For several years now, Galya has been making natural grape juice, which has become a favorite of all of us, as well as many friends and neighbors in Gorna Bela Rechka.
The grape variety we have and use to make the juice is called in Bulgaria Otel (known also as Wild American Wine), white and black, the most popular local variety. You rarely find this grape abroad but in Northwestern Bulgaria It is still beloved and called a wild old variety, resistant to frost, does not require spraying against diseases, reaches high sugar content (this year the sugar content is 20%), has a thick outer skin and dense structure. It has a strawberry aroma, in Italy the variety is known as Fragolino.
Here is Galya’s recipe, which has been tried and tested over the last years and saves a lot of effort and time in extracting the juice.
- The grapes are picked in dry weather, before they start to fall (which is quite characteristic of this grape variety). White and black grapes are picked separately.
- Grinding the grapes – with a simple hand-operated grape mill. The ground grapes are cleaned of stems and leaves and poured into a container with a spout at the bottom. The grape mash is stored in this container for further processing. The container is filled to about 80% of its volume. The crushed white grapes and crushed black grapes are stored in separate containers.
- In the next 24 hours (depending on the temperature, this is the normal time before alcoholic fermentation starts), the containers with the grape mash are left to rest. During this period, the grape mash naturally separates, with the lighter solid ingredients floating to the top and the grape juice separating at the bottom.
- Separation of the grape juice – the juice is separated by draining it from the funnel. With this method, it is not necessary to strain it through sieves, gauze, etc. The juice is clear. Straining may be necessary if small particles of grape mash have fallen into the juice when draining begins.
- The separated grape juice is heated to a temperature just below boiling point and, while still hot, is poured into clean, dry glass bottles, sealed with clean caps, and left horizontally until completely cooled.
- Store in a dark, cool place. Grape juice made in this way can be stored for more than a year (if there is any left).
- During storage, pulp may settle at the bottom of the bottle. Before consumption, it may be necessary to shake the bottle to homogenize the contents.
Enjoy!
