Date Wine
- 1 lb chopped pitted dates
- 1/2 lb barley
- 1 orange thinly sliced
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 1 lb 10 oz granulated sugar
- 1/2 whole nutmeg (not grated)
- water to one gallon
- yeast nutrient
- wine yeast
Chop the dates and slice the citrus, transferring to a soup pot. In a separate pot, boil the barley in 7 pts water for 10 minutes, then strain the liquor onto the chopped dates and sliced citrus. Add the half-nutmeg and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes. Strain the liquor into a primary into which the sugar and yeast nutrient was placed. Stir to dissolve, top up to one gallon, cover primary, and allow to cool to 70 degrees F. Add activated yeast and ferment 5 days, stirring daily. Pour into secondary, top up and fit airlock. When wine begins to clear, rack and move to cooler place. Rack into bottles when completely clear and stable. Although this wine is drinkable right away, it will improve dramatically with prolonged aging. [Adapted from C.J.J. Berry’s 130 New Winemaking Recipes ]