I made a kiwifruit and babaco a year or so ago (funny thing like a pawpaw, doesn't grow too well around here so they ripened on the windowsill and I think were a bit low in sugars as a result). First bottle, after a slow brew and rack and a month or so of rest, was horrid and most went down the drain. Really nasty aromatics, taste somewhere between anti-freeze and loo cleaner (DAMHIK)... I'm sure many of you have had a similar experience in your brewing careers.
Totally forgot about the other 5 bottles at the back of the cupboard for another year or thereabouts, and pulled one out the other day. Had to give it a taste, of course... and it wasn't too bad. Wouldn't expect anyone to pay money for it, if that were legal, but the taste was OK. Smell's not too flash still, faint hint of something between molasses and soy sauce, but I had a few glasses (OK, the entire bottle, over a few nights) and I can still see and haven't developed any recurrent twitches. Perhaps it needs another year?
Oh, the recipe? Buggered if I know, wasn't keeping great records then. I'd guess lots of kiwis, plus whatever I could get my hands on in babacos (neighbour has a tree)... let's call it a 66/33 mix of juices. Bit of pectolase to help the juicing process, rest overnight and strain to make about 2 liters juice, then add sugar to suit a dry, mid-alcohol brew (it's how I like 'em). Might have bunged in some yeast nutrient because I was doing that sort of thing then, and I would have used a Lalvin EC1118 yeast. But I'm sure a grown-up around here would be able to provide a recipe far better suited to the subtleties of the fruit, I am but a humble amateur.
