# Lemon Balm Wine - I'm going for it!



## BigDaveK (Jun 28, 2022)

I can't get rid of it so I may as well see if we can can get along.

After tasting the leaves I noticed if the plant is starting to flower it becomes very bitter. Fortunately I had one that wasn't flowering yet.
Basic flower wine recipe. Juice of 1 lemon, some of the zest, a little citric acid to lower pH.

I wasn't expecting the color!


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## Cosyden (Jun 29, 2022)

Did you drink that before putting it in the bucket?


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## vinny (Jun 29, 2022)

Cosyden said:


> Did you drink that before putting it in the bucket?


That's a lot of vitamin B


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## Raptor99 (Jun 29, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> After tasting the leaves I noticed if the plant is starting to flower it becomes very bitter. Fortunately I had one that wasn't flowering yet.


That's true for most herbs. You have to pick them before they flower.


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## BigDaveK (Jul 3, 2022)

Transferred to secondary.
Lost some of the vibrant yellow.
Has an incredible lemon flavor! I wasn't expecting that.
There's also an "herbal" element. Not medicinal. It's not unpleasant - I just don't care for a lot of "herbal" concoctions I've tasted over the years.
We'll see where this goes.


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## Rahgnar.s (Jul 5, 2022)

I have tons of this growing wild in my backyard. Can't wait to see how it turns out for you.


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## VinesnBines (Jul 5, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> There's also an "herbal" element.


I have no idea if this would work with anything other than grapes; to remove the herbal, grassy flavor in Cab Franc, you use milk (casein). This article is a useful primmer on fining agents. Fining Agents - The Australian Wine Research Institute


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## BigDaveK (Jul 5, 2022)

VinesnBines said:


> I have no idea if this would work with anything other than grapes; to remove the herbal, grassy flavor in Cab Franc, you use milk (casein). This article is a useful primmer on fining agents. Fining Agents - The Australian Wine Research Institute


Thanks! I saved the article as a PDF.
The lemon balm is kind of strong so maybe I used too much. I'll see how it tastes when I rack.


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## BigDaveK (Aug 16, 2022)

First rack from secondary.
Good lemon flavor so far. It's more of an herbal lemon than fruit lemon taste, if that makes sense.
I may try the lemon balm with other ingredients next year. I think it could add some complexity in smaller doses.


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## Snafflebit (Aug 16, 2022)

Your wine shed must look like a mad scientist’s laboratory
Do you have a jar of eyeballs somewhere?


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## Rahgnar.s (Aug 16, 2022)

Snafflebit said:


> Your wine shed must look like a mad scientist’s laboratory
> Do you have a jar of eyeballs somewhere?


Eyeball wine sounds like it would be great for Halloween!


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## winemaker81 (Aug 16, 2022)

Snafflebit said:


> Your wine shed must look like a mad scientist’s laboratory


Mine looks like a medieval alchemist's shop.


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## winemanden (Aug 16, 2022)

winemaker81 said:


> Mine looks like a medieval alchemist's shop.


Have you found that STONE?


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## Terryfirma (Oct 17, 2022)

2 years ago I mixed my Lemon Balm with Strawberry to ferment- but I just never like a Strawberry Wine.  It’s dry and potent, but I wish I had left it with just the Lemon Balm. 
I was worried it wouldn’t have flavor. 
It’s on my list for next Spring. I noticed after it flowers in the hot Summer, it has a fall surge. I’m going to taste to see where it is now?. Lemon Balm Sumac might be a really good combo? Happy fermenting.


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## BigDaveK (Oct 17, 2022)

Terryfirma said:


> 2 years ago I mixed my Lemon Balm with Strawberry to ferment- but I just never like a Strawberry Wine.  It’s dry and potent, but I wish I had left it with just the Lemon Balm.
> I was worried it wouldn’t have flavor.
> It’s on my list for next Spring. I noticed after it flowers in the hot Summer, it has a fall surge. I’m going to taste to see where it is now?. Lemon Balm Sumac might be a really good combo? Happy fermenting.


As a gardener I hate lemon balm - I can't get rid of it. Keeps popping up everywhere. If my wine turns out well my disdain may be tempered a bit and I'll accept it...but I don't think I'll ever welcome it.


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## winemaker81 (Oct 17, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> As a gardener I hate lemon balm - I can't get rid of it. Keeps popping up everywhere. If my wine turns out well my disdain may be tempered a bit and I'll accept it...but I don't think I'll ever welcome it.


Look at it differently -- if the Lemon Balm comes out good, it gives you reason to be diligent in picking what's growing in inconvenient places!


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## BigDaveK (Oct 18, 2022)

winemaker81 said:


> Look at it differently -- if the Lemon Balm comes out good, it gives you reason to be diligent in picking what's growing in inconvenient places!


That's my thought. I have dozens of recipes where it's one of the ingredients. In my garden it goes from a sneaky little sprout to 2 feet across in one season.


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## sour_grapes (Oct 20, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> As a gardener I hate lemon balm - I can't get rid of it. Keeps popping up everywhere. If my wine turns out well my disdain may be tempered a bit and I'll accept it...but I don't think I'll ever welcome it.



When life hands you lemon balm.... Well, with @BigDaveK , you know the rest


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## BigDaveK (Oct 20, 2022)

sour_grapes said:


> When life hands you lemon balm.... Well, with @BigDaveK , you know the rest


We've had cold nights for a while but last night was below 30 for the first time. It breaks my heart to know my foraging fun is done till next year. 

Although...I have a couple possibilities using roots.


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## Terryfirma (Oct 22, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> We've had cold nights for a while but last night was below 30 for the first time. It breaks my heart to know my foraging fun is done till next year.
> 
> Although...I have a couple possibilities using roots.


Have you made Parsnip?. 
I have it on my goals list.. 
There is alway wintertime Cranberry wine ..:} 
And, clean -the-freezer wine.


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## BigDaveK (Oct 22, 2022)

Terryfirma said:


> Have you made Parsnip?.
> I have it on my goals list..
> There is alway wintertime Cranberry wine ..:}
> And, clean -the-freezer wine.


Haven't tried parsnip yet but it's going into the garden next year.
I made cranberry last year using fresh berries and absolutely loved it! Will make it again this year.
Clean the freezer? I haven't even started - blackberries, ground cherries, raspberries, mulberries, lychee tomatoes, tomatoes, pears, crab apples and 7 different peppers. I'll be taking 4 gallons of crabs out of the freezer today. Never used them before so it should be fun.


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## Jovimaple (Oct 22, 2022)

Terryfirma said:


> And, clean -the-freezer wine.


Freezer Hooch!


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## Terryfirma (Oct 22, 2022)

I think you will have plenty to keep you busy over the Winter!


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## BigDaveK (Oct 22, 2022)

Jovimaple said:


> Freezer Hooch!


Prison hooch is actually on my list, just for the heck of it. Juice, fruit cocktail, maybe lemons and/or oranges. I now have 2 rooms where wine yeast is probably floating around just waiting for something to do.


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## BigDaveK (Oct 22, 2022)

Terryfirma said:


> I think you will have plenty to keep you busy over the Winter!


That's for sure!
Though I need to get some started SOON. I don't have room for food!


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## BigDaveK (Nov 3, 2022)

Racked again.
Well, dammit, I've changed my mind about lemon balm.
After the first racking I thought it had an "herbal" lemon flavor that I didn't really care for. That's gone now...ah, the benefits of time and bulk aging! It's fruity, crisp, subtle lemon flavor, and I think a great summer wine.
I won't plant more since it's so darn invasive but I will use more of what I do have. In some of my older books lemon balm is one of the flavor elements in many recipes and now I know why. I'm happy so far and will probably use the heck out of it next year.


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