Kumquat Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 2-1/2 lbs kumquats
• 2-1/2 lbs ripe bananas
• 1-3/4 lbs granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1/8 tsp tannin
• 7 qts water
• Lalvin AC or 71B-1122 wine yeast

The bananas should be very ripe. Slice the bananas, peels and all, into 1/2-inch slices in a 3-qt pot. Add half the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove scum from surface and set aside to cool some. Put remaining water in another pot and bring to boil. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Meanwhile, cut kumquats in half crosswise and put in nylon straining bag, removing any seeds cut during halving. Save juice released during cutting and put in primary. Tie bag and squeeze in primary to release as much juice as you can. Leave bag in primary and pour sugar-water over it. Strain bananas through nylon sieve, adding the water to primary. When cool, add pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and tannin and stir to dissolve. Cover primary and wait 12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover. Squeeze bag twice daily for 5 days. Remove bag and squeeze well, adding drained juice to primary. Recover and set aside 5 additional days. Rack into sterilized secondary and fit airlock. Rack after 60 days, top up and refit airlock. Rack again after additional 60 days, stabilize, sweeten to taste, top up and refit airlock. After 10 days, rack into bottles and allow to age 6-12 months. Will continue mellowing with additional aging. [Author’s own recipe]