Kaysha Riggs

I peered down at the small towns below, nestled at the base of the 6,000 foot jagged Alaskan peaks, trying to figure out which one might be Skagway. Skagway and Haines sounded so far away and magical when I first heard of them, probably in 2006 when my friend Karen talked about growing up in southeast Alaska. They were magical, like faraway lands to someone who grew up in the hottest and driest part of the United States, in Arizona. First I saw what I later learned was Haines, on the left.

The simple wine that takes us all back to a very specific time in our youth. Just remember the line. “I remember when 30 was old.” The recipe is as simple as it gets, no additives, just basic, natural ingredients, and let science do the rest (please see note about Campden tablets and other additives at the bottom).

Prickly Pear Wine Recipe (modified from this fruit wine recipe on Adventures in Homebrewing) Ingredients (1 Gallon Recipe) prickly pear fruit (3 quarts full or so) wine tannin (or 1 and 1/4 cup raisins) 1 -2 gallons filtered or distilled water 2.5 pounds plain, granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon acid blend 1/2 teaspoon pectic enzyme 1 tsp yeast energizer 1 packet wine yeast (I used premier rouge) Campden Tablets HOW TO MAKE WINE Without having some sort of wine making mentor, I have had to rely on...