Tabasco Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 8-10 ripe (red) Tabasco chile peppers
• 1 lb golden raisins, chopped or minced
• 2 lbs finely granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp acid blend
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• Water to one gallon
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• Pasteur Champagne Yeast

Wearing rubber gloves, wash Tabasco peppers and cut off stems. Place peppers in blender or food chopper with 2 cups water and chop coarsely. Separately, chop or mince raisins. Put raisins in nylon straining bag and, over primary, pour chopped Tabascos in with raisins. Tie bag and leave in primary. Add remaining ingredients except for pectic enzyme and yeast. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Cover primary and set aside 12 hours. Add pectic enzyme, recover and set aside another 12 hours. Add yeast and recover primary. Stir daily for 7 days. Wearing rubber gloves, squeeze nylon bag. Transfer liquor to secondary and fit airlock. Ferment to absolute dryness (45-60 days). Rack into clean secondary and refit airlock. Rack twice more, 30 days apart. Wait final 30 days and rack into bottles. Can use or drink immediately, but will age if you add 1/8 tsp of tannin to ingredients. [Author’s own recipe]