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Grandma's Moonshine Grape Wine Recipe

First, set the grape juice out to thaw, until slushy. Next, mix the sugar thoroughly in with the grape juice. Pour the sugar and juice, into the gallon jug.

Dissolve the yeast in a cup of lukewarm* water and add to the juice mixture in the gallon jug. (*If water is too warm, it will kill the active ingredient in the yeast that causes fermentation.) Mix everything thoroughly. Now add just enough lukewarm water to fill the gallon jug up to about 2 inches below the neck. When this is done, place the balloon over the top of neck and secure tightly with string. Note! This must be an air tight fit... If you have followed all directions carefully, the balloon will soon start to expand with the gas, caused by the fermentation. Store the mixture in a cool (but not cold) area, 60 to 75 degrees is ideal, for a period of from 3 to 6 weeks.

Check the balloon every other day. If the balloon expands too large, untie and allow the gas to escape and then retie, but be sure to retie tightly to make it air tight again. When the balloon ceases to expand, the wine is done.

NOTICE - Do not bottle the wine before it is done. Working wine (fermenting) can explode a bottle from the gas pressure of fermentation.

Strain your wine with a cheese cloth or a tea towel and pour into a bottle, using a snap-on type of cap or use a cork. Store bottles on their sides in a cool, dark place. All that's left now to do, is ENJOY YOURSELF.

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