Dandelion Wine

[Yooper]

I have no idea. I only used dandelions.

 

[Daddymem]

Thanks Yoop. They sure look and smell the same. No luck with dandelions this year, lots of catsear though. May give it a shot as it is also edible like dandelion.

 

[captianoats]

I made a gallon of this. It sat about 6 months, and I racked and bottled yesterday. I had about 1 glass left over after bottling, and I can say it was great. I lightly sweetened to somewhere around semi-dry. It was very floral, light, and citrusy. I may change to 2 oranges/1 lemon next time (maybe not), but I will definately make it again.

 

[Fletch78]

From volume 2 of the Foxfire series:

Dandelion wine: pour one gallon boiling water over one gallon dandelion flowers. Let stand until blossoms rise (twenty-four to forty-eight hours). Strain into stone jar. Add juices of four oranges and four lemons, and four pounds of sugar, plus one yeast cake. Stir four or five times a day until it stops fermenting. Keep well covered. In two weeks, strain, bottle and cork tightly.

That's how they did it in the Appalachians of N. GA in 1966, right around the time Deliverance was filmed in the same area. I think I'm going to give that a try this spring.

 

[ChshreCat]

I'm thinking about giving this a try. I'm fighting a losing battle with dandelions in my yard and it would be most satisfying to harness the little bastids for the power of good.

In the recipe it says 3 quarts of dandelion flowers. I'm assuming that's the whole flowers and then you start plucking afterwards? Or is that 3 quarts of plucked petals?

 

[Yooper]

That is three quarts of petals! It's a LOT of dandelions. I plucked a few, then froze them in ziplock bags. I went by weight, since they really smooshed down in the freezer.

 

[ChshreCat]

Holy crap! I was thinking 3 quarts of flowers. Not sure if I have that much in the yard. I'll need to pick pluck and freeze several times.

 

[TerapinChef]

So I've got 135g in the freezer and a whole paper shopping bag of heads to sit down and work on tonight...

 

[JadeMonkeyStang]

sounds like alot of work. Have you ever seen any commerically produced versions

I know that post is really old, but figured there might still be some interest.

Chateau Buffalo (in Buffalo, NY) produces a dandelion wine that is excellent. It's not cheap at $39 a bottle but all of the proceeds go to support the restoration/preservation efforts of Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff Estate, which is located just outside of Buffalo. Both the wine and the estate are unique and worth checking out.

The wine is not listed on their website atm, but you can call them and they can ship a bottle out to you.

 

[TerapinChef]

So I'm @ day 2 of fermentation, it's bubbling hard! I'm confused about this rack step at 3 days. This is going to be going through active fermentation when I rack it into a carboy, and this is a new thing for me. Why is it racked off the petals so fast?

Also, I'm wondering if this is going to clog the heck out of my autosiphon. The escaping CO2 has pushed most of the petals into a raft on top of the liquid, and I was thinking I'd get most of it out before the petals even become a problem, but I was wondering about any personal experience/advice that may be out there. I'm also curious if this is going to turn my autosiphon as yellow as it did the plastic brewspoon I was stirring my "tea" with. :rockin:

 

[Yooper]

There are a couple of reasons to get it off the petals now, and to transfer now. Well, day 3, not right now. Anyway, you don't want to siphon since it'd be a huge PITA to do that. Since it's early in fermentation, you won't oxidize the wort by pouring it now. So, you can pour it into secondary. What I would do is strain though a mesh strainer, or line a colander with a grain bag, to strain out the pulp and petals. I wouldn't even try to use the autosiphon!

 

[TerapinChef]

Hmmm...I think this would have been a good application for the bucket sized nylon bags that they have at the brewshop. I have a smaller paint strainer bag but no funnel. Maybe I'll pour it through the bag into another vessel then siphon out of there into a carboy....I see an adventure in my future!

 

[PresqueIsleBrewer]

From what I gathered type of yeast is not critical as long as it is wine yeast. I have montachet so I thought I'd try that. My question is how much yeast nutrient?

 

[Yooper]

A pinch is fine. My nutrient says on the label to use 1/2 to 1 tsp per gallon. I'd use closer to 1/2 teaspoon, unless my yeast was struggling.

 

[TerapinChef]

Transfered off the petals. Gravity at 1.060. If anyone else is crazy enough to do a 5G batch, do yourself a favor. Ferment it in a bucket, and go buy one of those big nylon bags that fill the bucket. When you pour your cooled must into the bucket to ferment, just pour it right into the bag. Then when it's time to get it off the petals, all you have to do is pull the bag up out of the carboy and give it a good squeeze. There is more than likely a bag that will fit a 1G bucket as well....

But I did give it a taste! Aside from being very sweet still, it has a good citrus flavor, perhaps a bit strong, but I'm sure it will mellow with age. It's a gorgeous color, kind of looks like Orangina if you're familiar with that delicious carbonated orange beverage...which leads me to ask if anyone has ever carbonated any of this?

 

[TerapinChef]

Hmm....forgot to add the raisins. As I'm sure there's still plenty of yeasties working in there, I'm assuming it's not too late...But I'm wondering if I should do a straight recipe conversion, which would mean 5# of raisins. That's quite a bit...

 

[Yooper]

Hmm....forgot to add the raisins. As I'm sure there's still plenty of yeasties working in there, I'm assuming it's not too late...But I'm wondering if I should do a straight recipe conversion, which would mean 5# of raisins. That's quite a bit...

Well, the raisins are only for body and a bit of flavor. Without the raisins, the wine doesn't have much body or "legs". That might actually be more to your liking, anyway. Or, you could buy a container of "white grape concentrate" from the LHBS and use that instead of raisins for a bit of a boost in body and flavor.

 

[TerapinChef]

So it's been about a month since the hydrometer stopped moving in secondary. I was late adding the golden raisins, so it kind of slowly started bubbling up again when I added them (which I took as a good sign) I ended up boiling the WELL RINSED golden raisins then straining and putting in the blender with a bit of the hot water to get a loose chop on them. I put as many in as the carboy would hold but I didn't get the full 5# in, maybe 3 or so...but the good news is that I'm starting to think about racking over my
5G batch of Dandelion Wine!

 

[Yooper]

Ok, but the important thing is- how's it taste?!?

Hopefully, it's to the point already where it's bright and fruity and you can see the potential there!

 

[TerapinChef]

It is bright a fruity, a bit on the tart (acidic) side but I figure that this will age out well and can be adjusted by sweetening slightly if needed....nowhere near anything I would call "clearing" yet though...

 

[anthonylott]

Hello everyone. Great info all around in the forum. Been a reader for some time, and decided to finally participate. I made a batch of dandelion wine thats now just over a year in the bottle. The problem is that I've never had dandelion wine before, and can't find anything commercially, so I don't know if it went well. I was hoping someone in the West Michigan area has made some and would be willing to trade a bottle?

 

[Atek]

Hello everyone. Great info all around in the forum. Been a reader for some time, and decided to finally participate. I made a batch of dandelion wine thats now just over a year in the bottle. The problem is that I've never had dandelion wine before, and can't find anything commercially, so I don't know if it went well. I was hoping someone in the West Michigan area has made some and would be willing to trade a bottle?

How does it taste to you? Ultimately thats what matters unless you're attempting to sell to the masses. If you like it, then it went well

 

[linuxbgood]

How does it taste to you? Ultimately thats what matters unless you're attempting to sell to the masses. If you like it, then it went well

that would be a lot of work haha My fingers are soar from just making 6 gallons a year.

 

[linuxbgood]

I let my petals soak for 3 days but I have seen some people only do it for hours, Also I dont boil the petals but boil water and pour it over them and let them sit

my 2010 came out the best so far, my recipe was based on the original posted one.


I used 12 cups of petals per gallon

6 gallons
72 cups petals
10 pounds sugar
6 pounds of raisins
6 teaspoons nutrient
6 oranges (skins, juice and rind) no pith
6 lemons (skins, juice and rind) no pith
6 campden tabs
champagne yeast

 

[runningweird]

Thanks so much for the recipe Yooper, I got enough dandelions for 2.5 gallons by forcing my kids into indentured servitude. They have to work off their food bill somehow. The petals are soaking now. Took me over three hours to cut them all. thanks again for the recipe.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks so much for the recipe Yooper, I got enough dandelions for 2.5 gallons by forcing my kids into indentured servitude. They have to work off their food bill somehow. The petals are soaking now. Took me over three hours to cut them all. thanks again for the recipe.

We still have snow on the ground. It's hard to believe you've processed dandelions!

I'm going to make 5 gallons this year, if the snow ever goes away!

 

[runningweird]

In pa we have weird weather. lots of rain, 50 degrees one day, 80 the next. I would love to do a larger batch, is there any way to do this without removing those stupid green buds?

 

[dougdecinces]

Another thank you, yooper. I'm brewing up 2.5 gallons of dandelion wine right now. I followed your recipe as much as I could, except I ran out of white sugar after about 100 oz and I'm too lazy to leave the house, so I did the last 15 oz as light brown sugar. I'm hoping it works out fine.

Guion House Brewery is also become Chateau D'Guion as we expect our first vintage will be ready for a Christmas 2011 release.

 

[guscampag]

Thanks again for the wonderful Dandylion wine recipe. I made it a couple of years ago and it ended up being everyone's favorite wine (and most potent, I mioght add). Of course, the two may be related?
I didn't make it last year, because I really was still not sure if it would be any good. It really took about a year and a half to get good!
Any way, please refresh my memory re: the lemons and oranges (I'm making a 5 gallon batch.
Do you add the fruit as well as the peels? or just the peels without the pith?
Also, when I boil, am I boiling the whole 5 gal of water?
Thanks!!!!!

 

[runningweird]

just racked this after what should have been three days of fermentation with the dandelion pulp( it ended up being five days because I was busy tilling and planting outside) and its a beautiful golden color. I added the raisins-which I pulsed in food processor and now its sitting in the bucket again. Can't wait to drink it in 1.5 years. guess I have to make some more.