Pine Needle Wine
Not an actual wine. It’s a Melomel! A Melomel is a type of mead fermented with fruit or berries for flavor. This one’s made with pine needles and local honey, giving it a similar taste to 7up!
Instructions
1. Sanitize all equipment, including the fermentation vessel, airlock, and bottles for storage.
2. Gather fresh pine needles, ensuring they are clean and free of contaminants. Rinse if necessary.
3. Boil 1 gallon of filtered water in a large pot.
4. Add the fresh pine needles to the boiling water and steep for 15-20 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from heat and strain out the pine needles, retaining the liquid.
6. Allow the pine needle infusion to cool to room temperature.
7. Once cooled, add 2 cups of local honey to the infusion and stir until fully dissolved.
8. If using, prepare 1 cup of fruit or berry puree. Add the puree, 1 teaspoon of acid blend, and 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient to the mixture.
9. If desired, crush and add 1 campden tablet to the mixture to help prevent wild yeast.
10. Pour the mixture into the sanitized fermentation vessel, leaving some space at the top.
11. Sprinkle the packet of mead yeast on top of the mixture without stirring.
12. Seal the fermentation vessel with the airlock.
13. Place the fermentation vessel in a dark, temperature-controlled area (around 65-75°F) for fermentation.
14. Allow the mixture to ferment for 2-4 weeks, checking periodically for bubbling in the airlock.
15. Once fermentation has slowed or stopped, siphon the liquid into sanitized bottles, leaving sediment behind.
16. Seal the bottles and store them in a cool, dark place for aging.
17. Allow the melomel to age for at least 1-3 months before tasting.
What you'll need
mead yeastbuy → fermentation bucketbuy → sanitizerbuy → yeast nutrientbuy → 1 gal filtered waterbuy → local honeybuy → bottles for storagebuy → fruit or berry pureebuy → airlockbuy → fresh pine needlesbuy →This kit may contain affiliate links. Prices and availability can change.