30-Day Wine Recipe

This recipe came from a visitor to The Winemaking Home Page He wrote, “Here is a simple recipe for 30 day wine. Many old hillbillies here in Tennessee still use this one, and wouldn’t have it any other way. They don’t want any Cabernet, Merlot or Champagne; this is Tennessee, not France. Back during my teens I used to make this, but now grow my own grapes and pick fruits in the wild. SouthernWine”

I modified this recipe slightly by adding yeast nutrient. The yeast do the work so I want them to be healthy. Also, I have had several people write to me over the years saying the must would not ferment. After playing 20 questions with them, in EVERY case the person added 3 POUNDS of sugar instead of cups. Three cups is only 1 1/2 pounds so get it right, please.

• 24 oz Welch’s frozen concentrated grape juice, thawed
• 3 cups sugar
• water to make up one gallon
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 sachet wine yeast

Mix all ingredients together well with water and fill the jug to about an inch below the shoulders. Cover with a clean rag secured with rubber band. Keep in a dark place about 70 degrees. About 2 weeks later replace rag with a good thick piece of plastic wrap. After 30 days from starting date, siphon wine off from sediment in bottom and drink. For a good old “Mad Dog 20/20” type wine, add a pint of cheap blackberry brandy to the mix before drinking. [Recipe by SouthernWine]

As you can see, this is a very crude wine, but it is wine and not really all that bad if you are in a hurry and don’t have a refined palate. I’ve made it several times, but I have always used airlocks and extended things a bit to about 120 days because my palate cares.