Hibiscus Ginger Wine

This wine has aged really well.  I bottled it 10/20/2013, and the last time we tried a bottle, it was off-color and a little too viscous.  Now it is bright and red, fruity and balanced, with good body and enough ginger to keep it interesting.

Here is the recipe for 3 gallons:

480 dried hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
3 cans Welch's concentrate
2T ginger paste (not in the bag)
5# 2oz sugar
3t yeast nutrient
3/4t tannin
5.5t acid blend
4t citric acid
28 pints of water
Lalvin K1-V1116

OG was 1.088. pH was 3.39.  Combine sugar and water and bring to boil.  Put flowers in mesh bag, put in primary.  Pour sugar-water over flowers.  Add other ingredients except yeast.  When cool, remove bag, squeeze lightly and discard.  Add yeast, stirring daily.  When down to around 1.010, move to secondary.  Rack per usual.  This wine was stabilized and backsweetened with 50g sugar/gallon along with about 5ml glycerin/gal.  The glycerin is probably not needed.

No cooking tonight, as we are headed to Alabama in the morning.

Oh yeah.  Go Blue.