The correct soaking method for bayberry wine

The correct soaking method for Yangmei wine mainly includes four key steps: material selection and processing, container disinfection, proportioning, and sealed storage. The fresh red bayberry needs to be soaked in salt water and dried. The glass container is sterilized at high temperature. The red bayberry and rock sugar are stacked at a ratio of 5:1, poured into Baijiu to completely immerse the food materials, and sealed in the shade for 1-3 months before drinking.

1. Material Selection

Select fresh bayberries with deep red color and plump flesh, remove rotten fruits, soak them in light salt water for 15 minutes, gently stir to remove surface impurities and fruit pests. Rinse twice with running water and place on a bamboo sieve for ventilation and drying in the shade until there is no moisture on the surface, avoiding damage to the skin caused by exposure to sunlight. The fruit stem can be preserved to maintain the integrity of the fruit shape, but it needs to be confirmed that there are no insect eggs attached.

2. Disinfection of containers

Use wide mouth glass jars or ceramic jars as the brewing containers. First scald the inner wall with boiling water, and then rinse and sterilize with Baijiu. Metal containers are prohibited to prevent acid corrosion, while plastic containers are prone to residual odors and may dissolve harmful substances. After disinfection, the container should be flipped back and dried to ensure that there is no residual raw water, otherwise it may cause the wine to spoil.

3. Proportional preparation

Lay the waxberries and rock sugar in layers at a weight ratio of 5:1, with rock sugar fragments first laid on the bottom layer and waxberries covered on the top layer, alternately filling until the container is 70% full. Inject pure grain Baijiu above 50 degrees to completely immerse the food materials, and the liquor should be 2-3 cm more than red bayberry. High alcohol wine can better extract anthocyanins and is less prone to spoilage, while low alcohol wine requires a shorter soaking time.

4. Sealed storage

After sealing, store in a cool and dark place. Shake the container gently every week for the first two weeks to promote sugar dissolution, and let it settle later. When the ambient temperature is around 20 ℃, it can be soaked for one month before drinking, and the low-temperature environment needs to be extended to three months. After opening the lid, filter the fruit residue and transfer it to a small bottle for refrigeration. The best flavor is achieved after drinking within six months.

If there is turbidity or odor in the liquor during the brewing process, it should be immediately discarded. When drinking, do not exceed 50 milliliters per day, and those with excessive stomach acid should drink after meals. Unopened Yangmei wine can be stored for 2 years, avoiding drastic temperature fluctuations during storage. It is recommended to use seasonal bayberries for production, as freezing bayberries the following year can cause bitterness in the wine due to cell damage. Diabetes patients can substitute sugar for rock sugar, but the soaking time should be reduced accordingly.