Mulberry Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads
- 6 lb. ripe mulberries
- 1-3/4 lb. granulated sugar
- 1 lb. chopped or minced raisins
- 1/4 tsp. pectic enzyme
- 1/2 tsp. acid blend
- 6 pts. water
- Bordeaux wine yeast and nutrient
Bring water to boil and dissolve sugar in it, stirring until completely clear. Meanwhile, wash the mulberries after removing the stems and pour into primary fermentation vessel. Add raisins, chopped or minced. Pour boiling sugar-water over fruit and allow to cool to 75-80 degrees F. Add pectic enzyme, acid blend, and yeast nutrient. Stir well, cover and set aside 12 hours. Add yeast, stir, recover, and allow to ferment four days on the pulp, stirring twice daily after punching down the cap. Strain through nylon sieve, pressing lightly to extract juice and then pour into dark secondary fermentation vessel or clear one wrapped with brown paper, topping up if necessary, and fit fermentation trap. Rack after two months and again two months later. Stabilize and set aside 2-3 weeks. Bottle, store in a dark place and taste after six months to a year. A full-bodied wine, it tastes better after two years. [Author’s own recipe]
- 6 lb. ripe mulberries
- 1-3/4 lb. granulated sugar
- 1 11-oz. can Welch’s frozen grape (Concord) juice concentrate
- 1/4 tsp. pectic enzyme
- 1/2 tsp. acid blend
- 5 pts. water
- Bordeaux wine yeast and nutrient
Bring water to boil and dissolve sugar in it, stirring until completely clear. Meanwhile, wash the mulberries after removing the stems and pour into primary fermentation vessel. Add thawed can of grape concentrate. Pour boiling sugar-water over fruit and allow to cool to 75-80 degrees F. Add pectic enzyme, acid blend, and yeast nutrient. Stir well, cover and set aside 12 hours. Add yeast, stir, recover, and allow to ferment four days on the pulp, stirring twice daily after punching down the cap. Strain through nylon sieve, pressing lightly to extract juice and then pour into dark secondary fermentation vessel or clear one wrapped with brown paper, topping up if necessary, and fit fermentation trap. Rack after two months and again two months later. Stabilize and set aside 2-3 weeks. Bottle, store in a dark place and taste after six months to a year. A full-bodied wine, it tastes better after two years. [Author’s own recipe]