Dead Heads
In your metaphor, the toasted marshmallows are the people who die from gun violence
the sweetness burned away, transformed forever. They melt into the wine like memories melt into history:
present, shaping flavor, shaping meaning, long after the flame has gone out.
Unveil the Dark Origins of Our Zombie Wine
The Rice Krispies are the brittle part
the crackle in the background,
like static on an old TV playing the news.
Snap.
Crackle.
Pop.
Moments that happen too fast,
echoing the sudden shocks that run through the song’s lyrics.
The sugar is the part we add
to make the unbearable bearable
the sweetness humans use
to carry bitter truths down into the heart.
And the whole thing ferments.
It breaks down.
It reforms.
It changes shape, keeps its color, finds its voice.
Just like the song did.
Just like a protest does over time.
When the wine is done,
it is not what it was
but it remembers. Just like the music
Dead Head Wine Recipe
Unveil the chilling elements that define our eerie blend.
Ingredients
Cranberries (about 10.4 oz)
1 mandarin
→ ~¼ cup juice + a pinch of zest
1 oz toasted marshmallows
½ Tbsp homemade rice syrup (that’s 1.5 tsp)
Sugar
0.6375 lb white sugar (~10.2 oz)
0.1125 lb brown sugar (~1.8 oz)
Optional Ingredients
½ banana → optional (adds body)
Optional back-sweetening later (marshmallow syrup, rice syrup, sugar, fruit)
The Ritual
Dive into the dark art of crafting your own horror-inspired wine, step by step, to unleash an unforgettable undead elixir.
1
Step One: Summoning the Ingredients
Gather the freshest blood-red grapes, mysterious spices, and eerie essences that will awaken the sinister soul of your wine.
2
Step Two: The Prelude to Chaos
Combine the ingredients with dark rituals and patience, letting the fermentation invoke the essence of horror and undead charm.
3
Step Three: The Long Sleep
Bottle your creation under moonlight, seal it with a forbidden kiss, Aging Until It Reaches the Afterlife of Flavor
Chaos Brew Recipe – Step by Step
Step 1: Cranberry Reduction
Ingredients: 0.651 lb cranberries
Combine cranberries with ½ cup water in a pot and simmer for 15 minutes until the berries burst. Mash the mixture and reduce until thick. Strain for smoothness or keep some pulp. You should have about ½–¾ cup of concentrated cranberry reduction.
Step 2: Mandarin Addition
Ingredients: 1 mandarin
Zest a pinch and juice the mandarin, then stir into the cooled cranberry reduction.
Step 3: Optional Banana Body
Ingredients: ½ banana
Slice the banana and simmer in ¼ cup water for 10 minutes. Strain and save the liquid to add thickness.
Step 4: Toasted Marshmallow Syrup
Ingredients: 1 oz toasted marshmallows
Toast marshmallows until golden, melt with 1 tablespoon water, and cool completely.
Step 5: Rice Syrup
Ingredients: ½ tablespoon rice cereal
Toast the cereal, simmer in water, strain, and reduce until syrupy.
Step 6: Build the Must
Combine the cranberry reduction, mandarin juice and zest, optional banana liquid, marshmallow syrup, rice syrup, and all sugars in a jar. Add ¼ tsp yeast nutrient, ⅛ tsp tannin, and a heaping ¼ tsp pectic enzyme. Let sit for 12 hours.
Step 7: Add Yeast
Sprinkle a pinch of yeast on top without stirring. Let it sit for another 12 hours.
Step 8: Primary Fermentation
Keep at 65–72°F and stir daily for 5–7 days. When specific gravity reaches 1.020–1.030, strain and transfer to a jar with an airlock.
Step 9: Secondary Fermentation
Allow it to finish fermenting. Rack every 30 days until clear.
Step 10: Stabilize
Add ⅛ of a Campden tablet (or a tiny pinch of potassium metabisulfite) and ⅛ tsp potassium sorbate.
Step 11: Optional Back-Sweetening
If desired, add more sweetness with marshmallow syrup, rice syrup, sugar, mandarin juice, or cranberry reduction.
Step 12: Age
The brew is good after 1 month, better after 3+ months, and reaches its best flavor if you sing the chorus of “Zombie” at least twice while bottling. Enjoy your Chaos Brew!
DISCLAIMER: These recipes are for educational purposes only and intended for individuals of legal drinking age. You are responsible for complying with all applicable laws regarding home wine making in your jurisdiction.