How to Make Rose-Hip Wine
A rose hip is the fruit of the rose plant, which is used for making jams, jellies, marmalades, soups, syrups, pies and breads. It is also used to make wine, which is called rose-hip wine. Like grape wine, rose-hip wine also tastes more flavourful after it matures, and the minimum time it requires to reach maturity is a year and a half.
Preparation Time: 1 ½ to 2 years
Cooking Time: 8 to 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 years
Yield: 7 pts
Utensils: Straining bag, knife, cutting board, heavy bottomed cooking pot, fermentation vessel, sterilized wine bottle.
Ingredients:
Water: 7 1/3 pts
Rose hips: 3 1/2 lbs
Fine sugar: 2 2/3 lbs
Acid blend: to taste
Yeast nutrient: 2 tsp
Citric acid: 2 tsp
Pectic enzyme: 2 tsp
Instructions
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1
Pour 7 1/3 pts water in a heavy bottomed cooking pot and bring it to a boil over medium high heat.
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2
Meanwhile, prepare the rose hips by cutting off the stems and ends, and chopping them coarsely.
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3
Place the chopped rose hips in a straining bag and close it tightly.
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4
Place the straining bag in the primary fermentation vessel, together with boiling water and 2 2/3 pounds of fine sugar. Stir the mixture thoroughly to dissolve the sugar, then cover the vessel and set it aside to cool.
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5
When the mixture in the vessel cools to room temperature, add citric acid and pectic enzyme to it.
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6
Stir thoroughly to combine all the ingredients, then replace the cover and allow the mixture to stand overnight.
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7
After 12 hours, stir in yeast nutrient and set it aside for eight to ten days, stirring twice a day.
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8
After 10 days, transfer the must to a secondary fermentation vessel. Squeeze the straining bag to extract the remaining must. Fit an airlock and place the fermentation vessel in a dark place for six weeks.
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9
After six weeks, pour the mixture into another secondary fermentation vessel, refit the airlock and set it aside in a dark place for another six weeks. Repeat this procedure two more times.
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10
If your rose hip wine has still not cleared, add some gelatin to it and wait for another couple of weeks.
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11
Once your rose hip wine is clear, age it for at least a year and a half in a dark place before consuming.
