Parsnip & Apple Wine

[Two_Sheds]

Parsnip & Apple Juice Wine

3lb parsnips, washed & sliced (not peeled)
1 litre pressed apple juice
1.1 kg sugar
2 tsp citric acid
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 cup cold tea (for tannin)
1 x 3mg vit B tablet
yeast for a white wine
1 x Campden tablet

1) make a yeast starter or just sprinkle in dried yeast at stage 6
2) simmer parsnips for 10 mins in 'just enough' water
3) strain the liquor (not the parsnips) into DJ, fit airlock
4) when cool* add pectic enzyme, & leave for 24 hrs
5) dissolve sugar in 1 pint of boiling water & add to DJ, along with apple juice & 2 pints boiled water, and leave to cool to about 21C

6) add yeast starter, keep DJ at 21C. Take SG.
7) after 10 days the fermentation should have calmed down a bit. Top up liquid to the shoulder of DJ (boiled water or more apple juice)
8) rack as usual (I do it monthly) until you get an SG of 1000 or below

9) when wine is clear** add a crushed Campden tablet
10) keep for at least 12 months before bottling

* I put my bucket outside to cool down rapidly, or into a sink/bath of cold water because I'm impatient
** Hazel told me to filter the wine through a (sterilised) stocking. It really helps with clearing

[Two_Sheds]

13 Oct, I started this recipe (SG 1110)
10 Nov, first rack, SG 1084 (tasted nice, sweet)
29 Nov, 2nd rack, SG 1090. Added Campden tablet & topped up with more apple juice
29 Dec, 3rd rack. Wine is clear, but still has sediment on bottom of DJ
25 Jan, 4th rack, SG 1002. Wine is clear, no sediment to speak of.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks for this - I'm going to dig up enough parsnips next weekend to do a 'straight' parsnip wine, and to do this one too.

NB for those who can't visualise what 3lb parsnips look like when you have a fork in your hand at the allotment, it's 3 quite big ones.