Homemade Pineapple Peel Wine Recipe: Golden, Tropical and Easy

A Very Simple Old Fashioned Pineapple Wine

Here's a very simple recipe for an old fashioned wine made out of Pineapple Peels. This is a simple Pineapple Wine recipe with a simple homemade wine making technique, but the results are really awesome.

And the colour which I got naturally from the brew took me offhand when I was shooting the pictures. The sunlight which probed into the wine glass gave it a wonderful and catchy spectacle with a golden hue!

History and Origin of Pineapple Peel Wine

The pineapple began its journey in South America and was carried across the world by European sailors, reaching Asia and India within a few centuries. Today it grows abundantly across tropical countries, Malaysia included.

Using the peel is an old thrifty habit. In Mexico, a lightly fermented drink called tepache is traditionally made from pineapple rinds, proving that the part we usually throw away holds plenty of flavour.

Home winemakers in many countries have long turned fruit scraps and humble ingredients into country wines. This recipe follows that spirit, with a few pantry staples and a lot of patience.

My Nostalgia and Memory

Yet Another Wine and Yet Another New Year

Yet another Wine and Yet another New Year: a new beginning... or is it the same monotonous cycle of day in, day out? Anyway, let's begin this New Year with a Toast: 'HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023', with my homemade Pineapple Wine.

Also, my blog 'Essence of Life - Food' is nearing its Seventh Anniversary in another 16 days on 17th January.

Celebrating 1 Million+ Views for my Blog

On the run this New Year Post turned out to be the 800th Post in Essence of Life - Food and as I noticed that the Statistics says that my Blog has crossed 1 Million Views. So, this Post, a Wine, suits well to be raised as a Toast for this occasion.

With not much of overwhelming response or income, my hobby of blogging is still fuelled with my Passion. With quiet of a lot of other chores happening around me, this year turned out to be slow, and I spent very little of my quality time for my blog.

Love what I am doing and Happy with what I yield out of it. I would like to Thank all my viewers on this occasion for all the support & encouragement.

Thanks for all the support and encouragement...

Wines Get Better with Age

Well, coming back to the recipe... If you have been reading my posts, then you may all know, that making a new wine each year and toasting it for Christmas & New Year had been a routine at home for years.

This Pineapple Wine was the one I brewed during last Christmas Season, and it is ready for the toast this year. Though there are schools which believe in making quick fix wines, I belong to the school where the thumb rule sticks to the norm: "Wines get better with Age".

Patience is much appreciated while brewing a homemade Wine & it gets better as it ages.

Illicit Hooch and My Wine Tasters

Wine making has become a routine in my kitchen, with a few varieties of well brewed homemade wines always ready to be catered. Recently I rebottled all my Wines from my collection.

And seeing a wide range of collection, my son said, they are going to sue me for brewing Illicit Hooch! Ah! That sounded a bit gruesome.

And all those bottles lined up, and used occasionally when a guest visits our house and in my baking, what was I doing with so much of Wines? As such, it all started as a hobby, backed up by my husband (but the irony is, he never drinks it just apart from tasting it.)

The fact is, I do not drink or even like to taste the Wines, I make. I have professional wine tasters at my disposal... ha... ha... ha... just joking. My Wine tasters are my beloved hubby & kids.

Believe it or not, I do not drink... Thinking, all the while, though it may not be a virtue of its own, it stayed as much as a preference, a personal choice. And the below lines popped into my mind and here it is...

SM

From a College Cook Book to My Kitchen

This is a recipe from my old cook book which I had jotted down during my college days with an all sceptical idea, whether I would make a wine at all in my life and a wine with Pineapple Peels??? But it looked different and out of the box then. 

But life has taken me into a stroll where I am brewing wines in the name of Illicit Hooch, and it has become a hobby of my OWN!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Uses the Peels: The peel goes into the jar along with the fruit, so nothing is wasted.
• Naturally Golden: The colour comes entirely from the brew, with no artificial colours or enhancers.
• Simple Technique: A straightforward homemade method that gives really awesome results.
• Tropical Climate Friendly: In a tropical kitchen, the wine brews up sooner.
• Improves with Age: Like most wines, it gets better the longer it rests.

Recipe Overview

• Cuisine: Traditional Homemade
• Recipe Type: Homemade Wine, Festive Drink
• Yields: 3 to 4 Bottles
• Servings: 15 to 20 Glasses (150 ml each)
• Difficulty: Medium
• Author: SM @ Essence of Life - Food

Time Estimate

• Preparation Time: 30 to 45 Minutes
• Cooking Time: None (only boiling water is needed)
• Steeping Time: 12 Hours
• Fermentation Time: 7 Days (stirring daily)
• Maturation Time: 3 Months minimum, up to 1 Year
• Total Time: About 3 Months and 1 Week at minimum, ideally up to 1 Year

How to Make Homemade Pineapple Peel Wine: Step by Step Guide

Ingredient List

For the Pineapple Wine:

• 1 kg Pineapple and Pineapple Peels
• 1/2 kg Sugar
• 1 Lemon
• 5 litres Boiling Water
• 8 to 10 big pieces Cinnamon Sticks (optional)

To Activate the Yeast:

• 1 packet (11 g) Yeast
• 5 tsp Sugar
• 1/3 cup Warm Water

Method: Detailed Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Pineapple, Peels and Soak

1. Using a knife, slice off the top and bottom part of the pineapple.
2. Cut off the outer layer (the peel) and reserve it.
3. Slice the pineapple and then cut it into small pieces.
4. Chop the pineapple peel into small pieces.
5. Add the chopped pineapples, pineapple peels, sugar and the lemon in a large glass or ceramic jar.
6. Pour 5 litres of boiling water into it and leave it aside for 12 hours.

Pro Tip: Cutting the pineapples and their peels into small pieces will yield more flavour and body to the wine. Pineapples are naturally sweeter, so adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.

Step 2: Activate the Yeast, Stir and Bottle

1. Activate the yeast by putting it in warm water and 5 tsp of sugar.
2. Add the activated yeast to the mix after 12 hours.
3. Can add some extra sugar and a few sticks of cinnamon to add more sweetness and flavour to the Pineapple Peel Wine.
4. Stir it every day for a week.
5. After a week, strain and press the juice out of the mixture and bottle it.
6. Keep the bottles tightly closed.

Pro Tip: Stirring the wine is very important for the fermenting process. Fermentation can still be active at bottling, and trapped gas builds pressure. Many home winemakers fit an airlock, or rest the cap loosely for the first few weeks, before sealing fully.

Step 3: Rest, Rebottle and Taste

1. Store the bottles in a dark and dry place for about 3 months.
2. Rebottle the clear wine, leaving the sediments behind for another one month.
3. The Pineapple Wine should be filtered properly at this stage.
4. Taste the Pineapple Wine after two months, add sweetness and flavour if needed.
5. Do the above process until there are no sediments left.
6. Good quality Pineapples yield the best Pineapple Wine.
7. Like most of the wines, it will improve with age.

Pro Tip: Store the wine in clean and dry bottles in a moist free place. Rebottle patiently until no sediment remains. A clear wine is a smoother wine.

Pro Tips and Notes

• Cut Small for More Flavour: Cutting the pineapples and their peels into small pieces will yield more flavour and body to the wine.
• Adjust the Sugar: Pineapples are naturally sweeter, so adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.
• Yeast Choice: I just used normal yeast, as it is very difficult to get wine yeast in my area.
• Wine Yeast and Campden Tablets: If you can get hold of wine yeast, go ahead with it, and you can also add Campden tablets.
• Stirring Matters: Stirring the wine is very important for the fermenting process.
• Clean and Dry Bottles: Store them in clean and dry bottles in a moist free place.
• Tropical Climates Brew Faster: As I am staying in a tropical area, my wine brewed up sooner. But I strictly followed the regime.
• No Artificial Additives: I did not use any artificial colours, food preservatives or enhancers in this Pineapple Wine. The colour and flavour, which I got naturally out of it, were more satisfying.
• Let the Gas Escape: Active fermentation builds pressure, so an airlock or a slightly loose cap is safer than a fully airtight seal in the early weeks.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this golden wine in a clear glass, ideally in good light, as the colour is half the pleasure. It pairs beautifully with a slice of Christmas fruit cake or a simple cheese board.

This wine is for adults of legal drinking age.

Storage Suggestions

• Pantry Storage: Wine keeps best in a cool, dark, vibration free spot with a steady temperature, ideally around 12 to 15 °C. Sudden temperature swings do the most harm. If your bottles have corks, lay them on their side so the cork stays moist. My own pineapple wine was brewed one Christmas and ready for the toast the following New Year, and like all wines it only gets better with time.
• Refrigeration: A fridge is not needed for sealed bottles, though cooler storage slows ageing. Once opened, recork tightly, refrigerate and finish the bottle within a few days.
• Freezing and Thawing: Not recommended. The liquid expands as it freezes and can crack the bottle or push out the cork.
• Reheating: Wine is not meant to be reheated. If you are making a warm, spiced drink, warm it gently and never let it boil.

FAQ

Can I make wine from pineapple peels?
Yes. This recipe uses 1 kg of chopped pineapple and pineapple peels together, steeped in boiling water with sugar and lemon, then fermented with yeast.

How long does homemade pineapple wine take to mature?
Store the bottles for about 3 months, then rebottle the clear wine, leaving the sediments behind, until none remain. Like most wines, it improves with age, from 3 months up to a year.

Can I use regular yeast to make pineapple wine?
Yes. I just used normal yeast, as wine yeast is very difficult to get in my area. If you can get wine yeast, use it, and you can also add Campden tablets.

How much sugar should I use in pineapple wine?
The recipe uses 1/2 kg of sugar for 1 kg of pineapple and peels. Pineapples are naturally sweeter, so adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.

Why do I need to stir pineapple wine every day?
Stirring the wine daily for the first week is very important for the fermenting process.

Is this pineapple wine vegan and gluten free?
As written, the ingredients are pineapple, peels, sugar, lemon, yeast and water, so the recipe is vegan, vegetarian and gluten free. Check your yeast packet if you have a strict dietary need.

Is homemade pineapple wine halal?
No. Fermentation produces alcohol, so this wine is not suitable for halal diets or for anyone who avoids alcohol.

Recipes You Might Like From My Blog

• Homemade Raisin Wine Recipe: My all time favourite brew, rich, easy and worth the wait.
• Homemade Dates Wine Recipe: A naturally sweet wine that rests patiently until the next celebration.
• Quick Homemade Grape Wine Recipe: A natural grape wine ready in just 3 to 4 weeks.

A Toast to Patience and Pineapple Peels

Here is a wine that began as a sceptical scribble in a college cook book and now glows golden in the pantry. All it asked for was a jar, a little yeast and the patience to let time do its quiet work.

So keep your peels, brew a batch, and wander through the rest of my pantry of homemade wines while it rests.

Wishing You All a Happy New Year!

SM