Sarsaparilla Wine (2)

• 1-1/2 lbs chopped sarsaparilla leaves
• 2-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
• 71/2 pts water
• 1/2 oz citric acid
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• wine yeast

Bring water to boil and stir in sugar until dissolved. Meanwhile, wash leaves, chop coarsely and place in primary. Add citric acid, yeast nutrient and boiling sugar-water. Cover and set aside to achieve room temperature. Stir in crushed Campden tablet, recover and set aside 12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir twice daily for 5 days and strain liquid into secondary. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 30 days until wine clears and no new sediments form over 30-day period. Stabilize, sweeten if desired, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. May drink immediately, but improves with 6 months aging. [Recipe adapted from Leo Zanelli’s Home Winemaking from A to Z ]