Pears should be ripe enough that stems pull out easily. If not, set aside and wait a few more days. (Pears ripen off the tree.) Wash, trim, quarter and finely chop or crush the pears. Skins are fine to include, but keep the seeds out. Pear seeds are bitter and can give the wine an off flavor. Crush pears with a potato masher or well washed hands. Place pears and raisins into crock.

In a medium stockpot, dissolve brown and white sugar in two quarts water over low heat. Bring to a boil, and then set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Add 2 quarts water to fruit mash in crock, then add the sugar water. Stir well to evenly distribute the sugar throughout the mix. Sprinkle yeast and yeast nutrient over top of mash, stir in to mix until completely dissolved and well blended.

Fermenting the Pear Wine

Cover and keep in a warm location for three weeks, stirring daily and mashing fruit against the side of the crock. I use a flour sack towel secured with an old elastic head band to cover my wines. Fruit flies love fermented foods, so make sure your container is well sealed.

At the end of the initial three week fermentation period, strain mixture through a jelly bag or flour sack towel, squeezing very dry. Return liquid to crock. Set in a warm place to ferment for two weeks longer. No stirring is necessary during this second fermentation.

At the end of the second ferment (which makes five weeks in all), strain liquid through several thicknesses of cheesecloth or a flour sack towel. Siphon or ladle into the strainer, leaving the sediment at the bottom of the crock. (You’re aiming for a clear product at this point.)

Return the clear wine to the crock or a carboy for two days to allow it to settle again. Put the cloudy wine from the bottom of the crock into a two quart jar to settle for two days and then draw off as much clear liquid as possible. Add to the rest of the wine and allow to sit for another day.

Bottling the Pear Wine

Once the pear wine has settled, you can either bottle it directly into bottles or place in a carboy. There may be a little active yeast at this point, so if you put it in bottles, put balloons over the openings so the gasses can escape. When the balloons don’t inflate anymore, cork the bottles and age in a cool dark location for at least 6 to 12 months before drinking.

If using a carboy, siphon wine into carboy, keeping your siphon hose off the bottom of the crock to leave the wine dregs behind. Place airlock and age in carboy for 6 months before bottling. When bottling, siphon into bottles, leaving dregs in the bottom of the carboy for a clearer wine.

Using a carboy gives a clearer wine, since you leave behind the sediment one extra time.