Scottish Cooking, Ginger Wine

A popular alcoholic beverage, very warming on a cold winter’s night. Ginger wine can be added to whisky to make a ‘Whisky Mac’.

Makes 4.5 litres (8 pints)

Water - 4.5 litres (8 pints)
Sugar - 1.4 kg (3 lb)
Lemon - 1, zest and juice
Ginger - 40g (1½ oz), peeled and bruised
Fresh yeast - 1 tsp
Raisins - 110g (4 oz), stoned and chopped
Brandy - 75 ml (2½ fl oz)

Add the water, sugar, lemon zest and bruised ginger to a very clean saucepan. Bring to the boil, simmer for 1 hour.

Remove any scum and transfer to a large bowl. When it is luke-warm, add the yeast and leave overnight.

Next day, strain the lemon juice and add to the mix along with the chopped raisins. Place everything in a suitable vessel.

Stir the wine every day for 14 days. Add the brandy. In a few weeks it will be ready to bottle.

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