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Ginger Wine

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Fermenting time 16 days
Total Time 16 days 35 minutes
Servings 2 litres (approx)
Author Shireen Sequeira

Equipment

  • a large thick bottomed pan for boiling the liquid
  • a clean & dry 3 litre glass or ceramic jar ('buyaon' in Konkani/ 'bharani' in Kannada)
  • a long spoon or spatula to stir the contents
  • a clean & dry empty wine or liquor bottle
  • a clean & dry funnel to pour the wine into the bottle

Ingredients

  • 2-1/4 litres 2250 millilitres water
  • 40 gm ginger * see notes
  • 700 gm sugar * see notes
  • juice & zest of 1 lime or lemon
  • juice & zest of 1 orange
  • 100 gm raisins preferably golden
  • 1/2 tsp dried yeast I used DCL
  • 40 ml brandy

Instructions

  • Zest (grate the outer rind/skin) the orange & lime and remove their seeds & extract the juices of both the fruits and set aside in the refrigerator. Clean raisins, wash, dry & set aside
  • Place the ginger in the thick bottomed pan and crush/poke the ginger with a fork, add the water, sugar & zest of lime & orange and bring the water to a rolling boil. Reduce the flame and simmer it for 30mins and then turn off the flame.
  • Allow the liquid to cool down. When it is tepid (lukewarm) pour the contents into a jar/buyaon. Add 1/2 tsp yeast & cover the mouth of the jar with a thick cloth and tie a knot at the neck of the jar. Keep overnight.
  • Next morning add the orange/lime juices (at room temperature) & raisins and stir once with the wooden spoon. Cover with the thick cloth & place in a warm dark place for 2 weeks.
  • You are required to stir the contents daily - ideally use a wooden spatula if you don't intend squeezing the puffed up raisins that remain on the surface with your fingers - this is just to get all the juices out of the raisins.
  • On completion of 2 weeks you will notice that the sediment has settled down & no longer floats at the surface. Add the brandy, give it a stir, cover & keep for another 2-3 days after which you can strain it into the empty wine/liquor bottle and cork it lightly. I left it for another week untouched (unfiltered). I plan to bottle it just before serving.

Notes

1. You may add extra ginger if you prefer a stronger wine. However, ginger wine can get really spicy so I have added only 40 gms which when combined with the sugar gives out a lovely sweet taste with a hint of spiciness & alcohol.
2. I added an extra 50gm of sugar (total of 750gm), however I think 700gm is perfect as it gives out a delicately sweet wine.
3. All equipment used should be sterile ie washed clean and completely dry with no traces of moisture. You may dry the ceramic jar/bottle & the wine bottle in the sun (preferably) or just dry it out in the shade for a longer time.