Carrot wine is an alcoholic drink made from carrots. It is called a wine as no other term for alcoholic carrots is in use. It tends to contain less alcohol than other wines and can be made to be either sweet or dry depending on the taste of the maker. Bottled carrot wine can be made at home with the right ingredients and equipment or bought from specialist retailers.
The wine is made in much the same process as other fruit and vegetable wines. The carrot is peeled and chopped up, then put in a pot of boiling water. The boiling process allows carrot juice to mix with the water. It is cooked until it is soft and the water has become nicely flavored. The carrot solids are then strained out of the wine, leaving just the liquid.
The process of making wine from carrots also involves a number of other ingredients. These include lemon and orange rind, sugar and tannin. An important ingredient is the yeast energizer that creates the whole fermentation process. The yeast is added after a day’s rest for the brew. It is then left to ferment for about six months before being racked and then left for another three months to a year.
Wine made from carrots tends to contain less alcohol than grape wines. Whereas a good grape-based wine such as Sauvignon or Merlot contains between 10 and 15 percent alcohol, a good carrot wine will contain only around 5 percent. This makes it a lighter drink on par with weak beers and lagers.
The dry version of the wine needs to be racked after three weeks and then again every three months for up to one year. This produces a nice crisp, dry carrot wine best served at room temperature. The sweet wine also needs to be racked after about three weeks. Additional sugar is then added to a cup of the wine, allowed to dissolve and then poured back into the mixture. The process is repeated in the secondary fermenting container every six weeks until the brewer decides it is not required; then, the carrot wine is racked as before.
Carrot wine is best served with red meat. This puts it in the same wine bracket as traditional red wine. It goes with roast beef, lamb, mutton or pork. It will also go well with ham, cheese, crackers and other appetizers such as bruschetta. It may also be consumed by itself as with any other alcoholic beverage.