Photo: Javier martin, Public domain · source
Sap · From Bladwijzer
Fresh grape juice
- Makes: ± 1 litre
- Time: 30 min + 1 hr draining
- From: Grapevine
Ingredients
- 2 kg ripe grapes, picked from the bunches
- 200 ml water
- 0–100 g sugar (usually not needed)
Method
- Pick the grapes off the stalks. Discard any rotten or mouldy grapes and rinse the rest.
- Put the grapes and water in a large pan and crush them with a masher.
- Heat slowly until steam rises and the skins burst (± 80 °C). Hold at that temperature for 15 minutes, without boiling hard.
- Pour everything into a sieve lined with a clean cloth, set over a bowl. Leave to drain for 1 hour, pressing lightly.
- Taste. If the juice is too sharp, dissolve a little sugar in the warm juice.
- Heat the juice again to 85 °C, pour it hot into sterilised bottles and seal at once.
Storing: Unopened, half a year in a cool, dark place; once opened, in the fridge and drunk within 3–4 days. Tartrate crystals may form at the bottom: they are harmless, so leave them. If the juice starts to fizz or smells of yeast or alcohol, do not drink it.