Things You'll Need:
- 3 1/2 pounds honey
- 2 pound jar of maraschino cherries
- 4 ounces sweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons yeast nutrient
- 2 1/4 teaspoons acid blend
- 1/8 teaspoon yeast energizer
- 3/16 teaspoon grape tannin
- 1/16 teaspoon potassium metabisulfite
- 1 gallon water
- 1 packet Gervin wine yeast Varietal B
- Large cooking pot
- Wooden spoon
- Strainer
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Straining bag
- Blender
- Primary wine fermenter
- Secondary wine fermenter
- Distilled water
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Step 1
Heat 3 1/2 pounds of honey in a large cooking pot with 1 quart of water for half an hour. Stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve the honey. Remove any honey impurities that float to the top with the wooden spoon and throw them away. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
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Step 2
Strain the juice from the cherries into the pot of honey. Place the cherries on a cutting board and chop them into 1/4-inch pieces. Place the chopped cherries into a straining bag or piece cheesecloth and tie shut.
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Step 3
Place the cocoa powder and one pint of warm water into a blender. Blend until thoroughly mixed, then place the acid blend, yeast nutrient, yeast energizer, grape tannin and potassium metabisulfite into the blender and blend thoroughly. Add this mixture to the honey mixture in the pot.
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Step 4
Add this liquid to the primary. Add up to a gallon of liquid--if the liquid does not equal a gallon, add more water. Add the yeast packet and the packet of cherries, stir thoroughly with the wooden spoon and cover the primary.
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Step 5
Open and observe the primary every few days. Stir the mixture to move the cherry bag around. When the bag of cherries starts to disintegrate, remove the bag and squeeze it gently into the primary to get the juice out. Throw the bag away.
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Step 6
After two months, transfer the wine into a secondary fermenter with an airlock. Tighten the airlock and leave it engaged for about 60 days. After 60 days, top the mixture off with distilled water and re-seal. Wait 60 more days and top off with distilled water again and re-seal.
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Step 7
Wait one year until the oils in the wine have completely broken down. After one year has passed, chill, if desired, and serve with dessert.
