Pumpkin Wine

A family recipe from Julie Sperlich.

Getting ready: 1 hr · Cooking: 30 min · Feeds: 15

Ingredients

• 3 gallons water
• 12 lbs pumpkin
• 3 lbs white raisins
• 7 lbs sugar
• 3 sticks crushed cinnamon sticks
• 3 inches sliced ginger root
• 0.75 tsp tannin powder
• 3 level tsp yeast nutrient
• 2.5 oz acid blend
• 1.5 tsp pectin enzyme
• 1 packet of Lalvin K1-V1116 (Montpellier) yeast

Directions

1. Boil 3 gallons of water and dissolve 5 lbs of sugar into water.
2. Add pumpkin, raisins, cinnamon, ginger to empty primary fermenter.
3. Pour boiling water into primary fermenter, stir well and let cool to room temp.
4. When primary is room temperature add tannin powder, and pectin enzyme. Add 2.5 oz acid blend to primary and stir well.
5. Check specific gravity. Should be 1.085 - 1.095. Add sugar to raise if necessary.
6. Check acid. Acid level should be between 6 and 7 p.p.t. Add acid if necessary. (0.12 oz of acid blend will raise the acidity in 1 gallon of wine by 1 p.p.t.).
7. Let sit overnight.
8. Add yeast and yeast nutrient.
9. Stir and measure daily until SG is 1.04 SG or less.
10. When SG is 1.04 SG or less, rack to secondary by pouring through straining bag into another primary and then racking to a carboy with 3 crushed Campden tabs.
11. After 5 days, top off carboy if necessary.
12. Rack after 2 weeks and again after 30 days, topping off each time.
13. Set aside for 3 months and then rack, stabilize, sweeten if desired, wait 10 days for dead yeast to fall out, and rack into bottles.
14. Tip: This is a 3 gallon batch.

The story behind it

I just found this recipe, sounds a little technical, but I am going to try it. Sounds yummy!