In the great state of Mississippi, beer brewing, as most info as I can currently remember or find, is and has been illegal for a few years. Along with Alabama, the only two states in the Union still left behind with archaic laws. What to do MS? I'll tell you. Brew WINE! Wine homebrewing in MS has been legal since the end of Prohibition. Here's some good points on beer homebrewing- http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/government-affairs/talking-points.
Wine homebrewing does have its limitations, unless you enjoy being investigated by the ATF, but then again, as long as you keep to yourself and are not trying to sell the tasty beverage, you should be fine. By limitations, specifically total gallons per year if I remember correctly. As for me, it has always been a simple hobby, meant for making wine for myself and friends at my home. Also, something you create always is a good talking point, especially homemade wine.
As a quick search on Google.com will describe, wine is an alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice. Technically, it's a little more in-depth, as you can see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_chemistry , Wikipedia can offer you the chemistry side of wine.
From a foodie's perspective, wine is a combination of a fruit, sugar, and water. Eventually, the fruit will begin to deteriorate, and create yeast or fuel added yeast. In a controlled environment, the oxygen helps the fruit deteriorate, creates the yeast, the yeast eats the sugars and creates carbon dioxide and the by-product that everyone loves, alcohol! The CO2 heads off into the atmosphere and the alcohol stays in the fruit juices and water. Wine is created! Below is a picture of me in a later stage of Clarifying some Strawberry wine:
Before you get to this stage we remove the "mash" of sorts, and clarify the leftover liquid with raisins. The raisins help to stop the fermentation and seem to create a preserving factor. Soon after it'd be time to bottle. Bottling homemade wine seems to be the greatest challenge. Finding enough bottles or finishing off enough bottles takes time, money, and many many corks. But when you do, the rewards pay off. Below is a picture of my roommate Kyle Smith and I's spoils in college, after we had already been tasting.
This was a bit shy of 4 gallons, if I remember correctly. If any of you plan to embrace wine homebrewing, check out http://www.thewinesmith.biz/wine_supplies.html. They're in Mobile, AL, but they even have specialty yeasts for higher ABW wines. Check it out, and of course, I'll do my best to offer any help I can.
Till next time,
Happy Brewing!
M Carver
