Rice Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 2 lbs long grain brown rice
• 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 1 lb chopped golden raisins
• 7-1/2 pts water
• 4 tsp acid blend
• 1 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1/2 tsp tannin
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• Champagne or Sherry wine yeast

Rinse the rice well, then put in glass bowl with just enough water to cover rice. Chop the raisins and add to rice, adding enough water to cover them, too (1 quart total). Soak overnight or 12 hours. Pour rice and raisins into a nylon straining bag, saving the soaking water. Put sugar in remaining water in large pot and put this on to boil. Bring to boil and remove from heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Put nylon straing bag in primary and pour in soaking water. Add acid blend, yeast nutrient and tannin. Pour sugar water over this and stir. Cover with clean cloth and set aside to coll. When at room temperature, add crushed Campden tablet and stir again. Recover primary and let set 24 hours. Add wine yeast and recover. Stir daily for two weeks. Remove bag and let it drip drain (do not squeeze) into primary. Recover primary and let wine settle overnight. Rack into secondary and fit airlock. Rack after 3 months, top up and refit airlock. Repeat 3 months later. When wine is clear, stabilize, wait 10 days and rack into bottles. This wine will keep well. Serve chilled. [Adapted from Terry Garey’s The Joy of Home Winemaking ]