# Has anyone made honeysuckle wine?



## BigDaveK (May 28, 2022)

I'm about to start my Annual Futile Honeysuckle Removal-athon. Best I can hope for is to marginally control it. The flowers should be opening this week and I look at those vines and see wine!

I'll probably go with Keller's recipe for the first time. Has anyone made honeysuckle wine? What did you think of it? Should I make 1 gallon or bump it up to 10 or 20 gallons. I can - I have honeysuckle everywhere, dammit.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 2, 2022)

Almost 5 days! No responses? Where is everybody? (Where have I read that recently?)

I noticed that my honeysuckle vines had white and yellow flowers. After some research, yellow flowers are older. The white flowers actually tasted good, a little sweet, but the yellow were noticeably bitter. I stuck with mostly white.

Too easy - stood and picked, moved 5 feet, stood and picked, done - 7 cups.
Yeast tomorrow.
Unfortunately it's one of those damn wait-a-year-before-tasting wines.


----------



## vinny (Jun 2, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Almost 5 days! No responses? Where is everybody? (Where have I read that recently?)
> 
> I noticed that my honeysuckle vines had white and yellow flowers. After some research, yellow flowers are older. The white flowers actually tasted good, a little sweet, but the yellow were noticeably bitter. I stuck with mostly white.
> 
> ...


Hi Dave, I've never made it so can't offer any insight. 

I've got your back though. You got this!


----------



## ChuckD (Jun 2, 2022)

So what species is this. We have tartarian honeysuckle ( Lonicera tatarica), an invasive bush… not a vine.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 3, 2022)

ChuckD said:


> So what species is this. We have tartarian honeysuckle ( Lonicera tatarica), an invasive bush… not a vine.


It's very possibly Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japanica). Grows everywhere but seems to only flower once it gets vertical, which can be 15 to 20 feet.

I have the bush type near the pond. Invasive also but a little easier to control. I'll have to taste it today.

I also have a problem with the burning bush. Very invasive, pull hundreds each year. At least it grows a little slower. Areas I clear will have native ferns growing in a year or two.


----------



## winemaker81 (Jun 3, 2022)

Oddly enough, I stopped at my LHBS yesterday and the guy on duty (relatively new, don't know his name) mentioned he had a batch of honey suckle wine in progress. He said it was delicious. We compared to dandelion, and he said the effort for honey suckle was trivial.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 3, 2022)

winemaker81 said:


> Oddly enough, I stopped at my LHBS yesterday and the guy on duty (relatively new, don't know his name) mentioned he had a batch of honey suckle wine in progress. He said it was delicious. We compared to dandelion, and he said the effort for honey suckle was trivial.


Wow, thanks for that, Bryan!
The effort truly is trivial. I have a window of opportunity here and may have to get another (or larger) batch going.

Also oddly enough, I just discovered that the Hocking Hills Winery which is 2 miles down the road from me make/sell a honey suckle wine.


----------



## vinny (Jun 3, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Also oddly enough, I just discovered that the Hocking Hills Winery which is 2 miles down the road from me make/sell a honey suckle wine.


Sounds like the perfect opportunity to have a taste before a fella makes a huge batch, or lets his harvest go to waste.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 3, 2022)

vinny said:


> Sounds like the perfect opportunity to have a taste before a fella makes a huge batch, or lets his harvest go to waste.


Well.....
Sounds like a good idea but -
Tourism is the #1 industry in the county. I would have to mingle (however briefly) with tourists. For the most part, rude condescending SOB's.
And after further research I found that their wine is grape based and 24 bucks a bottle. I'll let the tourists fork over the dough.

I decided to do a second batch, different recipe, took me 15 minutes to pick 6 cups.

To recap, I picked enough flowers for 2 batches of wine from about 20 feet of fence line. Lordy, there's a boatload more!


----------



## vinny (Jun 3, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Sounds like a good idea but -
> Tourism is the #1 industry in the county. I would have to mingle (however briefly) with tourists. For the most part, rude condescending SOB's.


No need to explain. I live in the woods!


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 4, 2022)

vinny said:


> No need to explain. I live in the woods!


Me too.
We're advertised as "Ohio's Outdoor Wonderland". An incredible place to live.

My pond is almost an acre. Every summer I chase away people fishing at least half a dozen times. I really like it when they say they have permission from the owner!!!!
And I have to lock up my canoe and kayaks because they'll use them.

If I had the money I'd have "No Trespassing" etched in boulders so I wouldn't have to replace them so often.


----------



## winemaker81 (Jun 4, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> If I had the money I'd have "No Trespassing" etched in boulders so I wouldn't have to replace them so often.


Any concrete areas? Use paint to draw a permanent outline of a body .....


----------



## Sailor323 (Jun 4, 2022)

I made honeysuckle wine many years ago.
2 1/4 pints blossoms, 1/4 lb raisins, juice of one lemon, juice of one orange, 1 tsp tannin, 1 gal H2O, Yeast (probably EC1118 but I'd probably use QA23 today), DAP. My notes: I put the must in primary for one week, racked into secondary with airlock after one week, racked again one month later. Taste at that time, a bit rough, raw. About one month later, bottled. "This wine very pleasant as sipping wine. . ."


----------



## vinny (Jun 4, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Me too.
> We're advertised as "Ohio's Outdoor Wonderland". An incredible place to live.
> 
> My pond is almost an acre. Every summer I chase away people fishing at least half a dozen times. I really like it when they say they have permission from the owner!!!!
> ...


Most people are pretty respectful, but some are just dicks. Not sure how some people get so entitled, but they do!

I found a guy baiting bears on my place. Completely illegal (and ignorant) within the distance of all my neighbors. He came out from the city, and had all the finest camo hunting gear you could find. Just forgot to buy a clue. 

Another guy was cutting wood. I drove by his truck on the road. Walked in to where he was from the center of the property and scared the $#^! out of him. He told me it was crown land ( Canadian Gov. holdings). I told him he was mistaken. Then he went on to explain how it was good for the land to be selectively harvested. 'I won't take much more. Do you mind?'

I said, yes. Even had you had the courtesy to ask.. 

He walked in off the main road 20 yards off my private property sign, which are all 15 feet in the trees, eye level from the road, but too high to be pulled down. 

You would think you would be more respectful in the country. There's bears and cougars all over this area, and shotguns are no less common. 

My neighbors are in their 70's. They have diamond signs all down the driveway on their power poles. The first one has an elderly couple walking with a cane. As you progress towards their house they increase their readiness to protect themselves. In the last one, Gramma is right behind the old man with her shotgun in hand, as well. It's cute... But they mean it.


----------



## vinny (Jun 4, 2022)

Do you have a continuous water source for your pond? I would like one. My neighbor has a large one. He often finds moose swimming in it. His is spring fed so he doesn't have to worry about dropping levels in the heat of summer. I suspect it would be half full most of the summer without topping it up, which isn't too attractive, and it's an extra burden I don't want on the well or the pump..


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 4, 2022)

vinny said:


> Do you have a continuous water source for your pond? I would like one. My neighbor has a large one. He often finds moose swimming in it. His is spring fed so he doesn't have to worry about dropping levels in the heat of summer. I suspect it would be half full most of the summer without topping it up, which isn't too attractive, and it's an extra burden I don't want on the well or the pump..


Yes, spring fed. Has never stopped. Beautiful clear water.
I also have what I think are called wet springs. A while after a heavy rain I'll have water coming out of the ground in 2 other places.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 4, 2022)

Honeysuckle update -
It breaks my heart but I'm stopping at 2 batches. I conservatively estimate enough flowers for 10 more gallons.

This will be an interesting test. The recipes are night and day how they treat the flowers. Keller's recipe uses boiling water and makes a honeysuckle tea first - a common procedure. The other recipe just dumps them into the primary.

Now it's a matter of time. I guess I'll update here how they taste at first racking and again in maybe a year.


----------



## vinny (Jun 4, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Honeysuckle update -
> It breaks my heart but I'm stopping at 2 batches. I conservatively estimate enough flowers for 10 more gallons.
> 
> This will be an interesting test. The recipes are night and day how they treat the flowers. Keller's recipe uses boiling water and makes a honeysuckle tea first - a common procedure. The other recipe just dumps them into the primary.
> ...


At first I was concerned, but carrots will be up soon enough! 

Hopefully next year your annual removal-athon will become an exciting harvest. You might actually be disappointed that you don't have more.


----------



## thebarter (Jun 5, 2022)

Hi i made 3 gallons of honey suckel a couple of years ago a very good wine sweet and easy to clear almost like mead in flavour


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 6, 2022)

thebarter said:


> Hi i made 3 gallons of honey suckel a couple of years ago a very good wine sweet and easy to clear almost like mead in flavour



Thanks! That's good to know!
I might have to make another batch!


----------



## David Violante (Jun 6, 2022)

Dave I’m interested to see how you do those… maybe one in the boiling water tea and the other just in the primary to see if there’s a big difference…


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 6, 2022)

vinny said:


> Hopefully next year your annual removal-athon will become an exciting harvest. You might actually be disappointed that you don't have more.


My annual removal-athon is concentrated around the house and gardens. In other areas it will cover trees.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 6, 2022)

David Violante said:


> Dave I’m interested to see how you do those… maybe one in the boiling water tea and the other just in the primary to see if there’s a big difference…


It's far too early to get an idea, of course, but the fresh flower batch smells wonderful. The tea seems to have lost the floral fragrance.


----------



## David Violante (Jun 6, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> It's far too early to get an idea, of course, but the fresh flower batch smells wonderful. The tea seems to have lost the floral fragrance.


Interesting…. Hmmm…


----------



## cmason1957 (Jun 6, 2022)

When I had made elderflower wine, during fermentation those smells seemed to go away as well, but often came back. Do be extra careful with oxidation chances and avoid them. Those delicate wines seem to have particular issues with that.


----------



## Snafflebit (Jun 6, 2022)

Honeysuckle took over the farm in Missouri after we sold the cattle. I used to think it was nice!


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 6, 2022)

Snafflebit said:


> Honeysuckle took over the farm in Missouri after we sold the cattle. I used to think it was nice!


Amazing how fast it grows.
Near the house and gardens I'll pull it from the roots - which seem to be every 8 inches! Other parts of the property I'll just cut at ground level to give the trees a chance. Seems like weed killer makes them play dead.


----------



## winemaker81 (Jun 6, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Amazing how fast it grows.
> Near the house and gardens I'll pull it from the roots - which seem to be every 8 inches! Other parts of the property I'll just cut at ground level to give the trees a chance. Seems like weed killer makes them play dead.


Napalm!


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 7, 2022)

winemaker81 said:


> Napalm!


And as I recall you suggested buckshot for spiders. I like the way you think.

Actually, I have a recipe I've been itching to try. Crazy easy to make.


----------



## FlamingoEmporium (Jun 7, 2022)

Weed killer, (undiluted) directly on the fresh cut stem will kill it. 

but I’m anxious to see how the napalm experiment goes.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 7, 2022)

FlamingoEmporium said:


> Weed killer, (undiluted) directly on the fresh cut stem will kill it.
> 
> but I’m anxious to see how the napalm experiment goes.


I agree undiluted weed killer works great. I've even used it on small unwelcome trees with a taproot.

Unfortunately, the honeysuckle is very similar to strawberries - sends out runners, they root and send out runners, and so on.

It's interesting in one part of the property - the honeysuckle is covering multiflora rose, another aggressive invasive plant. I'm going to let them duke it out.

Need one more common item for my experiment. I love copycat recipes.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jun 20, 2022)

Both in secondary.
Tea version on left. Flowers in primary on right, also has 1/2 cup raisins. (I haven't seen golden raisins in a while.)

Both taste good at this point. I'll make a larger batch next year of the winner.


----------



## David Violante (Jul 13, 2022)

Dave, I’m curious about what direction you’re going in making flower wines now… making a tea or fermenting the flowers in primary. Have you tasted the two different versions of your honeysuckle? It’s probably too early… just wondering which way you’ve decided to go.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jul 13, 2022)

David Violante said:


> Dave, I’m curious about what direction you’re going in making flower wines now… making a tea or fermenting the flowers in primary. Have you tasted the two different versions of your honeysuckle? It’s probably too early… just wondering which way you’ve decided to go.


I tasted them when I transferred to secondary and they were both good but that was way to early to get an idea. First racking is in the near future and that should give a better indication.

I'm evolving and using a hybrid method. 
I don't wash my flowers. Seems to me there should be some flavor in the pollen and nectar - at least I hope so. Now I pour hot not boiling water (200F) on the flowers AND leave them in primary. That temp is easily hot enough to kill things. I like doing it so far but time will tell.


----------



## David Violante (Jul 14, 2022)

I like your idea... there's a lot of goodness in the blooms, very much like the idea of raw honey vs. pasteurized. Very cool - can't wait to see how it's turning out. I think I'm going to try a lily wine based on your experience. Thank you for all the updates they are great ~


----------



## BigDaveK (Jul 18, 2022)

Racked!
Clearing nicely!
Flavors changing. At this point the tea version tastes like wine. Best way to describe it. Nothing special. Maybe chardonnay if I wanted to be VERY generous. Will not use this method again.

The other has so much flavor! Very happy! Fruity. Couldn't taste as much as I wanted because I was concerned about head space.


----------



## ChuckD (Jul 18, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Racked!
> Clearing nicely!
> Flavors changing. At this point the tea version tastes like wine. Best way to describe it. Nothing special. Maybe chardonnay if I wanted to be VERY generous. Will not use this method again.
> 
> ...


Excellent experiment! I made elderberry wine last year and still don’t really like it. And every commercial elderberry gets the same reaction… “ehh”. Maybe I’m just not an elderberry fan. I hear good things about elderberry flower wine though. And I’m seeing bushes everywhere now. Maybe next year I’ll give it a go.


----------



## David Violante (Jul 19, 2022)

Dave, great stuff… thank you for the update! I am at the end of primary fermentation on a lily wine based on the hybrid tea and leave in method. I imagine it works well for some things but it may be too much for others. Great to hear you really like the second one, and that the first one is at least drinkable!


----------



## BigDaveK (Jul 19, 2022)

David Violante said:


> Dave, great stuff… thank you for the update! I am at the end of primary fermentation on a lily wine based on the hybrid tea and leave in method. I imagine it works well for some things but it may be too much for others. Great to hear you really like the second one, and that the first one is at least drinkable!


I made these just before I started experimenting with increased flavor element quantities. Perhaps increasing the flowers for the tea wine would help. Possibly/probably. At this point I have no desire to find out - other things to do. I'll call it a success because I learned something and I made wine. Unfortunately it's a boring wine.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jul 19, 2022)

ChuckD said:


> Excellent experiment! I made elderberry wine last year and still don’t really like it. And every commercial elderberry gets the same reaction… “ehh”. Maybe I’m just not an elderberry fan. I hear good things about elderberry flower wine though. And I’m seeing bushes everywhere now. Maybe next year I’ll give it a go.


I'd like to try elderberry and elder flower. I've had one bush near the pond for 10 years. It's not spreading - somebody's slacking.


----------



## FlamingoEmporium (Jul 19, 2022)

On a semi related note the plumeria wine is starting to taste a little off.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jul 19, 2022)

FlamingoEmporium said:


> On a semi related note the plumeria wine is starting to taste a little off.


Bummer.
Gonna try to put a positive spin - maybe less sugar and more alcohol are affecting the perception of the flavor? Perhaps when the time comes some back sweetening will work.


----------



## vinny (Jul 19, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> I made these just before I started experimenting with increased flavor element quantities. Perhaps increasing the flowers for the tea wine would help. Possibly/probably. At this point I have no desire to find out - other things to do. I'll call it a success because I learned something and I made wine. Unfortunately it's a boring wine.


If it's a boring wine, that just means as the wine maker you are not done done yet. You have learned that it does not make a great wine, but is it a decent base to add something to? I am pretty sure it was VinesnBines that said wine is ready when it tastes good. You can tweak it even after it has been bottled. Make it what you want it to be.

You have an alcoholic wine base. Play with it. Add all those weird flavors you want to add to seconday, but don't know what they will do. Anise, jalapeno, pepper, coffee, chocolate, cardamom? fruits and rinds? Juices? Berries?I dunno, but it seems like a good place to play to me

Just 'cause it's boring doesn't mean all the learning is done.


----------



## FlamingoEmporium (Jul 19, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Bummer.
> Gonna try to put a positive spin - maybe less sugar and more alcohol are affecting the perception of the flavor? Perhaps when the time comes some back sweetening will work.


Yeah. I’ll take a bigger sample later this week.


----------



## BigDaveK (Jul 19, 2022)

vinny said:


> If it's a boring wine, that just means as the wine maker you are not done done yet. You have learned that it does not make a great wine, but is it a decent base to add something to? I am pretty sure it was VinesnBines that said wine is ready when it tastes good. You can tweak it even after it has been bottled. Make it what you want it to be.
> 
> You have an alcoholic wine base. Play with it. Add all those weird flavors you want to add to seconday, but don't know what they will do. Anise, jalapeno, pepper, coffee, chocolate, cardamom? fruits and rinds? Juices? Berries?I dunno, but it seems like a good place to play to me
> 
> Just 'cause it's boring doesn't mean all the learning is done.


HOLEY MOLEY I'M SLACKING!

I've been curious about star anise, coffee grounds, and dutch process cocoa. Pepper comes later - I have 16 varieties in the garden, super sweet to super hot. Dammit, sometimes the brain just doesn't work. You're absolutely right - I have a good neutral wine (that means boring) to use as a blank canvas.

Thanks @vinny!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## vinny (Jul 19, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Dammit, sometimes the brain just doesn't work. You're absolutely right - I have a good neutral wine (that means boring) to use as a blank canvas.


Sometimes you just need to change perspective to see there's still a win there. This is why I'm trying so much, I can always make it something else. 



BigDaveK said:


> Thanks @vinny!!!!!!!!!


You are welcome, but it's not purely selfless. I am sure you will have some interesting findings to report back.


----------



## BigDaveK (Aug 2, 2022)

Ok, @vinny - I did it.
About 2 weeks ago I split the boring wine into quart jars and used peppercorns, star anise, dutch process cocoa, and coffee grounds. I tried to estimate how much I'd use in a gallon then divided by 4. And I have a small unflavored as a control.

I still want to play with cardamom, clove, caraway, and vanilla.

Thanks, again. Great suggestion. I'm still PO'd that I didn't think of it.


----------



## BigDaveK (Nov 2, 2022)

Racked this morning, Honeysuckle #2.
This is the one where the flowers were included in primary.
Clearing very nicely and it's delicious! Fruity. Will benefit from back sweetening.
I will _definitely_ make this again. I'll probably increase the amount of flowers and try EC1118. I'm wondering if I should stop using 71B for my flower wines because I _loved_ the result in my day lily wine. I'll find out!


----------



## vinny (Nov 7, 2022)

BigDaveK said:


> Ok, @vinny - I did it.
> About 2 weeks ago I split the boring wine into quart jars and used peppercorns, star anise, dutch process cocoa, and coffee grounds. I tried to estimate how much I'd use in a gallon then divided by 4. And I have a small unflavored as a control.
> 
> I still want to play with cardamom, clove, caraway, and vanilla.
> ...


 Somehow I completely missed this post!  WTH?

I love it! 3 months later... Have you got any tasting notes?

The beauty of doing this is going to be adding the same ingredients to primary to see how fermentation changes the end flavor compared to infusing in secondary. It will also give you an idea of whether you even want it anywhere near your wine before proceeding!

Exciting stuff.


----------



## BigDaveK (Nov 8, 2022)

vinny said:


> Somehow I completely missed this post!  WTH?
> 
> I love it! 3 months later... Have you got any tasting notes?
> 
> ...


I agree, I'm really curious about the differences between infusing and fermenting. My gut feeling is fermenting would have the most affect. A good or bad affect, I don't know. On my list...

I used 1 star anise and a tablespoon of each of the others. 
I like anise but was disappointed with the star anise. My anise hyssop had much better flavor. I may have to try anise seeds instead.
There was varying color extraction with the others. The coffee grounds gave a "mocha" kind of flavor which has possibilities. The cocoa added virtually nothing. The peppercorns added a subtle "spiciness". I think the relatively small quantities had a role. I'll have to try it again in the future, increasing quantities and variety of spices.

Here's something extra - I currently have a 3-gallon pear dessert in primary and added cloves. I read here to be careful with cloves so I only added 3 per gallon. Wow, those little guys are potent! So far the flavor is perfect for me but I can see how they would _easily_ overpower if you're not careful.


----------

