For many years the topic of the Amish drinking and making homemade wine has been a question that many people are seeking an answer for. As we all know, the Amish community is usually made up of Amish people who are in tune with nature and the land, giving this country some of the best produce. So it's easy to imagine that some of the extensive orchards around Amish farms would use those bountiful harvests of peaches, apples, and grapes to produce wine. After all, the Amish genealogy comes from a background in Switzerland, France, and Germany, where winemaking is a traditional art form. So, do the Amish make homemade wine and drink it? Some do participate in the art of winemaking. So, here's some information to ensure the next time you raise a toast, it will be to those behind a few drinks.

Do The Amish Object To Drinking Alcohol?

The Amish have stringent rules, be it the New Order Amish, the Old Order Amish, or any other plain people. However, all Amish orders are straightforward in their rules and principles regarding their interpretations of the Bible and how to conduct oneself from those principles!!! So you might think the Amish would be against alcohol and winemaking. But on the other hand, the Amish have a genealogical background that comes from areas of the world where winemaking is an art form and way of life and has been done for centuries. It's easy to see that the Amish might be steeped in old-world traditions on a subject such as winemaking.

Yes, some Amish sects make wine and drink some alcohol, usually for religious reasons such as for use during communion.  However, the New Order Amish church looks down on this practice of making wine and drinking. In turn, the ideas of drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco are less looked down on by the Old Order Amish. The separation of the different Amish orders with different belief systems has various ideas. But, one significant difference is their beliefs on how they use their products, such as grapes, peaches, beats, and other fruits grown from the land, and in the case of the Old Order Amish, many times, it is to produce wine.  

Points To Remember On The Amish And Homemade Wine 

• Never do you find an Amish community with a liquor store that is Amish owned.
• Never do you see the Amish sell any homemade wine or alcohol that is homemade at their small roadside stands, where Amish jams, jellies, and other products are found.
• Will the Amish communities that make homemade wine sell homemade wine to the general public or individuals? NO.
• In some areas of the United States with specific Amish orders, will you occasionally see an Amish person in a bar or having a drink of Alcohol?  YES, but not in All  Amish communities.

Laws, Rules, And Regulations That Amish And English Have To Follow

When it comes to the Amish and English communities, there are laws that everyone has to follow when it comes to the sales of alcohol. The Amish have a strict moral mindset when it comes to religion and also when it comes to following the laws. The only law the Amish have objections to are being in military service and voting most of the time, but, as we see, some Amish people are found doing both. The primary reason that you do NOT see any Amish bars or the Amish selling homemade alcohol at any roadside stand is the laws governing the sales.

What are the rules on producing spirits at home? Here are a few links showing what must be done to produce and sell alcohol legally. Home distilling and The Laws And Regulations On Making Alcohol For Home Or Starting A Business. The money that has to be paid to the government to produce alcohol can, many times, be costly. The Amish culture is very resourceful, and starting a business that can be costly but have a tentative return is not the Amish way of life.   

Amish Gatherings And Celebrations With Homemade Wine

Amish history does come from a part of the world where winemaking is a tradition. With many of the large Amish farms, you will see some great fruits grown from Amish-owned orchards and vineyards. They usually produce great jams and jellies, but that fruit, in some cases, is used to make homemade wine. When would the Amish have a drink, are they daily drinkers, and do they drink in public? Much like the English, you will see Amish orders that don't frown upon alcohol as much and allow having a drink at special occasions such as weddings and some family gatherings. In some larger Amish communities, you will sometimes see Amish people having a drink with a meal in a restaurant or at a bar. Usually, the Amish communities that make homemade wine mostly keep it to themselves and are private people who keep it for personal use. But, much like everyone else, the Amish are no different. With any community Amish or English, alcoholism is no joking matter and is prevalent in some Amish people. Often there is a little out back of the barn, a sip of the homebrew when it comes to the Amish culture, and keeping with a robust Old-World tradition, this is often daily!!! 

What Variety Of Fruit Do The Amish Use to Make Wine?

The pictures in this post were taken at an English-owned professional winery close to the Swartzentruber Amish community in Middle Tennessee. The owner of M&M Vineyards has excellent information on Amish winemaking. He learned about the Amish way of winemaking from a few Amish workers he had hired to pick his grapes.  The owner of M&M was asked what flavor of wine the Amish make. Here is what they told him and has told others when asked.

"The Amish ladies that picked grapes were some of the best workers I ever had. I asked them if they had drunk wine, and they said yes, but only sometimes. So I ask them what type of wine the Amish people mostly make. The Amish ladies explained that they use all kinds of Grapes, Muskaan, and Apples, but mostly Beets." (*edited for clarity and conciseness)

The owner explained that he had sampled some of the Amish homemade wine from beets, and it was good, but had a rounded natural flavor. 

If You Want Too Try Amish Homemade Wine

If you are a wine lover and would just love to sample some of the wine the Amish make, it can be a difficult task. As mentioned before the Amish are a very religious group of people and are not always forthcoming with all of their products, practices, and way of life. But, if you are just in the hunt for a sample of Amish wine, keep in mind that wine is a product that only SOME Amish people make, but NEVER SALE or can NOT LEAGLLY SALE TO THE PUBLIC. If you have decided to go in search of a bottle of Amish made wine, here are a few rules that might help you in your task. First when you plan your trip to an Amish community, do your research and find an Old Order Amish community. The Old Order Amish community would be your best bet of finding an Amish farmer that makes wine. Next when you arrive at the Old Order Amish community take note of your surroundings, look for Amish farms that have visible fruit orchards/trees with fruits that could be used to produce wine. Also keep an eye out for the really obvious vineyard type of plants. This could be a wide range of plants such as grapes, blueberries, muscadine, raspberries, and blackberry plants that are usually grown with trellis supports in rows. Also, keep a look out for signs that mention the sales of fruits that could be used to produce wine. The typical Amish farm is usually very large, and certain plants for wine making may not be visible from the road. Lastly, word of mouth might be our best friend, supposing you have followed the instructions listed above. Find an Amish person that has fresh fruits for sale, and just  ASK directly if that Amish person might have or know any Amish people that make BEET wine. I'm only speculating here but, if you find an Amish person that makes Beet wine, possibly they might have other flavors of wine!!!

I hope my information here might be beneficial to all of the wine lovers that have now decided to try and find a sample of Amish homemade wine. I can't stress enough that your journey to locate an Amish farmer that makes homemade wine will be difficult enough, not to mention an Amish farmer that will let you sample their homemade wine!!!  Below is a quick reference to also remember when deciding to start your trail for Amish homemade wine.

Four Other Things To Remember When Seeking Amish Homemade Wine

1. Season, Growing, Time Of Year/A great point to remember is time of season when certain fruits are ready to be harvested. The harvest would bring about the chances that the Amish  farmer might be making wine.
2. Day Of Week To Visit Amish/ I would suggest a Friday or Saturday morning would be the best day to find an Amish farm that is not so busy with customers, that you might luck out and find a sample of Amish wine. (Remember: The Amish Don't Work On Sunday)  
3. Spend Some Time/ I suggest spend time with the Amish person that makes homemade wine and ask questions on the Amish process of making wine. Befriend this Amish person and who knows what you will learn!
4. Don't Ask To Buy/ The Amish DON'T sale homemade wine (It's Against The Law To Sale Homemade Wine), so just asking for a glass of wine is quiet a bit different than buying a bottle of wine.