Chamomile Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers
• 2 lbs sugar
• 7 1/2 pts water
• 3 tsp acid blend
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1/8 tsp tannin
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• Montrachet wine yeast

Mix sugar in water and bring to boil, stirring frequently to dissolve. Put chamomile flowers in jelly bag and tie closed. Put bag in primary. When sugar is dissolved and water comes to boil, pour over bag of chamomile flowers. Drip drain bag several times to allow flavor of flowers to seep into water. Taste. If flavor is not strong enough, add more flowers. Cover primary with cloth and let cool to room temperature. Add all remaining ingredients except yeast and stir to dissolve. Add crushed Campden tablet and stir. Every few hours drip drain bag(s) to continue extracting flavor. After 24 hours, add activated yeast. Recover and stir daily for 5 days. Remove bag(s) of chamomile and discard. When specific gravity reaches 1.020 or lower, rack to secondary and fit airlock. Ferment 30 days, rack, top up and refit airlock. Rack every additional 60 days for 6 months. Stabilize and sweeten to taste. After 10 days, rack into bottles. Allow to age in dark place 6 months before tasting. Will improve to about two years. [Adapted from Terry Garey’s The Joy of Home Winemaking ]

• 18-24 chamomile flowers
• 4 lbs carrots
• 2-1/2 lbs sugar
• 7-1/2 pts water
• 1/2 oz acid blend
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1/8 tsp tannin
• Sauternes wine yeast

Scrub carrots but do not peel. Thinly slice into 6 pts water and boil until carrots are tender. In separate pan, bring 1-1/2 pts water to boil. Strain carrots and set aside for eating. Pour water over sugar in primary. Stir until dissolved. In small pan, add chamomile flowers, stir and steep as if making tea. Combine the two waters in primary and cover until cool. Add remaining ingredients, stir and transfer to secondary. Ferment under airlock until it clears, then rack for first time. Rack again every 2 months until completely clear and no more lees are laid down. Stabilize and sweeten to taste. After 10 days, rack into bottles. Allow to age in dark place 6-12 months. [Adapted from C.J.J. Berry’s 130 New Winemaking Recipes ]