# Chickweed Wine



## MedPretzel (Apr 21, 2006)

I have started a chickweed wine.


What is chickweed?












That is it. What grows in lawns and eventually takes them over.





I started it this morning, and it smells very earthy. I steeped the chickweed for about 1.5 hours and the water is very brown.


I will add the remaining ingredients tonight, once it has cooled off.





I am modifying Jack Keller's recipe, and will post this evening when I know what's up. Mr. Keller says it's a very good wine, and he would make it over and over again. I am making ~1 gallon.














M.


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## earl (Apr 21, 2006)

Amazing! 


Have you ever done a pine needle wine? What would you say is your most "exotic" wine?


earl


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## MedPretzel (Apr 21, 2006)

Earl,





No, I have never done a pine needle wine. It should be loaded with Vitamin C, though. But.... You need to make 1000% sure what kind of pine you have. Some are poisonous, some are not. It's critical...





My most exotic wine is hard to say. I make purely "exotic" wines in most people's viewpoint. Chrysanthemum, for example, has become a staple in this house. My mother is planting marigolds this year because she wants the marigold wine again.



She's also definitely told me to pick her daylilies this year because she wants another batch of that one too.






I can only list what I have made thus far, in no particular order. You can pick what the most exotic of it is:
<UL>
<LI>Daylily</LI>
<LI>Lilac/Apple</LI>
<LI>Rose-hip</LI>
<LI>Chrysanthemum</LI>
<LI>Basil</LI>
<LI>Tomato</LI>
<LI>Tomato-Basil</LI>
<LI>Rosemary Nutmeg</LI>
<LI>Anise-Banana-Elderberry</LI>
<LI>Pumpkin-Spice</LI>
<LI>Marigold - both yellow and orange and a mix of both</LI>
<LI>Red Clover</LI>
<LI>Passion flower</LI>
<LI>Juniper Berry</LI>
<LI>Elderberry</LI>
<LI>Onion</LI>
<LI>Chamomile</LI>
<LI>Beet</LI>
<LI>Sage</LI>
<LI>Squash-Caraway</LI>
<LI>Hibiscus</LI>
<LI>Chocolate Mint</LI>
<LI>Mint-Lemon Balm</LI>
<LI>Green/String Bean</LI>
<LI>Carrot</LI>
<LI>Potato</LI>
<LI>Dandelion</LI>
<LI>Cabbage</LI>
<LI>Coffee</LI>
<LI>Ginseng-Yarrow-Mullein (GYM)</LI>[/list]


I am currently making a "hibiscus-clover-honey" (half honey, half sugar), and a basil-dill wine, along with the chickweed wine. About a month ago, I started a Caribbean Port - Blueberry-Hibiscus....


Some turned out extremely good (Sage, Choco-Mint, Dandelion) and some turned out putrid (GYM wine, Cabbage, Coffee). I have also made various fruit wines - blueberry, peach, plum, apple, melon-mix, banana-cinnamon, strawberry, and probably some others. To varying success.


I'm dabbling a little with spices now, and I hope I find a good middle-ground. I also am intrigued by some medicinal properties of certain herbs/spices/berries, and it is a challenge for me to find the "perfect" dose -- not to induce abortion, for example (ginger), or to have the perfect good-tasting antidepressant (passionflower - but that's still up in the air). Very risky, and I don't make much of those types of wines, but it's such a challenge which I enjoy. Rose-hips, for example are loaded with vitamin-c, and the fermentation process does not impair the goodness of it, as far as I know. Caraway, for example is a great digestif - perfect for after a meal, because it helps digest fats. Garlic is great for the circulation, so it's probably even better in wine. Ginseng is good for circulation as well. 


But the emphasis is getting the dosage right. I do not suggest anyone makes those types of wines without properly consulting homeopathic/herbal medicine books.


I opened up a cab-sav kit wine, however, tonight. I bought it about a year ago from George, and I have to say, yummmmmmmy after a year.



I still love "normal" wines!!!!












M.


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## MedPretzel (Apr 21, 2006)

My recipe:
<UL>
<LI>1.5 quarts loosely packed chickweed</LI>
<LI>2.5 pounds sugar</LI>
<LI>1/2 tsp pectic enzyme</LI>
<LI>1 tsp acid blend</LI>
<LI>1/2 tsp yeast nutrient</LI>
<LI>1/4 tsp tannin</LI>
<LI>1/4 tsp yeast energizer</LI>
<LI>Red Star Montrachet yeast</LI>
<LI>water to 1 gallon (mine turned out to be a bit more)</LI>[/list]


Boil water, add sugar. Pour over chickweed in primary. Steep for 2+ hours, and remove chickweed. Let cool, add remaining ingredients except yeast. Let sit overnight, and add yeast the next day. 


Starting SG 1.080


Smells very earthy and beety.


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## peterCooper (Apr 21, 2006)

Martina,

If you run out of chickweed, I have some in my yard that I'd be prepared to 
swap for some wine


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## MedPretzel (Apr 22, 2006)

I was going to offer you guys to come to my house for a chickweed pulling party, but thought it might be too.... bold.


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## MedPretzel (May 12, 2006)

racked to glass the other day...





Starting to smell like wine!





M.


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## Pepere (May 14, 2006)

chickwed? Man, If I pull the chickweed in my yard I'll have no lawn. I figure if God wanted me to have a lawn he'd have planted itbefore I built the house. Besides, I operate Club Med for moles and voles.


Hey Med, what does chickweed go for by the ton? You supply the rec. and I'll supply the chickweed.


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## djcoop (May 14, 2006)

Shoot! an anti-depressant wine?? I'm *all* over it!! Let me know how that one works for you! I've heard of being a happy drunk, but this takes it to a whole new level.


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## poppysue (Aug 1, 2006)

Martina, I'm interested in the lemon Balm wine you made. How did that one turn out? I've seen recipes for "Balm" wine... but I never sure what kind of "balm" they're refering too. I have lemon balm &amp; bee balm in my garden. Was thinking I might give one or the other a try.


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