Dandelion Wine

[stewnbrew]

Hello fellow brewers!

We just started our 2nd annual dandelion wine batch. Woohoo! We are very excited, because our first batch came out so good that we just couldn't miss making it again this year! I think the last sip from last years batch was drank about 2 weeks ago.

Anyways, we are having a possible issue with fermentation this time. I doubled the recipe from last year. Here's what we did:

11 guarts dandelion pedals
4 gallons water
6 lbs sugar
8 lemmons (peels and and juice)
4 oranges (peels and joice)
5g ec-1118 yeast

Here's the process I used:

1. steeped the pedal for 2days
2. boiled the pedals/water/6lbs sugar lemon/orange peels for 1 hour
4. cooled the mixture down to 75 degrees
5. added 5g ec-1118 yeast
6. left covered on kitchen floor for 8hours at around 65-70 degrees

So when I cam home from work of coarse I looked at the batch first thing as I was excited to see it bubbling away. However, there was absolutely no bubbles or action of any kind. I have brewed beer a lot and as I mentioned this is my second batch of dany wine.

So my question is why isnt there any action at all? Could it be bad yeast? Or is the ambient temperature too low? I did move it to a warmer part of the house which is quite warm (80-85 degrees). Maybe this will kick start the yeast? I don't know. I'm hoping it hurries up, because we have to put it in the carboy and airlock it on Friday night (2 days) because we are leaving for a week. Guess its never good to allow percisely enough time for these kinds of things.

Any ideas will help.

Thanks!

 

[Homercidal]

Mowed the yard this weekend, but before we did, I asked the kid if she wanted to pick a bunch of dandelions and strip the petals off for wine. She looked at me like I was crazy.

So I guess neither of us were that curious to make dandelion wine.

 

[mattwaddy]

I've only ever done 1-2 gallon recipes which don't require a second boil. I do have a preserving pan but that will only hold a UK gallon (just over). I have enough petals for 4-5 gallons

I'm thinking if I use a straining bag during the primary, I could then use some of the original water and all the petals for the second boild? I'm assuming that boil is to extract the remaining flavours from the petals/fruits and also to dissolve the sugar. I could then add that back into the original volume of liquid?

Hope that makes sense?

 

[BisonHeadBrewery]

This is a timely, and perennial, thread. I have been making dandelion wine for many years and this will be the first year I won't be making any - I have to leave town for a couple of weeks and the flowers are ready to be picked NOW.

I prefer to pick the petals early in the morning while the flower is closed. There are also fewer ants and bugs lurking in the closed flowers. I can hold the flower at the base (pedicle) and simply pull the yellow petals without green (sepal) contamination. This way you are only collecting the desired yellow petals and there is no need for subsequent cleaning.

Happy picking and happy wine making (and drinking).

 

[Stormbringer]

I found this thread after I read Jack Kellers original recipe. I just threw in the whole flower and didn't pick off any petals. Will this turn out really bitter?

 

[Yooper]

I found this thread after I read Jack Kellers original recipe. I just threw in the whole flower and didn't pick off any petals. Will this turn out really bitter?

Maybe not. It depends on how bitter the green parts are in the plants.

 

[mattwaddy]

I've only ever done 1-2 gallon recipes which don't require a second boil. I do have a preserving pan but that will only hold a UK gallon (just over). I have enough petals for 4-5 gallons

I'm thinking if I use a straining bag during the primary, I could then use some of the original water and all the petals for the second boild? I'm assuming that boil is to extract the remaining flavours from the petals/fruits and also to dissolve the sugar. I could then add that back into the original volume of liquid?

Hope that makes sense?

Any thoughts on this approach Yooper?

 

[Yooper]

Any thoughts on this approach Yooper?

I have no idea!

 

[Stormbringer]

Maybe not. It depends on how bitter the green parts are in the plants.

Ok. Guess time will tell. I'll come back and give a report when it is all done in about a year. lol

 

[mattwaddy]

I have no idea!

So you always boil all the liquid? I thought id seen somewhere in th thread that you only boil a portion when doing a large batch? What does the second boil actually achieve?

 

[Yooper]

So you always boil all the liquid? I thought id seen somewhere in th thread that you only boil a portion when doing a large batch? What does the second boil actually achieve?

I always make it exactly like written. There aren't two boils so I'm not sure what you are asking me. If you're asking why I pour boiling water over the flowers at the beginning, that's to kill critters and bugs and things as well to extract color and flavor. The boil that I do with the flowers also extracts color and flavor, and sanitizes the liquid and sugar before adding yeast.

 

[mattwaddy]

Thanks for confirming yooper, i'll just boil it in batches then a gallon at a time.

 

[Cyprusrom]

Many recipes that I found,for one gallon of wine, call for one package of yeast. Some just say add yeast, no amount specified.
On the package that I have, EC1118, it says it can make 1-6 gallons.
How much would I add for a 3 gallon batch? Can I add an entire package(5g)? What happens if you add "too much"?
Thank you.

 

[Goofynewfie]

Add the whole pkg. I dont think you can really add too much

 

[Hraefn]

Picked the flowers and started May 2014; racked to secondary at the end of June, bottled in February 2015. Turned out great, really neat flavor, strong without tasting much alcohol, though sweet instead of dry.

Thank you Yooper for this recipe!

I'd love to make this again... but separating those petals

 

[bedman]

Resurrecting this thread for 2017 as I am using it to brew my first batch. Holy cow is it a lot of work picking petals! Hope it's worth it!
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[IrishBrewer420]

I'll be starting a batch of dandelion later this year. Really looking forward to it (except for picking the petals) but I expect it will be worth it. Dandelions grow plentiful in my area, and I'm planning a 5 gallon batch which by my recipe calculations would require about 2.5 gallons of petals. There is something to be said for harvesting the land and making wine out of it, so much better than using grocery store fruits and juices.

My recipe simply says to mix very hot water as my base to extract the color and flavor of the petals in my primary, but I see you boiling them on the stove. My recipe makes no mention of this step. Would you say it is better to boil the petals on the stove and use that water as my base? Or can I just use very hot water?

Also, I need to know, can I really only use just the petals? I know I can't use any green/foreign matter, but do I have to discard the center of the top where the pollen is found? If can't use that portion of the flower, what exactly is the reason?

 

[Yooper]

I'll be starting a batch of dandelion later this year. Really looking forward to it (except for picking the petals) but I expect it will be worth it. Dandelions grow plentiful in my area, and I'm planning a 5 gallon batch which by my recipe calculations would require about 2.5 gallons of petals. There is something to be said for harvesting the land and making wine out of it, so much better than using grocery store fruits and juices.

My recipe simply says to mix very hot water as my base to extract the color and flavor of the petals in my primary, but I see you boiling them on the stove. My recipe makes no mention of this step. Would you say it is better to boil the petals on the stove and use that water as my base? Or can I just use very hot water?

Also, I need to know, can I really only use just the petals? I know I can't use any green/foreign matter, but do I have to discard the center of the top where the pollen is found? If can't use that portion of the flower, what exactly is the reason?

I guess you could use hot water- I like mine best this way and haven't changed it since settling on this about 10 years ago. Lots of people use difference recipes and techniques, and you may like a different method.

I don't know what the "center of the top where the pollen is found" means, sorry. I use the yellow petals, pretty much the whole flower except for the green parts.

 

[IrishBrewer420]

I guess you could use hot water- I like mine best this way and haven't changed it since settling on this about 10 years ago. Lots of people use difference recipes and techniques, and you may like a different method.

I don't know what the "center of the top where the pollen is found" means, sorry. I use the yellow petals, pretty much the whole flower except for the green parts.

The whole flower except for the green parts? Awesome! That's what I needed to know, thank you. I also do like the idea of boiling them on the stove, and I'll probably go ahead with that. Could I alternatively boil water then pour it over my petals in the primary?

 

[bedman]

Where are you guys sourcing golden raisins that don't have sulfites? Can't find any. Even the Trader Joe's brand has Sulfer Dioxide.

 

[Yooper]

Where are you guys sourcing golden raisins that don't have sulfites? Can't find any. Even the Trader Joe's brand has Sulfer Dioxide.

The last time, I couldn't find unsulfited goldren raisins, so I used the regular (brown) ones. It worked fine, but had a slightly golden color in the end rather than the bright white/clear color.

 

[bedman]

The last time, I couldn't find unsulfited goldren raisins, so I used the regular (brown) ones. It worked fine, but had a slightly golden color in the end rather than the bright white/clear color.

Any idea if an alternative like dried apricots would work?

 

[Strong_Brews]

I'm trying this now! How did it turn out?

 

[ARittner]

I'm going to try this for the first time. In spite of having a bigger dandelion bloom than I've seen in years, my hands are cramping from the plucking and I've got about 300 grams. So I figure I'll do the original 1 gallon batch recipe.

All my equipment is 5 gallons or larger though. So I'm going out to buy 1 gallon jugs/stoppers.

Does the original recipe fit in a single 1 gallon jug after all the raisins are added? Just making sure I have enough jugs for racking, etc.

 

[Stormbringer]

Posting with my dandelion wine results.
I used the whole flower with the green stuff under the flower like Jack Keller suggested. It didn't result in any bitter flavor contributions at all. But.. it was way too sweet for me, kinda like a desert wine. I probably will not be making this any time soon.

 

[amber-ale]

Dandelion Wine
3 qts dandelion flowers (Each quart weighs 90 grams, if you'd rather go by weight)
1 lb raisins
1 gallon water
3 lbs granulated sugar
2 lemons
1 orange
yeast and nutrient

Pick the flowers just before starting, so they're fresh. You do need to pick the petals off the flower heads, as the green heads give bitterness to the wine. Put the flowers in a large bowl. Set aside 1 pint of water and bring the remainder to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the dandelion flowers and cover tightly with cloth or plastic wrap. Leave for two days, stirring twice daily. Do not exceed this time.

Pour flowers and water in large pot and bring to a low boil. Add the sugar and the peels (peel thinly and avoid any of the white pith) of the lemons and orange. Boil for one hour, then pour into a crock or plastic pail. Add the juice and pulp of the lemons and orange. Allow to stand until cool (70-75 degrees F.). Add yeast and yeast nutrient, cover, and put in a warm place for three days. Strain and pour into a secondary fermentation vessel (bottle or jug). Add the raisins and fit a fermentation trap to the vessel. Leave until fermentation ceases completely, then rack and top up with reserved pint of water and any additional required to reduce all but 1 inch of airspace. Set aside until wine clears, rack whenever lees are 1/4" thick or every 60 days as needed, then rack and bottle. This wine must age six months in the bottle before tastin

 

[amber-ale]

How big are the oranges and lemons?
I can get lemons that are 1", 1.5" or big 2" lemons
Oranges range in size from 2-4"
That's a big difference in flavour if the Dandilion flavour is delicate

 

[Yooper]

How big are the oranges and lemons?
I can get lemons that are 1", 1.5" or big 2" lemons
Oranges range in size from 2-4"
That's a big difference in flavour if the Dandilion flavour is delicate

Medium sized, I guess. Not really small ones, but not huge ones either.

 

[amber-ale]

I just wanted to thank you for your recipe on dandelion wine. it turned out to be FABULOUS!!

the gardeners at work were all laid off for the summer due to COVID closures and there was a bumper crop of unsprayed dandelions.
We even tried freeze distilling some of it.
Gardener's Revenge Weed Wine!

 

[cottonwoodks]

No energy because of Covid, but I do have a whole field of dandelions, and even with no energy, one could sit on the ground picking dandelions. I'm going to do it!