Parsnips! Glorious Parsnips! Long lauded as an aid to digestion, a tonic for the lungs and (alongside other suggestively shaped veg) something to perk up a particular aspect of ones anatomy, they are now mostly referred to as ‘The one that isn’t a roast potato’.
Uncle Jon is my go-to guy for all things Um Brew, and he’s spoken to Country Wine guru Denis who has this potent potion to make use of the too oft maligned root crop:
Parsnip Wine
To make one gallon of wine you need
6 lb Parsnips peeled and diced,
2lb sugar
juice of one lemon
yeast
demi jon and air lock or brewing bucket with lid.
Method
Put the parsnips into a large pan and cover with water bring to the boil then simmer until just “fork soft” no more.
Strain keeping the liquid
mix this liquid with the sugar and lemon juice. Pour it into the demi jon (parsnips are spent they can be eaten now or thrown away) make up to the gallon with cold water and once cooled to body temperature add the yeast.
Fermentation takes around 4 weeks if in a warm room. It will clear on its own and look like a very pale white wine. bottle off leaving the sediment behind. It can be drunk straight away but personally I mature for a year, so drink last years brew!
The Cantess 