How to Make Chokecherry Wine at Home

Wines taste best when they have aged well, but the most important thing is what they are made of. There are various kinds of berries used for making wine, and chokecherry is one of them. Chokecherry or Prunus virginiana is a small, wild tree which grows in clusters and is devoid of thorns . The fruit or chokecherry is dark-purple or black in color. For making wine, over-ripe fruits should be used because they taste better than fruits picked up as soon as they ripe.

So how to make chokecherry wine at home? Here is the answer. It can be easily made at home utilizing the wine recipes given below.

Recipe #1

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chokecherries
• 5 lbs. sugar
• 1 gallon water (cooled)
• 1 pack of red wine yeast

Method

• Wash the chokecherries properly and store them in a pot.
• Using a masher, mash the berries till the juices completely flow out. Ensure that all berries are mashed properly.
• Cover the pot containing mashed chokecherries using a cotton cheesecloth and let the berries ferment for 2-3 days.
• Stir the contents of the pot once every day during initial fermentation.
• Add the mentioned quantities of cooled water and sugar in the pot. Stir in the sugar completely. Add the pack of red wine yeast in the pot and mix it evenly. Cover the pot once again.
• Keep the pot in a warm and dry area and allow the wine to ferment for next 3 weeks.
• Transfer the wine in bottles for storage using food grade plastic tube.
• Store these bottles for 3-6 months for aging. The more the wine ages, the better will be its taste.

Recipe #2

Ingredients

• 1 sliced orange
• 1 sliced lemon
• 1 gallon sugar
• 1 gallon chokecherries
• 2 gallons water
• 1 pack dry yeast

Method

• Wash the chokecherries properly. Remove the seeds before grinding.
• Grind them into pulp using food grinder and store them in a stockpot.
• Add sliced lemon and orange in the pulp and mix them thoroughly.
• Cover the stockpot with a cloth and keep it aside in a warm area for 3-6 days.
• Strain the liquid from the pulp using a clean cloth.
• Add sugar to the liquid obtained in the ratio 1:1 i.e., 1 gallon sugar to be added to 1 gallon of chokecherry liquid.
• Mix the sugar evenly in the liquid. Bottle the liquid, seal and keep it for aging.

Recipe #3

Ingredients

• 3 sliced lemons
• 2 sliced oranges
• 4 lbs. sugar
• 1 pack bread yeast
• 1 gallon hot boiling water
• 1 ½ qt. chokecherries

Method

• Wash chokecherries properly. Add boiling water to the chokecherries and keep aside for 3 days.
• Strain and add sliced lemons, sliced oranges, bread yeast and white sugar. Mix well.
• Keep the mixture aside for two weeks.
• Transfer into bottles and cap them properly. It takes around 1 month for the wine to get ready.

Wine making at home is a great idea. Some people take it up as a hobby, and enjoy gifting handmade wines to their friends and loved ones. This wine is easy to make at home. It needs very few ingredients and can be made with little effort. Chokecherries are also used in making jams, jellies and even pies. It is a fruit that can be used extensively to make a variety of food products. So don't think too much. Go on and start making your own wine at home. Not to mention, the appreciation you will receive by your guests when you serve them your homemade wine!