Hibiscus Country Wine
Hibiscus wine — also called sorrel wine in the Caribbean and bissap in West Africa — is a vivid magenta country wine made from dried hibiscus calyces. The finished wine is tart, fruity, and somewhere between cranberry and pomegranate in profile. Color fades with age, so this is one to drink young rather than cellar.
ABV10-12%
Ferment30d
Age60d
Total90d
Ingredients
| 4 oz | Dried hibiscus flowers (food grade) |
| 2.5 lb | Cane sugar |
| 1 gal | Water |
| 2 lemons | Lemon juice |
| 1 tsp | Yeast nutrient |
| 5 g | Wine yeast (71B) |
| 1 tab | Campden tablet |
Equipment
- 2-gallon primary
- 1-gallon glass carboy
- Airlock
- Straining cloth
Steps
- Day 0
Steep hibiscus
Pour boiling sugar-water over hibiscus; steep 24h covered.
- Day 1
Strain + acidify
Strain flowers; add lemon juice and Campden.
- Day 2
Pitch yeast
After 24h, add nutrient and yeast.
- Day 2-9
Primary
Ferment 5-7 days at 65-70°F. Color is brilliant magenta.
- Day 9-30
Rack to secondary
Rack to carboy; ferment to dryness.
- Day 60
Stabilize + bottle
K-meta + sorbate. Bottle. Drink within 1 year — color fades.