Instructions

1. Chop the figs finely and place them in a nylon straining bag. Tie the top on the bag, and place it in the carboy you'll be using as your primary fermentation vessel. Stir in the water, sugar, acid and Campden tablet. Use a saccharometer to check the specific gravity (S.G.) and add enough sugar to bring the S.G. to 1.085.

2. Cover the carboy with a cloth and add the yeast after 24 hours. Stir this mixture (must), and gently press the pulp each day. Continue this procedure until the S.G. drops to 1.04, which should require three to five days.

3. Siphon the must off the sediment into another carboy. This process is called "racking" the wine. Take the nylon bag out, press lightly and allow it to drip drain into this carboy. Place an airlock on the carboy. Ferment the must until the S.G. drops below 1, which should require about three weeks.

4. Rack the wine, add enough water to bring the volume to one gallon and reattach the airlock. Repeat this process every two months until the wine is clear, which may require a total of six months.

5. Rack the wine into bottles. This wine should be drinkable within three months but will improve greatly with age. Fig wine can benefit from several years of aging.