover crock with muslin or cheesecloth tied down. Into a gallon jug siphon off the top wine, avoiding the sediment at the bottom. Boil the second 1/3 of the sugar in 1 cup of the water for 1 minute and allow to cool. Add to jug. Plug the neck of the jug with cotton wool or a fermentation lock and allow to ferment in a warm place for 2 full weeks. Boil the remaining 1/3 of the sugar in the remaining cup of water for one minute and when cool add to the jug. Plug neck of jug again with cotton wool or fermentation lock and allow to sit until all fermentation has ceased.

NOTE: For a sweeter wine use the same recipe as above but add 1 lb of raisins during the first 7 days of fermentation and increase sugar to 3½ lbs.

Red Clover Blossom Wine

Version 1 Ingredients
1 gallon red clover blossoms 10 lbs sugar 1 dozen lemons, cut up 1 box raisins 5 gallons boiling water 5 yeast cakes or 5 pkgs active dry yeast or 1 pkg wine yeast

Combine clover blossoms, sugar, lemons, and raisins in a large crock. Pour in boiling water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Cool to lukewarm. Mix yeast with a small amount of lukewarm liquid and add to crock. Mix well. Cover with a cloth and tie down around the top. Let stand for 5 days at room temp, stirring occasionally. Strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth and pour into glass jugs. Cover top with balloons till wine stops work and bubbling. Allow to age a bit before using.

Redcurrant Wine

Ingredients
3 lbs redcurrants 7 pints water 3 lbs sugar 1 pkg wine yeast

Crush fruit in a crock and add 1 quart of boiled water that has been allowed to cool. Mix well. Leave in a cool place for 24 hours, stirring a couple of times. Strain through muslin and squeeze gently. Discard fruit pulp. Boil 1/3 of the sugar in 2 quarts of water for one minute, then allow to cool. Mix with the juice and return to the crock. Add the yeast and allow to ferment for ten days. Cover crock with muslin or cheesecloth tied down. Into a gallon jug siphon off the top wine, avoiding the sediment at the bottom. Boil the second 1/3 of the sugar in 1 cup of the water for 1 minute and allow to cool. Add to jug. Plug the neck of the jug with cotton wool or a fermentation lock and allow to ferment in a warm place for 2 full weeks. Boil the remaining 1/3 of the sugar in the remaining cup of water for one minute and when cool add to the jug. Plug neck of jug again with cotton wool or fermentation lock and allow to sit until all fermenttion has ceased.

NOTE: For a light medium-sweet wine increase redcurrants to 4 lbs and sugar to 3½ lbs.

Rhubarb Wine
Version 1

Wipe the rhubarb with a damp cloth and slice it thinly into a crock. Pour the water over it and allow it to stand, closely covred, for 4 days. Strain through a sieve or jelly bag, pressing pulp gently to extract all the juice. Add the sugar, sitrring occasionally till all is dissolved, then turn into a cask and cover the bung-hole with a folded cloth. As soon as fermentation ceases, add the brandy, then bung the cask closely and allow it to stand undisturbed for 3 months. Rack the wine into a clean, dry cask, add the thinly-cut orange and lemon peel and the barley sugar (finely powdered) and the isinglass dissolved in warm water. bung the cask closely and allow it to stand in a cool, dry place for at least 12 months; the longer the better. Then bottle, cork and seal securely. Store for at least 6 months after bottling.

Rose Hip Wine

Ingredients
4 lbs rose hips 3 lbs sugar 1 gallon water 1 oz yeast

Wash hips well. Crush hips with a mallet or chop them. Place in a crock and pour on ½ gallon of boiling waer. Boil half the sugar in a quart of water for 2 minutes and when cooled a little, add to the rest. Add yeast and ferment for 7 days. Strain out solids and put strained liquid into a gallon jar. Boil the rest of the sugar in the remaining water for 2 minutes and allow to cool well before adding to the rest. Cover or fit fermentation lock to the neck of the jar and leave to ferment in a warm place till all fermentation has ceased.

Rose Petal Wine
NOTE: If at all possible, use strongly scented rose petals.

Ingredients
3 quarts rose petals 1 gallon water 3 lbs sugar ½ oz baker's yeast or 1 pkg wine yeast 2 lemons

Pour ½ gallon of boiling water over the petals in a crock; cover well and leave for 48 hours, stirring often. Boil half the sugar in a quart of water for 2 minutes and when this is cool, add to the petal mixture and ferment for 3 days. Strain and wring out well and return the liquid to the crock and let it ferment for another 10 days. Pour the liquid into a gallon jar, leaving as much of the sediment behind as you can. Boil the rest of the sugar and water and when cool, add to the rest together with the juice of the lemons. Cover again or use a fermentation lock and leave till all fermentation has ceased.

Place petals in crock and pour 1 gallon boiling water over. Allow to sit for 24 hours. Strain into a large kettle and add raisins and oranges (quartered). Boil for 30 minutes, then strain and add the sugar. Stir till dissolved. Pour into crock when it has cooled to lukewarm. Stir in the yeast, cover with muslin (tied-down) and allow to ferment till all activity ceases. Siphon off the clear liquid into a gallon jug. Cover with a balloon or fermentation lock or piece of cotton wool fitted loosely. Leave for 1 month, then bottle.

Rosemary Wine

Version 1 Ingredients
3 cups any white wine 3 tbsp lemon juice 6 tbsp honey 3 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves

Bruise rosemary leaves and add to other ingredients in a pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes. Strain. Serve warm or chilled.

Place rosemary, raisins, oranges (cut up), and lemon (cut up) in a crock. Boil ½ gallon of water and pour over the contents of the crock. Cover and allow to sit for 2 to 3 hours. Boil half the sugar in a quart of water for 2 minutes and add this to the crock while still boiling. Mix well and when cool enough add the yeast. Cover again and allow to fement in a warm place for 10 days, stirring daily. Strain out the solids and wring out as dry as you can. Put the strained liquid into a gallon glass jug. Boil the other half of the sugar in the remaining quart of water for 2 minutes and when cool add this to the rest. Cover or fit with a fermentation lock and continue to ferment in a warm place till all fermentation has ceased.

Sage Wine

Ingredients
3 oz dried sage 1 lb raisins 1 oz dried mint 1 lb wheat 2 lemons, quartered 2½ lbs sugar ½ oz baker's yeast or 1 pkg wine yeast

Place all ingredients (except sugar, yeast and water) into a crock. Pour ½ gallon of boiling water over the contents of the crock. Leave for 2 to 3 hours, covered. Boil half the sugar in 1 quart of water for 2 minutes and add this to the rest while still boiling. Mix well and when cool enough, add yeast. Cover again and ferment in a warm place for 10 days, stirring daily and covering immediately again. After 10 days, strain out the solids and wring out as dry as you can. Place the strained liquid into a gallon glass jug. Boil the other half of the sugar in the remaining quart of water for 2 minutes and when cool, add to the jug. Cover or fit a fermentation lock and continue to ferment in a warm place till all fermentation ceases.

Tangerine Wine

Ingredients
20 tangerines 4 lbs sugar ½ oz yeast 1 gallon water

Drop whole tangerines into boiling water, then push each one under the surface. Remove and discard the water. Cut the tangerines into small pieces, place in crock and pour over them ½ gallon of boiled water which has been allowed to cool. Cover and leave to soak for 48 hours, crushing and pressing the peel to extract the oil. Boil half the sugar in a quart of water for 2 minutes and when cool, add to pulp. Add yeast. Ferment in a warm place for 5 days. Crush, strain through fine muslin and wring out dry. Discard pulp and return the fermenting liquid to the crock. Allow to ferment for another 10 days. Pour off into a gallon jar leaving as much of the sediment behind as possible. Boil the rest of the water and sugar together and when cool add to the rest. Cover or fit a fermentation lock to the neck of the jar and continue to set in a warm place till all fermentation has ceased.

Tea Wine

Ingredients
8 tsp tea 1 gallon water 1 lb raisins 2 lemons 3 lbs sugar 1 oz yeast

Make tea in the usual manner by steeping the 8 tsp tea in 1 quart of water just off the boil. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then strain into a crock. Boil half the sugar in ½ gallon of water for 2 minutes and when cool, add to tea. Add raisins and finely sliced lemons and their juice. Add yeast and ferment for 10 days, covered, stirring daily. Strain into a gallon jar. Boil rest of sugar in remainder of the water for 2 minutes and when cool, add to the rest. Cover or fit fermentation lock to neck of jar. Leave in a warm place till all fermentation has ceased.

Yarrow Wine

Ingredients
2 to 3 oz dried yarrow flowers 2 lemons, quartered 2 oranges, quartered 3 lbs sugar 1 gallon water ½ oz baker's yeast or 1 pkg wine yeast

Place all ingredients (except sugar, yeast and water) into a crock. Pour ½ gallon of boiling water over the contents of the crock. Leave for 2 to 3 hours, covered. Boil half the sugar in 1 quart of water for 2 minutes and add this to the rest while still boiling. Mix well and when cool enough, add yeast. Cover again and ferment in a warm place for 10 days, stirring daily and covering immediately again. After 10 days, strain out the solids and wring out as dry as you can. Place the strained liquid into a gallon glass jug. Boil the other half of the sugar in the remaining quart of water for 2 minutes and when cool, add to the jug. Cover or fit a fermentation lock and continue to ferment in a warm place till all fermentation ceases.