It seems like college students will drink almost any type of wine whether it’s bottled, boxed or bagged, so why not try wine made from fruits other than grapes? All wine is made out of fermented fruit, so as long as the fruit’s sugar content is high enough for fermentation, you can turn it into wine. Check out these seven different types of wine you could be drinking.
Apples
Ever heard of cider? Well, it’s pretty similar to apple wine, just a difference in sugar, really. Like cider, apple wine is made from fermented apples and can be made carbonated.
Plums
Although plum wine is available in the U.S., it is way more common in Japan where it’s also referred to as a plum liquor. Even though you can drink it on its own, it is commonly used in cocktails.
Berries
Even though berries have a good amount of natural sugar, many have a lot of natural acid content, too. Therefore, the acidity might make the wine taste pretty sour, but water can be added to help fix that.
Because of this, berry wine is more commonly made by home winemakers and artisans and you probably won’t find berry wines in most stores. It is, however, commonly sold at farmers markets and fairs.
Pomegranates
Pomegranate wine has a surprisingly large number of health benefits. Pomegranate is loaded with vitamins A, C, and E, reduces inflammation and is good for your skin. Even though the pomegranates are fermented in wine, you can still get all of the benefits. It is not usually sold in stores, which is why most people make their own pomegranate wine or buy it online.
Pumpkins
You might be wondering if pumpkins are even fruits, and the answer is yes. Even though you have probably never heard of it, there are actually tons of recipes for pumpkin wine online, and it is commonly made between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Most pumpkin wine recipes only require six ingredients, but you can make the wine dryer or sweeter by adding extra ingredients like ginger, clove and cinnamon. If you’re not in the mood to make it but you want to try it, there are also a few websites that sell pumpkin wine, and it’s pretty cheap.
Kiwis
Like most of these other wines, Kiwi wine can be bought online or made at home. Although you can make kiwi wine whenever you have kiwis, kiwi wine connoisseurs usually like to drink it in the summer time with foods like salad, gazpacho and fresh fruit.
Grapes
And of course, the most commonly consumed wine is made from fermented grapes. It’s not just made out of any grapes though, it’s made out of wine grapes, which are smaller, sweeter and have lots of seeds.
Try making some of your own homemade berry, pumpkin or kiwi wine and invite your friends over for a taste. And if you insist on throwing back a glass of vino this week, it’s probably best you don’t go skipping your favorite frat’s “Wine Wednesday” just yet — fine wines take time (like, at least three days of fermentation in your dorm room.)