Pineapple Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 4 lbs ripe pineapple
• 1-1/2 to 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 7 pts water
• 1/2 tsp acid blend
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1/4 tsp tannin
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast

Bring water to boil and add sugar. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Meanwhile, remove the topknot (leaves) and skin of the pineapple, capturing any juice produced in the process. Cut the flesh away from the core and chop the flesh into small pieces. Again, collect all juice liberated by the cutting. Put in nylon straining bag and tie closed. Put bag in primary and crush with a piece of hardwood or a potato masher. Pour boiling water over fruit, cover, and set aside to cool. When at room temperature, stir in crushed Campden tablet, recover and set aside for 12 hours. Stir in pectic enzyme, tannin, acid blend, and yeast nutrient. Recover and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast and ferment 7 days, stirring twice daily. Remove nylon straining bag and allow to drip drain without squeezing. Discard pulp and continue fermenting until specific gravity falls to 1.025. Rack into secondary and fit airlock. After two weeks, rack, top up and refit airlock. Repeat this procedure every 30 days until wine clears and no new sediments form over 30-day period. Stabilize and sweeten to taste. Wait 10 days and, if stable, rack into bottles. Age 6 months to a year before tasting. [Recipe adapted from Terry Garey’s The Joy of Home Winemaking ]

• 2 16-oz cans crushed pineapple
• 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 1 11.5 oz can Welch’s 100% White Grape Juice frozen concentrate
• 7 pts water
• 1 tsp acid blend
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1/4 tsp tannin
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast

Drain juice from fruit and add juice to water. Stir sugar into water until dissolved. Pour pineapple into nylon straining bag and tie closed. Put bag in primary and add all ingredients except pectic enzyme and yeast. Stir well, cover primary, and set aside for 12 hours. Add pectic enzyme, recover and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast and ferment 5 days, stirring daily. Remove nylon straining bag and allow to drip drain without squeezing. Discard pulp and continue fermenting until specific gravity falls to 1.025. Rack into secondary and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 60 days for 6 months. Stabilize and sweeten to taste if desired. Wait 10 days and, if stable, rack into bottles. May taste after 6 months. [Recipe adapted from Terry Garey’s The Joy of Home Winemaking ]

• 2 pts pineapple juice
• 2-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
• 6 pts water
• 1 tsp acid blend
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1/4 tsp tannin
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkt Chablis wine yeast

Dissolve sugar in water. Add remaining ingredients except yeast, stirring well. Cover primary and set aside 12 hours. Add activated yeast and ferment 7-10 days, stirring daily. When specific gravity falls to 1.010, rack into secondary and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 30 days until wine clears and no new sediments form over 30-day period. Stabilize and sweeten to taste if desired. Wait 10 days and, if stable, rack into bottles. May taste after 6 months. [Recipe adapted from Leo Zanelli’s Home Winemaking from A to Z ]