Hibiscus Flower Wine

• 1-2 oz dried hibiscus flowers
• 2 lbs sugar
• 7 pt water
• 1-1/2 tsp acid blend
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkg Cote des Blancs yeast

Dried whole or crushed flowers are available from many specialty and health food stores and are used to make a delicious tea. Combine water and sugar and put on to boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Tie flowers in nylon straining bag and put in primary. Pour boiling sugar-water over flowers and stir in all ingredients except yeast. Cover primary until water cools to room temperature. Squeeze flowers to extract maximum flavor and then discard flowers or use for tea. Add activated yeast, recover primary, and stir daily until active fermentation dies down (7-8 days). Rack to secondary, top up with water and fit airlock. Ferment 30 days then rack into clean secondary. Refit airlock and rack again after additional 30 days. Wait a final 2 months, rack again and stabilze wine. After 10-14 days, bottle in dark glass. May drink immediately, but improves in six months. [Author’s own recipe]