Carrot Wine

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 1/2 pounds carrots
• 1 pound raisins
• 5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon yeast energizer
• 6 oranges, juice and rind
• 1/4 teaspoon tannin
• 1 campden tablet
• 1 package wine yeast
• 1 gallon water

METHOD:

1. Wash and scrub carrots. Chop into small pieces. Put in a pot with 3 liters (about 12 cups) of water. Boil until soft — about 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the liquid into primary fermentor. DO NOT PRESS.
2. Put the carrot pieces back into pot and add another 3 liters (12 cups) water. Boil 5 minutes. Strain into primary fermentor. DO NOT PRESS. Discard the pulp. Add enough water to the liquid to make 1 gallon.
3. Chop raisins and add to fermentor. Add all other ingredients except the yeast. Let sit overnight. Check specific gravity — it should be between1.090 and 1.100. Add yeast. Stir daily for three or four days, until frothing stops.
4. Do not let the wine stand on the must for more than 5 days. The orange peel will start to make it bitter.
5. Strain. Siphon into secondary fermentor and place airlock.
6. For a dry wine, rack in three weeks, and every three months for one year. Bottle.
7. For a sweet wine, rack at three weeks. Add 1/2 cup sugar dissolved in1 cup wine. Stir gently, and place back into secondary fermentor. Repeat process every six weeks until fermentation does not restart with the addition of sugar. Rack every three months until one year old. Bottle.