Barley wine recipe

From Ian Ball's "Wine making the natural way"

Tasty, full-bodied wine. Ready about 10 months after the wine's been racked to clear and mature. 13% abv. Raisins (dried black grapes) give extra flavour, body & smoothness.

Ingredients (country recipe, with sugar)

• Flaked barley - 700 grams
• Potatoes - 450 grams
• Raisins - 450 grams
• Granulated sugar - 900 grams
• Strong tea - 1/2 cup
• Lemons - 3
• Pure malt extract or marmite - 1/4 teaspoon
• Wine yeast
• Chlorine free water to 4.5L

Stage 1

Put flaked barley in brewing bucket. Peel and dice potatoes. Discard peel and any green parts. Place diced potatoes in bucket. Add raisins after rinsing in warm water and chopping or mincing. Cover. Warm 500ml water in a large saucepan. Stir in granulated sugar and pure malt extract. When dissolved, cover and allow to cool. Then pour into bucket. Make tea, strain and allow to cool, and add (discard leaves). Extract juice from lemons. Discard pips, pith and peel. Place ingredients in bucket and add yeast (ensure temperature is not over 24°C before doing this). Top up to 4L with cold water and leave 5-10cm at the top of the bucket for frothing. Cover. Leave in a warm place for 10 days. Stir twice daily

Stage 2

After 10 days rack the fermenting wine from its sediment and strain into a narrow-necked 4.5L fermentation vessel. Discard solids. Top up to the neck with cold water. Cover. Leave to ferment to dryness. This can take 4-5 weeks at an even temperature of 18°C.

Wait 2 weeks after fermentation has finished; then rack wine from its sediment into a narrow-necked 4.5L storage vessel. Top up to the neck with wine of similar flavour and colour, or cold water. Fit a cork or rubber bung and keep somewhere cool for 8 months to clear and mature.

After 8 months' storage the wine should be clear and ready for bottling. Store longer if you can.

When bottled, your barley wine needs a further 2-3 months to condition before drinking.

It achieves peak perfection about 24 months after being racked into a storage vessel to clear and mature.