Wine can be made from any fruit juice with the addition of wine yeast and sugar. Orange wine can be simple, made from orange juice concentrate, or more complicated, made from fresh oranges and with more attention paid to clarity and aging.
Simple Orange Wine from Concentrate
Here is an orange wine easily made by a beginner.
∙ Mix a 12-ounce can of 100 percent pure orange juice concentrate, 1½ pounds of sugar, and 1 tsp. of pectin enzyme to four pints of water. Stir until dissolved.
∙Dissolve ¼ teaspoon of tannin in ¼ cup of boiling water. Add to the mixture of orange juice, pectin and sugar. Put this in a fermenting jar.
∙ Add seven pts. of water and one oz. of wine yeast. There should be plenty of room at the top.
∙ Ferment one week.
Orange Wine from Fresh Oranges
Here is a recipe if you like the idea of using fresh fruit and you have some basic equipment.
∙ Peel and remove the white pith from 4 lbs. of ripe oranges. Break into sections and remove the seeds. Add one cup of water and blend thoroughly.
∙ Add three pounds of granulated sugar, ¼ tsp. of grape tannin, and one tsp. of yeast nutrient to the blended oranges. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add enough water to make one gallon.
∙ Cool to 70 to 75 degrees and add 1 oz. of wine yeast.
∙ Ferment for a week to 10 days and strain to remove the pulp.
∙ Transfer to a secondary fermenter that has an airlock.
∙ Rack once a month for three months.
∙ Rack into bottles and let age for one year.
Orange Wine with a Hint of Lemon
This orange wine has a touch of lemon to give it a different flavor.
∙ Peel and slice 12 oranges and two lemons. Place in a fermentation bucket. Pour in one gallon of boiling water. Cover and cool.
∙ Add one tsp. each of pectin enzyme, yeast nutrient, and one oz. of wine yeast.
∙ Let ferment for 10 days, stirring twice a day.
∙ Strain. Add 3½ pounds of sugar. Stir until dissolved. Put into a fermenter with an airlock.
∙ Store in a warm place until the fermentation has ceased, then move it into a clean jar and store in a cooler place.
∙ When the wine is clear, siphon it into bottles.
Tags: wine yeast, made from, orange juice, Stir until, boiling water, Ferment week, into bottles