Fresh Pineapple Wine

• 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 ]