Winemaking Extracting the Flavour

Assuming you have got hold of some ingredients and have got all the required equipment, then you are ready for the first stage.

The method employed depends largely on the wine.

1. Pressing If you buy a press this is ideal for fruit. You may need to dilute the juice.
2. Extractors Fine if you have one, expensive if you don't.
3. Boiling This is the standard method for roots and some fruit. Get hold of the largest pan you own, chop the stuff into small bits, and boil. The aim here is to get 1 gallon of liquid. Bear in mind when you add the sugar, it increases the volume of the liquid, so do your boiling in about 2/3 of a gallon. Many things don't like being boiled for too long, so beware. Now strain the must through a fine sieve or a muslin bag. Do not force the straining. Pour it all into a bucket and leave to cool.
4. Soaking This is generally the main method. It can be used for most fruit, dried things etc. Essentially, get a huge bucket, Put the ingredient in it, and pour on about 5 or 6 pints of boiling water. Leave the whole to cool. After this you have a bucket of very unappitising sludge. This is called must.

You get the idea. Precision is not important. When you have a bucket of liquid and/or sludge, it can be prepared for fermentation.