Tangerine Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

• 16-24 tangerines (sweet and sour varieties, equally mixed)
• 8-10 small Valencia oranges
• 1-1/4 lb finely granulated sugar (to S.G. of 1.090)
• 1 tsp citric acid
• 1 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1/4 tsp tannin
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 5 pts water
• 1 pkt Champagne wine yeast

Bring water to a boil and in it dissolve sugar. Save zest of 5 oranges and peel and section all citrus, being careful to remove all pith. Place zest and sections in nylon straining bag, tie closed and mash in primary. Pour boiling water with dissolved sugar over fruit, cover primary, and set aside to cool. When must has cooled to room temperature add acid, tannin, yeast nutrient, and pectic enzyme, recover primary, and set aside 12 hours. Add activated yeast, cover the primary again and set aside. Stir daily for 7-10 days (until specific gravity drops to 1.010). Drip drain bag (do not squeeze) and transfer liquid to secondary. Top up if required, attach airlock and ferment to dryness. Rack when fermentation ceases, top up and reattach airlock, Rack again, top up and refit airlock every 60 days for 6 months. Taste. If too tart, stabilize, sweeten to taste, wait additional 3 weeks and rack into bottles. Age another 6-12 months before tasting. [Author’s own recipe]