Pumpkin Wine
- 5 lbs grated pumpkin flesh
- 3-1/2 lbs finely granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1/2 oz citric acid
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1/4 tsp yeast energizer
- 1 finely crushed and dissolved Campden tablet
- 6-1/2 pts water
- wine yeast (see above)
Grate the pumpkin flesh mechanically (recommended) or by hand and set aside. Do NOT place chunks in a blender
and attempt to chop them. Bring the water to a boil and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat.
Place grated pumpkin flesh in primary and pour boiling water over pumpkin. Allow to cool to room temperature and
add finely crushed and dissolved Campden tablet. Cover primary and allow to sit 8-10 hours. Add pectic enzyme
and allow to sit overnight. Next morning add citric acid, yeast nutrient, energizer and activated yeast. Cover
primary and stir twice daily for three days, submerging “cap” as necessary to keep moist. Pour through a nylon
straining bag and let pumpkin drip drain. Transfer to secondary and fit airlock. If you did not recover a full
gallon of liquid, wait 5 days and top up as necessary. Rack after two weeks and again after additional 30 days,
topping up and refitting airlock each time. Set aside for 3 months and then rack, stabilize, sweeten if desired
(unlikely you will need to but…), wait 3 weeks for dead yeast to fall out, and rack into bottles. Set aside
to drink next year at Thanksgiving or Christmas. [Adapted from Leo Zanelli’s Home Winemaking from A to Z with major modifications by Jack Keller]