After looking up some recipes on the web and finding some really weird ones (like 50 lbs of potatoes?) I decided to just wing it based on what I've learned so far on this adventure. Mary B picked up a basket of sweet potatoes. I have no idea how many pounds. I'd estimate 20 potatoes or more. I peeled them like most of the recipes said to do. Sweet potato skins aren't poison or anything but I figured those who came before might know more than I.
After peeling I chopped them into small cubes. Sweet potatoes are hard! I had to wrap a towel around my hand by the end of the chopping. I recall thinking that if this doesn't turn out to be amazing the work will not be worth it.
After chopping I put them into 2 large pots of water to boil... and boil they did. I don't recall the actual cooking time. I think I used the method of checking to see if the potatoes were soft. I boiled and simmered for at least 3 hours though, maybe more. I turned them off and let them sit covered in the water until the next morning, November 9, 2019.
I put the water into my 3 gallon jug and checked the gravity. The gravity could have been put off by the sediment but it showed around 7%. This is pretty weak so I added 4 lbs of sugar. I figured this would bring it up to around 18% ish resulting in a 9% wine. I chopped 2 very-ripe bananas and threw them and the skins into the jug with the yeast. As seen in the image below I put a cloth over the top. It was bubbling pretty well after 24 hours.
A note about the remaining mash, I put the leavings in a gallon zip lock bag and put it in the fridge. We'll probably make bread using it.
I kept it with just the cloth for more than a week. November 19 thhe fermenting was slowing down a bit. I took the skins out and put an airlock on. I also added about 2 lbs more sugar. As of this morning it is very active again so I guess the yeast are happy. Now to let it finish bubbling and transfer to get it off of the old yeast and bananas.
About the second week of December i took it off the Lee's and everything. It cleared very quickly and the fermentation stopped. After Christmas i bottled it and had a taste. Heavenly. I think the alcohol content is lower than other wines I've made by Mary B says no. It turned out to be very pretty. Can't wait to see how some aging treats it.
