Cocktails/Brews Tomato Wine

tomato wine
(from Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree, 1878)

Ingredients:

small, ripe tomatoes​

2-1/2 to 3 lbs. brown sugar per gallon of juice​

2 gallons of water per bushel of tomatoes​

Instructions:

Pick small, ripe tomatoes off the stems, put them in a clean bucket or tub, mash well, and strain through a linen rag (a bushel will make five gallons of juice). Add from two and a half to three pounds brown sugar to each gallon. Put in a cask and let it ferment like raspberry wine. If two gallons water be added to a bushel of tomatoes, the wine will be as good.​

When I lived in Tennessee twenty years ago, Lauderdale County (the Tomato Capital of the World) used to have a Winery. They made and sold Tomato wine! I bought a bottle. Now, I will drink most anything, but I must say it was vile! Although, I quit drinking it, it proved good for cooking and making sauces!

 

[donna]

Another great find. I think it would be hard to drink. It is not quite like tomato juice.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Hmm...tomato wine? I love wine, but not sure about this one

 

[John Winn]

I'm a certified wino but I wouldn't drink it.

 

[donna]

May 4th is Homebrew Day. This wine is certainly homebrewed. I think need to bring up some others.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I'm a certified wino but I wouldn't drink it.

I'm with you, total wino, but I'll pass on the tomato wine! I've had gooseberry wine and that was a bit much for my wine palette, tomato is a no go. I guess they used whatever back in the day, as perhaps grapes weren't so easy to grow depending on the region.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Just mix a Bloody Mary and call it tomato wine.