Scrub the Parsnips to clean them and remove any trace of soil. Cut off the base and dice the stems. Boil the diced Parsnips in five pints of water until they are tender. Strain the liquor into a fermenting bucket and discard the parsnips (they can be used in a meal to avoid wastage). Add the wheat or barley (rinse the grains under a tap beforehand and add whole). Allow the liquor to cool then add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
Cover the fermenter with a cloth and ferment in a warm place for 5 days, stirring daily. Then strain into a 1-gallon Demijohn through a muslin or nylon bag and discard the residue/grains. It may be necessary to top up to 1 gallon (4.5litres) with cooled boiled water.
Fit a bung and airlock and leave in a warm place (24C/75F) to continue to ferment out completely. This will be indicated by bubbles stopping emerging from the airlock. Check with a hydrometer. If fermentation has ended the final gravity should be around 0.996
Finishing the Wine
At the end of fermentation add 1 crushed Campden tablet and a half teaspoon of Potassium Sorbate to the gallon of wine and leave in a warm place for 3 days to kill the yeast. Then add a measure of Harris Winefine and store it in a cool place to clear. It is recommended that after 7-10 days, the wine is siphoned from any sediment and then passed through a Vinbrite Filter to obtain a professional finish.
Bottling Your wine
Finally, bottle the wine and store it in a cool dark room for at least 6 months to mature. The longer you leave the wine the better the flavour will be. Maturing will smooth out the wine and improve the bouquet and flavours. This recipe will produce a rich Parsnip Sherry which has deep rich flavours and colours. You could add one 50ml measure of brandy to each bottle to fortify the wine.
