Pumpkin Mead
Experience the flavors of fall with this exquisite Pumpkin Mead, sweetened with honey instead of sugar. This refreshing blend of fresh pumpkin, plump raisins, and rich honey offers a warm and inviting beverage perfect for crisp evenings and gatherings. Craft this delightful mead from scratch and impress your friends with your winemaking skills while celebrating the essence of autumn in every sip.
ingredients
- 8 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 3 cups honey
- 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
- 3 teaspoons acid blend
- 1 Campden tablet
- 1 pound raisins, chopped
- 1 packet wine yeast
steps
- 1.
Begin by preparing your pumpkin: peel, seed, and cube it into small pieces.
- 2.
In a large pot, combine the pumpkin cubes with enough water to cover, then simmer until the pumpkin is soft (about 20-30 minutes).
- 3.
Once cooked, mash the pumpkin until smooth and strain through a fine mesh or cheesecloth to extract the puree, collecting the liquid in a large fermentation vessel.
- 4.
Add the honey to the pumpkin liquid, stirring until completely dissolved.
- 5.
Dissolve the Campden tablet in a small amount of water and add it to the mixture to prevent wild yeast growth. Let it sit for 24 hours.
- 6.
The next day, add the yeast nutrient, acid blend, and chopped raisins to the mixture.
- 7.
Sprinkle the wine yeast over the top of the liquid without stirring, and cover the fermentation vessel with a clean cloth.
- 8.
Allow the mixture to ferment for about two weeks, stirring daily while watching for bubbling.
- 9.
After two weeks, siphon the mead into a clean vessel, leaving sediment behind. Allow it to ferment for an additional month.
- 10.
Finally, siphon again to clear the mead and bottle it, letting it age for at least three months before enjoying.
