ABSTRACT

Good quality wine was produced from honey. The honey sample was mixed with water in the ratio of 1:4 to form the must. The must was fortified with ammonium sulphate which compensated for nitrogenous nutrient and sodium metabisuiphate which acts as antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiac) was obtained from palm wine and passed through the process of enrichment and the inoculum build up. The must was pitched with yeast and was allowed to ferment anerobically for 7 days (primary fermentation) and aerobically for the next 3 days (secondary fermentation). Fermentation parameters were monitored during the fermentation period. The unferniented honey must had a p1-I of 5.44, 3.l0v/v alcohol, 7.00% sugar, 0.68% ash, 29.60°C temperature, 1.0417 specific gravity and 0.60% titratable acidity. The pH, specific gravity and sugar contents were decreasing while temperature, titratable acidity, ash and alcohol contents were increasing during fermentation period. The wine produced had a pH of 3.57, 2.35% titratable acidity, 1.0182°brix specific gravity, 3 1.02°C temperature, 3.60% ash, 4.00% sugar and 8.90v/v alcohol. The wine produced was evaluated based on color, odor, taste and appearance. Sensory evaluation showed that the wine produced from honey had good appearance, odor and palatable taste and was generally acceptable. Yeasts of the genus Sccharomyces as well as lactic acid bacteria (Streptococci, Leuconosloc and Lactobacillus) were isolated from the wine. This wine making showed that honey is a suitable substrate for wine making using Saccharoinyces cerevisiae isolates from wine and that the inicrofloia of the wine depends on the natural microflora of the substrate, fermentation environment and contamination from the utensils and equipment.