Make Dandelion Wine

Dandelions are in season during the spring and summer months, but they lend themselves deliciously to a beverage you can serve year-round. April and May are the best months to harvest dandelions for the purpose of wine making in the Northern hemisphere. Try it out, and taste it for yourself.

Ingredients

 * 1 package (7 g) dried brewing yeast
 * 1/4 cup (60 mL) warm water
 * 2 quarts (230 g) whole dandelion flowers
 * Using 2 quarts+ of just the petals can make for a less bitter wine.
 * 4 quarts water (3.785 L)
 * 1 cup (240 mL) orange juice
 * 3 tablespoons (45 g) fresh lemon juice
 * 3 tablespoons (45 g) fresh lime juice
 * 8 whole cloves
 * 1/2 teaspoon (1.25 g) powdered ginger
 * 3 tablespoons (18 g) coarsely chopped orange zest; avoid any white pith
 * 1 tablespoon (6 g) coarsely chopped lemon zest; avoid any white pith
 * 6 cups (1200 g) sugar

Steps

 * 1) Wash and clean the blossoms well. Think of it as a fruit or vegetable; you don't want bugs or dirt in your food. Remove all green material.
 * 2) Soak flowers for two days.
 * 3) Place the blossoms in the four quarts of water, along with the lime, orange, and lemon juices.
 * 4) Stir in the ginger, cloves, orange peels, lemon peels, and sugar. Bring the mix to a boil for an hour. This creates the 'infusion' that will later become wine after fermentation.
 * 5) Strain through filter papers (coffee filters are recommended). Let the infusion cool down for a while.
 * 6) Stir the yeast in while the infusion is still warm, but below 100 degrees F.
 * 7) Cover it and leave it alone, let it stand overnight.
 * 8) Pour it into bottles, poke a few holes in a balloon and place over the tops of the bottles to create an airlock, to keep out unwanted wild yeasts, and store them in a dark place for at least three weeks so that it can ferment. At this point you now have wine!
 * 9) Rack the wine several times, optionally. Racking means waiting until the wine clears, then siphoning or pouring the liquid into another container, leaving the lees (sediment) at the bottom of the first container.
 * 10) Cork and store the bottles in a cool place. Allow the wine some time to age. Most recipes recommend waiting at least six months, preferably a year.

Tips

 * Pasteurization uses 144F for 22 minutes, or 122F for 44 minutes to avoid changing character.
 * Pick the flowers right before starting so they're fresh. Midday is when they are fully open. Alternatively, you can freeze the flowers immediately after harvesting, then pull off the petals right before preparing the wine.
 * It may take more than three weeks for your wine to ferment if the temperature inside your storage area is cool. But be aware that fermentation at warmer than room temperature may change the taste of the wine, and can lead to higher levels of fusel alcohols, which have been known to contribute to hangovers. Warmer temperatures can cause many other problems like strong yeasty flavors, rancid odors and bacterial contamination. Generally fermentation should be done at room temperature or lower (50-75 F or 10-24 C).
 * This recipe will produce a light wine that mixes well with tossed salad or baked fish. To add body or strength, add a sweetener,raisins, dates, figs, apricots, or rhubarb.

Warnings

 * Avoid using dandelions that may have been chemically treated. Also, try to stay away from dandelions that have been graced by the presence of dogs, or that grow within 50 feet of a road.
 * There is some evidence that dandelions have a diuretic effect and may cause more frequent urination. (Though all alcohol is a diuretic by itself.)

Things You'll Need

 * Balloons
 * Coffee filters or clean straining paper
 * Empty, sterilized wine bottles
 * Large beverage container to strain liquid into
 * A large pot you can boil the dandelion mixture in
 * A place to store the fermenting wine

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Cook Dandelion Greens
 * How to Store Wine
 * How to Pair Food and Wine
 * How to Make Blackberry Wine
 * How to Brew Simple Wild Berry Wine
 * How to Make Watermelon Wine
 * How to Make Strawberry Wine
 * How to Brew Cheap Wine

Sources and Citations

 * Texascooking.com - Source of information