# Magnolia petal wine



## ed71 (Apr 23, 2014)

Hey guys, tried to find everywhere on the internet and could only find one topic on using magnolia flower petals. The guy mentioned having some success but his was the only one. 

So going off of that I went out picked my mothers magnolia flower petals off her tree and gathered about half a 5 gallon bucket full. Put 4 gallons of water and boiled it and then let it steep for 1 day. After draining it looked more like a tea than a wine.

So not liking the color, I added a can of blueberry pie filling to give it color. Measured the gravity and knew already 10 pounds of sugar would have to be added. Once done it came to about 1.80 gravity and pitched the yeast

Hoping it works out well in 2 months. Not sure how magnolia tea would taste like made into a wine.


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## Jericurl (Apr 28, 2014)

My mother would kill me if I picked that many magnolia flowers off of her tree!

I'll be following this. I am definitely interested in flower wines.


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## jensmith (Apr 29, 2014)

Killing would be the least of my worries if I pick my mothers prized magnolia pettels!! Not sure I even want to steal any licac blooms either! 


Sent from my iPod touch using Wine Making


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## ed71 (Apr 29, 2014)

Well my mother kept saying that the Magnolia's are poisonous. So I did a long online search to find if this was true. I couldnt find any evidence that they are poisonous to humans. (However, I did find something that it might be poisonous to dogs and cats..not really evidence more like a snippet on some garden forum)

In fact, I found that Magnolia petals are used to make a relaxing sedative like tea. Supposedly, it helps relieve asthma and help with digestive problems when drank. (Chinese medicinal properties of the flower)

Hopefully I might get the same properties when used as a wine.

I had originally made my experimental wines out of dollar store juices, and blueberry pie filling (canned). All seem to have come out good after about 3 months being very dry (which eventually got drunk down)

However this time, I didnt want to spend a single penny on making 5 gallons of wine. So the only thing available at the time (spring) was the blooming pinkish white Magnolia flowers. Only thing I spent was on 10 pounds of sugar and one packet of Lalvin EC1116. Thats about 7 bucks. (already had a can of blueberry pie filling)


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## StoneCreek (May 7, 2014)

hmmm... this sounds interesting. I am definately going to be following this one. Here in south GA magnolias are everywhere and grow like weeds most everywhere you look.


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## seth8530 (May 7, 2014)

Hey just a heads up, sounds like a really cool project, but when working with herbs it pays to know for a fact how they will interact with the user. I'm a little paranoid about such things but better safe than sorry right?


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## BernardSmith (May 8, 2014)

seth8530 said:


> Hey just a heads up, sounds like a really cool project, but when working with herbs it pays to know for a fact how they will interact with the user. I'm a little paranoid about such things but better safe than sorry right?



In support of Seth: Something which is not routinely consumed but which has a measurable effect on the body (treating asthma or digestion for example) may inhibit or dramatically enhance other medications that the user takes. Gentle paranoia may not be so misplaced. Whether or not magnolia petals have a medicinal use I have no idea but if they in fact do, then I would be cautious about assuming that it will not interact with other over the counter (OTC) or prescription meds that may be taken by those drinking.


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## ed71 (May 8, 2014)

Well my batch is now 1.20. It got stuck at around 1.30 and stayed that way for a while. I just added more nutrients and another pack of EC-1116 and its bubbling away.

I too have considered whether its medicinal uses will have an effect on me. (since I can drink alot) So Im gonna test it in by a few glasses besides a whole bottle.

Since its mostly for digestion, and the potency and quality of our Magnolia tree, I would have to say it might be weak. But since Ive never made Magnolia tea and never felt its effect, who knows.

Ive tried other herbal teas and made some other ones myself. The ones in the back yard tended to be very mild and to some, not very potent at all. (mint)

But yes, one should be cautious and do their homework, or at least make a cup of Magnolia tea to see its effects.


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## Jericurl (May 13, 2014)

Check your numbers...I think you mean 1.02 and 1.03.

We have a tiny magnolia in our backyard and it has exactly one bloom on it that opened today.
That is my absolute favorite fragrance. When commercial perfumeries try to replicate it, they fail so badly.

Have you tasted it yet?


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## ed71 (May 14, 2014)

nope...the numbers are what I stated. This week it was 1.10. Im not sure what caused it to be stuck, maybe temperature or not enough nutrient. But its moving along slowly.

Took a taste of it and to me, it was somewhat sweet. But I assume this is because its at 1.10. However I like my wine dry. Probably be done next week.


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## sour_grapes (May 14, 2014)

ed71 said:


> nope...the numbers are what I stated. This week it was 1.10. Im not sure what caused it to be stuck, maybe temperature or not enough nutrient. But its moving along slowly.
> 
> Took a taste of it and to me, it was somewhat sweet. But I assume this is because its at 1.10. However I like my wine dry. Probably be done next week.



Simply stated, hydrometers do not go up as high as what you are reporting. No yeast would be able to ferment from 1.300 to 1.100. Look at this picture:






This is reading a SG of approximately 1.040.


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## sour_grapes (May 14, 2014)

Here is another good tutorial on reading a hydrometer: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f5/how-use-hydrometer-newbies-16574/


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## ed71 (May 16, 2014)

Yes I know this. Found out in my dollar store juice wine. Its mostly a shot in air unless I use one of those refracters and get a "real" on the points number.

But its still bubbling, so I figure let it bubble till it clears out. (Or drink it early)


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## sour_grapes (May 16, 2014)

ed71 said:


> nope...the numbers are what I stated. This week it was 1.10.





sour_grapes said:


> Here is another good tutorial on reading a hydrometer: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f5/how-use-hydrometer-newbies-16574/





ed71 said:


> Yes I know this.



You're welcome.


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## ed71 (May 17, 2014)

My bust, sorry for the rudeness. (forgot that Im talking to a senior more experienced wine maker)

In the last couple of threads of my dollar store wine, one of the guys did mention that the measuring of gravity didnt just measure sugar itself, but whatever is in the wine displacing the alcohol.

This being a shock to me, I realized there might be other factors contributing to incorrect measurements. 

Strange to say the wine is still not done. Took a sample taste, and either its spoiled, or its not done yet. (still cloudy, tastes very sharp of alcohol and has a yeast like flavor)

Im just hoping its not spoiled. (but Id probably water it down and drink it anyways)


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## sour_grapes (May 17, 2014)

ed71 said:


> My bust, sorry for the rudeness. (forgot that Im talking to a senior more experienced wine maker)



Thank you for the kind words, but I am actually pretty new to this hobby. I do try to be polite to everyone, however, regardless of their degree of experience.



> In the last couple of threads of my dollar store wine, one of the guys did mention that the measuring of gravity didnt just measure sugar itself, but whatever is in the wine displacing the alcohol.
> 
> This being a shock to me, I realized there might be other factors contributing to incorrect measurements.



I tried to find the thread you referenced to help me understand, but was unable to. It is true that the SG of the must is influenced by everything dissolved in it, not just sugars. However, by far and away, the most significant factors are sugar, water, and alcohol. You can safely ignore everything else.

What exactly makes you believe that any of your measurements is incorrect?


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## ed71 (May 17, 2014)

Well I put 10 pounds of sugar but I couldnt measure the high fructose corn syrup in the can of blueberrys.


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## ed71 (May 18, 2014)

forgot to mention that the hydrometer reading is two marks below .999. Not sure if thats .996 or .997 and its still bubbling away, so Im guessing its near done.


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## seth8530 (May 18, 2014)

Looks like your ferment is moving on along. I would take measurements daily now to see if it looks like it has stopped. If it has, I would then rack to secondary.


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## ed71 (May 18, 2014)

Ok guys decided to draw off a bit into a used whisky bottle and try it. (used the larger auto siphon hose) After the lees settled in the bottled (only after about 8 hours...not sure why it settled, while the 5 gallon bucket keeps bubbling?)

Poured off the clearer stuff while trying to keep the sediment from entering glass. Unfortunately, for you Magnolia lovers out there, I cannot detect the smell of Magnolias.

I tried to use my sister in law, (which by the way has a very keen nose for things...eh hemm but not wine) could not detect anything of any flower or Magnolia. She said it smelled like wine.

This only leads to several conclusions:

1. I did not use enough Magnolia petals. Half a 5 gallon of petals might not be enough. Maybe 5 gallons of petals (and not loosely but compacted by hand in a 5 gallon bucket...used half a 5 gallon bucket somewhat loosely)

2. The amount of alcohol is overpowering the scent of Magnolias...maybe less alcohol and drunk quite early with no aging might help. I noticed the taste is quite strong in alcohol and the legs in the glass are that of a very strong wine. (Im not sure if there is a number of legs one can determine this....but there are many)

3. The potency of the Magnolias of my mothers backyard are somewhat weak and not very potent in scent or in any herbal strength. 

4. The addition of a can of blueberry pie filing may have masked some of the scents of the flower. (maybe should have used grape juice as a colorer?)

5. The process is not totally finished and maybe some aging of the alcohol would lessen the harshness of the alcohol.

However, it makes a good get drunk wine made out very little money. Its not bad and its strong (but yet, not just fermented sugar) Yes I drank the whole bottle and for you guys worried about the herbal effects...no effects at all.

But maybe I suspect I didnt use enough Magnolia petals. Maybe it acutally takes 15 gallons of loosely collected petals or 5 gallons of compressed petals (by hand and not by 1000 pound machine)

But then again, it all might taste better if aged or maybe racked a few times


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## ed71 (May 24, 2014)

Ok guys have racked off my wine into 1 gallon jugs for about a week. It has cleared up well (well it really didnt have much haze since it was tea like)

took another glass and decided to allow my mother to try it. (well it was her tree that I used the petals from)

At first she did mention that she could smell the Magnolias in it and she was amazed anyone could do such a thing with her tree petals.

Unfortunately, after she drank a small bit, she could only smell and taste strong alcohol from there on after. The sweet smell of Magnolias fizzing away at the power of 10 pounds of fermented sugar.

Although I like it myself, and will probably hold up itself for aging. Maybe such an experiment would have gone better with a smaller amount of sugar added and drunk very early or to use much much more Magnolia petals.

Either way, Im happy with it. It was the cheapest wine made for me as of yet.


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