I think that I had posted the recipe somewhere before but what the heck, why not again:
2 LBS dark raisins well chopped
2.5 LBS honey
1 tsp acid blend
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/4 tsp tannin
1 campden tablet, crushed
1/2 tsp pectin enzyme
1 packey Flor sherry yeast...(sorry but George is out of flor-sherry right now).
1 gal. water
At the same time you start the wine start your fortifying liquor:
Chop enough dark raisins and dryed dates to fill 2 mason jars(about a LB of each). Split a bottle of Everclear between the 2 mason jars and cap tightly. Shake the mason jars every couple days.
Once you primary fermenting is done and you rack to a 1 gal. jug add a little more yeast nutrient and energizer and stir in 1/4 lb of honey and enough water to top up. Continue to feed honey until the yeast is exhausted at every racking. I got mine up to 19% abv. Ferment out to dry,dry,dry.
Once your "sherry" is dry and clear it is time to fortify. I used the pearson square to determine how much I needed to add to reach 22% abv. I mixed my raisin-date alcohol with a good brandy 50-50 and filtered it well(the raisins and dates will make alot of pectin haze and enzyme wont work at that high of a abv.) Rack the fortified "sherry" to a larger jug( I used a 4 lt). Be preparded for more sediment and possibly a little pectin haze. Allow the sherry to sit for a couple weeks, filter the wine and bottle(I bottled yesterday).
As soon as I get my lables designed I will post a few pics. I am tosted up between a label with all raisins in the background or going the comical route and using the california raisin guys.
The "sherry" tastes great already and will get smoother and richer with at least a year in the bottle.
I adapted this recipe from Terry Garey's book.
Hope this is helpful to any concerned
Pete
