Parsnip Wine (2)

This makes a light-ish wine, suitable for social drinking. Can be dryer or sweeter depending on how much sugar you add. Some Parsnip recipes have raisins and/or wheat and they make the wine more full-bodied and more sherry like.

Ingredients for 1 gallon of wine -

• 4lb Parsnips (after the frost has been on them)
• 1 small tin of white grape juice concentrate
• 2½ lb. white sugar*
• 1 orange - thinly peeled rind and juice
• 2 lemons - thinly peeled rind and juice
• ½ teaspoon grape tannin
• 1 teaspoon Pectolic enzyme
• yeast nutrient
• yeast
• Camden tab
• optional - ½ oz root ginger OR 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

*If you prefer a sweeter wine feed sugar dissolved in a little water after first racking.

Method -

• Wash and cut up Parsnips but don't peel them, and boil up in about 3 pints of water in a large pan with lemon and orange peel and juices and ginger/coriander option if used.
• Do not boil for too long or the wine won't clear - just boil gently until a fork will just go into the parsnips.
• Strain off the water and leave to cool to room temperature in a fermenting bucket.
• When cool add 1 crushed Camden tablet and Pectolic enzyme and leave for 24 hours with a lid on the bucket.
• After the waiting time stir well.
• Dissolve sugar in about a pint of water and add to the must with the rest of the ingredients including the activated yeast.
• Let it ferment in the bin (with lid on) for about 4 days, stirring twice daily.
• Transfer to demijohn, fit fermentation lock and finish and bottle as usual.

Expect a long maturation in the bottle to allow taste to develop, usually at least a year.

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