Kiwi Fruit Wine

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Ingredients:

  • 5 kg of unpeeled, quartered kiwi fruit
  • 4 kg of sugar
  • 1 sachet of wine yeast (preferably a white wine yeast like Lalvin EC-1118)
  • 20 litres of water
  • 2 teaspoons of pectic enzyme
  • 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient
  • 1 Campden tablet (potassium metabisulfite)
  • 2-3 cups of strong black tea (substitute for tannin)
  • 1 teaspoon of citric acid

Equipment:

  • Primary fermenter (a large, sanitized bucket with a lid)
  • Secondary fermenter (a sanitized carboy or demijohn)
  • Airlock and bung
  • Siphoning tube
  • Sanitized stirring spoon
  • Mesh straining bag

Instructions:

  1. Preparation:

    • Wash and quarter the kiwi fruits without peeling them.
    • Place the kiwi quarters in a large, sanitized mesh straining bag and put it in the primary fermenter.

  2. Mixing the Must:

    • Boil 5 litres of water and dissolve the 4 kg of sugar into it.
    • Pour the hot sugar water over the kiwi fruit in the fermenter.
    • Add the remaining 15 litres of cool water to bring the total water quantity to 20 litres.
    • Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

  3. Adding Ingredients:

    • Crush the Campden tablet and add it to the mixture to kill any wild yeast and bacteria.
    • Add the pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient, acid blend (if using), and citric acid.
    • Prepare 2-3 cups of strong black tea and let it cool. Add the cooled tea to the fermenter.
    • Stir the mixture well.
    • Cover the fermenter with a clean cloth or lid and let it sit for 24 hours.

  4. Fermentation:

    • After 24 hours, sprinkle the wine yeast on top of the mixture. Do not stir.
    • Cover the fermenter and attach an airlock.
    • Let the mixture ferment for 5-7 days, stirring daily and checking for signs of active fermentation (bubbling and frothing).

  5. Straining and Secondary Fermentation:

    • After the primary fermentation, remove the straining bag with the kiwi fruit and squeeze out as much juice as possible.
    • Siphon the liquid into the secondary fermenter, leaving any sediment behind.
    • Attach the airlock and let the wine continue to ferment for 4-6 weeks, or until fermentation has completely stopped (no bubbles in the airlock).

  6. Clearing and Bottling:

    • Once fermentation is complete, rack the wine into a clean secondary fermenter to clear it, leaving the sediment behind.
    • Allow the wine to age and clear for another 1-2 months, racking as necessary.
    • When the wine is clear, bottle it using sanitized bottles and corks.

  7. Aging:

    • Age the bottled wine for at least 6 months to develop its flavours. For the best results, age for 1 year.