# flowers



## gird123 (May 7, 2011)

I started picking dandelion and I only picked about 1/5 of a 1 gallon bag, and I had no more. I think I need to go to the park.

We have some really big lilac bushes on our property. Has any one made lilac wine? http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques91.asp

Nate


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## gird123 (May 8, 2011)

I picked 2# of lilac flowers today. How careful do I need to be with the green? I'm getting mostly flowers, but there is a little stem?

Nate


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## woodsxdragon (May 8, 2011)

i wanna do a lilac infusion in mead this summer... but i'm kinda worried that it will end up soapy tasting...


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## mmadmikes1 (May 9, 2011)

If you go to park dont go where the dogs go. I DE-stemmed 5 gallons of Dandelion flowers today. Good luck, my back hurts


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## ffemt128 (May 9, 2011)

I too was driving around yesterday thinking about picking dandilions.


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## Julie (May 9, 2011)

Have any of you ever drink dandelion wine? I have and it is pretty nasty tasting especially for all the work you have to go through to make it.


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## Runningwolf (May 9, 2011)

I have to admit my bil has made it several times. I tried it once and it was quiet good. The next couple of times it was terrible.


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## ffemt128 (May 9, 2011)

Julie said:


> Have any of you ever drink dandelion wine? I have and it is pretty nasty tasting especially for all the work you have to go through to make it.





Runningwolf said:


> I have to admit my bil has made it several times. I tried it once and it was quiet good. The next couple of times it was terrible.




We have friends in Somerset that make it. I have to admit theirs was the only dandilion wine I ever tried and it was very good. Just have to find a good recipe I guess..


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## Julie (May 9, 2011)

The one I tasted was from a local winery. Actually when we tasted it she said "sip, now wait, sip again, now wait, sip again and now how does it taste?" The first two sips were real nasty, the third was better but still did not care for it.

Yes I would say it probably depends on the recipe.


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## Runningwolf (May 9, 2011)

I believe there are a bunch of people that try to make it that have never made any other wine and just don't know all of the rules..3p's!


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## mmadmikes1 (May 9, 2011)

Dandalion wine that some one makes and does not get all the green out,SUCKS.
I don't know if it is worth the work, but good dandalion wine is rare and that is why I am making it. I picked out green pieces for 4 hours. I used mandrian oranges(zest and juice) to get good PH and an apple juice yeast starter. Used 7B 1122 yeast and am fermentiong it at 68 degrees. Starting SG was 1.087. I hope I don't have to pour it out. but if I do. It happens


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## gird123 (May 9, 2011)

thank you. I will be very careful with the green


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## Luc (May 10, 2011)

Listen to Mike.

No greens in my dandelion wine too.

I just opened a bottle that had aged for 4 years and it was really deliscious.

My recipe is here:
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2008/02/paardenbloemenwijn-dandelion-wine.html

Luc


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## Julie (May 10, 2011)

Luc said:


> Listen to Mike.
> 
> No greens in my dandelion wine too.
> 
> ...



Actually, Luc, I beliieve you have the right answer, "aged for 4 years" The one I had a taste from was only a year old.


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## docanddeb (May 10, 2011)

I have 6 gal dandelion from last year, and it's still aging. Might get around to bottling it soon, then let it sit some more. I had some that was very nice.
I had lilac that I liked and tried to do it. It rotted before it fermented... the stench was awful. I probably won't do it again, though it was really good with a white grape base.

Debbie


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## gird123 (May 11, 2011)

I picked 2.5 one gallon bags of lilac flowers and started a 2 gallon batch of wine.

2.5 one gal bags of lilac pedals.
10 cups sugar
6 tbs real lemon
1 gal water and 1 gal apple juice
1 tsp yeast nut.

tomorrow i will check the sg.


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## gird123 (May 11, 2011)

I had an e-mail saying my SG would be to high. Very true. 1.110. I was following a jack keller recipe, and i added apple juice. I will pick more flowers tonight.

Nate


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## docanddeb (May 11, 2011)

When you add fruit juice in place of water in a recipe... you have to take the sugar back a bit usually. Luckily, you aren't so high it will affect the yeast too much. High alcohol and flowers don't tend to blend well though. Sometimes you lose that delicate aroma and get rocket fuel.

Debbie


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## gird123 (May 11, 2011)

So the wife and i just picked 2 more quarts of flowers(all the remaining) and added aprox 1/2 gallon of water and ended up with an sg of 1.089. Is this an ok sg? And i was planing on using 72b-1122 yeast.


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## closetwine (May 11, 2011)

Usually we sugest aiming for 1.085, so Yes, this is much better!!! You should be golden. 
I don't know the amount of flowers needed... I do know Mr. Keller uses less lbs per gallon than most of us for fruit wines.
I'm not familiar with that yeast either... Sorry I couldn't help more....


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## MN_Winemaker (May 22, 2011)

Nate - I was wondering the same thing about the green stem on the end of the flower blossom. Leave or discard? The recipe I was looking at called for 3 1/2 qts. I'm hoping those qts do not to be packed or else that would be a lot of picking!


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## gird123 (May 22, 2011)

I was able to remove all of the green. I did a lilac.


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## docanddeb (May 22, 2011)

Far easier to pick than dandelions... I assure you! LOL

Debbie


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## gird123 (May 22, 2011)

way easier!


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## rhythmsteve (May 22, 2011)

I've been testing my dandelion wine that I have going every time i degas and rack, I can definitely taste the dandelion flavor (and surprisingly it tastes pretty good), I suggest mixing with honey, and some sort of dried fruit. I used dates in mine and and it definitely adds some body and mixed with the honey has a very smooth aroma. Just my 2cents. Definitely remove all the green, the green adds a very bitter taste. Its very easy to remove the dandelion petals when the sun has been out, they're completely dry, and in mid-afternoon, the petals for some reason are much more easy to remove at that time of day


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## MN_Winemaker (Apr 20, 2012)

Steve - How did the dandelion wine turn out. Would you make again? My lilac looks and what I have sip tasted good. Planning on opening my first bottle this weekend. The new blossoms are starting and want to decide if I will do again.


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## gird123 (Apr 21, 2012)

*Lilac*

It is almost time for lilacs to start blooming so I opened a small bottle of lilac wine. It has a very nice start, but it finishes very bitter. I think i removed most of the stems. Smells just like the flowers. My flowers were light purple and the wine is a pink/orange depending on the light.

I don't think i will do this one again this year.


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