Is dandelion wine worth the work? Opinions please!

[joeswine]

I need to clarify something. Keller's recipes will work with the amount of fruit listed if you have great, flavorful fruit. Nowadays they're not that easy to find. He even says if the fruit isn't "perfect" to increase the quantity. Crappy fruit, crappy wine.

Like all wines a wine with a bad structure is a bad wine in the finish.

 

[FlowerLabny]

Wow, I am around dandelion flowers all day in my garden. I'd love to try this wine recipe next weekend!

 

[joeswine]

I’ll tell what else is very good Jalapeño wine
There’s a wine maker out there in New Mexico that sent Me two bottles of his wine and both of them are outstanding never tasted that type of wine before but what a trip

 

[BigDaveK]

I’ll tell what else is very good Jalapeño wine
There’s a wine maker out there in New Mexico that sent Me two bottles of his wine and both of them are outstanding never tasted that type of wine before but what a trip

Thanks for that opinion!
I plan on doing a Corbaci pepper wine - sweet, good flavor. Black Hungarian wine - sweet but a bit hotter than a jalapeno. Maybe I'll do a paprika? Growing 3 kinds. Have a total of 17 different peppers this year. Lots of options.

 

[mpontiff]

Too late to help this year perhaps but someone turned me on to a way to pick the flowers quickly; takes me about two seconds from my fingers touching the flower to having the loose petals, no green.

Use your thumb and pointer finger and place them with the base of the flower between them; you’ll have the green base. Apply light pressure and rub the green base between your fingers, basically rubbing your thumb along the first part of the pointer finger. After a few seconds, the petals will be loosened and you can grasp the top of the petals and pull them free, leaving all the green behind. Takes a little practice but it beats checking for bits of green.

 

[vinny]

@BigDaveK What did you end up doing for your recipe? I have the first batch in secondary now. It has orange and lemon. If you did a more basic version I would be interested in trying it.

I had another 5 cups of petals in the freezer, finally topped it up today and have a couple litres steeping. Trying to figure out which way to go.

 

[BigDaveK]

Yes, I did super traditional to establish a baseline. I'm looking forward to trying other recipes.


I think I did #8 in the Keller dandelion collection I attached (first PDF)..

 

[raelynn]

Dandelion wine Liquid Sunshine it doesn't get any better!
You really should try to make it nothing like it my most requested wine next to Strawberry Rhubarb and Red Current

Liquid Sunshine (Dandelion Wine - 5 gallons)

divide by 5 for a gallon batch---BREWING TEMP BETWEEN 65 f AND70 f

Dandelion Wine, however, you enjoy it is up to you but enjoy it you will as this recipe never fails me so here we go.

Dandelion flowers 5 Dry Qts. - Or any container with the capacity to hold 24 oz water will have the same volume and work just fine. -Dandelion Petals pressed down lightly. (If weighing them 9 to 10 oz per gallon)

two-pound golden raisins, chopped by hand or food processor

5 Oranges, 5 lemons washed, zested real good add fruit and juice no pith.

A large ginger root (size of a man’s hand) peeled and grated, or use a food processor and save time

5 Tea bags brewed in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes, make it strong (you want the tannin)

12 up to 14 pounds of white sugar. (Store Brand)

I suggest you buy these at a Homebrew Store or eBay I have had no trouble with my purchases

1 packet Champagne Yeast,

Campden Tablets either (potassium or sodium metabisulphite),

Yeast Nutrient optional (will make a better)

Hot Mix Sparkaloid Clarifier

Bring to low boil the flower petals in 6 qts of water then simmer for 30 minutes in non-reactive pot Enamel, Teflon or Stainless Steel and allow to cool. Then strain thru a colander and press liquid from blossoms into a glass or stainless-steel bowl with a strong spoon.

Discard blossoms or eat like spinach or dry further on towel and use for Dandelion fritters.

YEAST SHOULD BE HYDRATED IN WATER NOT TO EXCED 100 TO105 F. A ½ CUP OF WATER TEASPOON SUGAR AND STIR GENTLY DISOLVED SOME FOAM IS PRESENT AFTER BEING ALLOWED SET. WHEN FOAM SEEMS VIGOROUSPOUR YOU MAY REMOVE CLOTH COVER AND POUR ON TOP OF MIXTURE AND PRESS IN LIGHTLT WITH A CLEAN SPOON AND COVER.WAIT 2 DAY TO CKECK AND SIT.

Add liquid to fermentation vessel along with sugar, crush any additive tablets and add. Add 60–65-degree water until you have reached the 5 gallon mark. If you have a Hydrometer your specific Gravity reading should be around 1.115 with a potential alcohol of 15% - less sugar, less alcohol more sugar more alcohol but don't be tempted to go to high as this can lead to stuck fermentation Champagne yeast it is tolerant.

Now it is time to add the yeast cover primary fermenter with a towel and stir daily pushing down fruit cap. If using a glass crock or SS Pot cover it with a clean folded tea towel and find a cover to seal the lid firmly. If using a gallon bottle use a party balloon to cover the opening. A clean, dry nonlubricated condom will work fine too. Just remember to burb the air or you many have Rocket Man making appearance.

Champagne yeast almost always ferments out dry and you may want to back sweeten it later on. During the three weeks press the fruit down with a clean spoon twice daily. After 3 weeks remove all fruit and strain thru colander and cheese cloth. place in secondary fermenter with a air lock

Then rack of sediment in 6 weeks repeat until clear around 4-5 months then enjoy. Optional - Use Sparkolloid clarifier after second racking for a crystal clear wine.

You may want to back sweeten it to your taste

If you sweeten you should add Potassium Sorbate as a preservative. Also add one crushed vitamin C tablet (ascorbic acid) to each bottle to preserve color and freshness at bottling, enjoy!

Eddie (or anyone who has made this recipe), can you please help clarify a few things?
1. The section in UPPERCASE is difficult to understand - should the yeast be re-hydrated a couple days in advance, and stirred during this period?
2. If using campden tablets/kmeta, I am assuming there is 24 hrs between that step and adding yeast. Is it recommended to use them or optional?
3. It says to stir daily pushing down the fruit cap, but then says to press the fruit down twice daily. So once a day stir, then a second time just push down the fruit?
4. Is there any reason not to put the citrus fruit + zest, raisins & ginger in a bag so I don't have to strain it later?
5. Is there any risk of the starting SG of 1.115 being too high and causing issues? With other wines I step-feed to bump up the alcohol %.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Ohio Bob]

I have not made this recipe but your questions are valid for any fermentation.

1. Best practice is to make the starter 12-24 hours before pitching. Recommended a yeast nutrient like GoFerm be added to the starter as well. It’s not necessary to stir until right before adding to the must. Ok if you do, I like to see if anything is not dissolving.
2. Depends on your level of comfort. Kmeta is insurance against any microbes that didn’t get killed during the boil. For what it’s worth I only rinse my blackberries before freezing and do not use Kmeta, since I use a yeast starter. Remember the purpose of the starter is to make sure the yeast is viable, will have grown greatly in numbers, and will overwhelm any wild yeast or bacteria.
3. Stirring is to get oxygen into the must for yeast growth and to prevent the cap from drying out, which Could invite bacteria. Twice a day, 4x per day, no harm. Some even setup a small pump to recirculate the juice to keep the cap moist.
4. Anyway you find convenient. Note that tea bags don’t require loose leaves to make tea. Same principle here.
5. Yes. Depending on the yeast strain. High sugar may shock the yeast cell walls causing them to burst. The fermentation could get stuck. If you’re going to step feed anyway, just make sure your yeast can tolerate the starting SG.

 

[Hazelemere]

Dandelion wine made with raisins and limes including lime rind can be sensational IMHO using only the yellow parts.

 

[Julie]

I know a lot of people like dandelion wine but to be honest, the amount of work you have to put into it just isn't worth it. You should see if you can buy a bottle somewhere to taste it to see if it is something you would like

 

[BigDaveK]

Eddie (or anyone who has made this recipe), can you please help clarify a few things?
1. The section in UPPERCASE is difficult to understand - should the yeast be re-hydrated a couple days in advance, and stirred during this period?
2. If using campden tablets/kmeta, I am assuming there is 24 hrs between that step and adding yeast. Is it recommended to use them or optional?
3. It says to stir daily pushing down the fruit cap, but then says to press the fruit down twice daily. So once a day stir, then a second time just push down the fruit?
4. Is there any reason not to put the citrus fruit + zest, raisins & ginger in a bag so I don't have to strain it later?
5. Is there any risk of the starting SG of 1.115 being too high and causing issues? With other wines I step-feed to bump up the alcohol %.

Thank you in advance!

What a coincidence, @raelynn, I just bottled my first dandelion this morning. I did a super traditional version because I was curious about the dandelion flavor. It turned out very nice and I will make it again with numerous tweaks. I think I made 6 flower wines last year and this was the 2nd to be bottled. A lot of work, yes, but in the very least I suggest you make it just to say you did. However, if you have access to honeysuckle I would definitely make that. Less work, more flavor, I plan on a 3-gallon batch instead of a 1-gallon.

Your questions:
1. You can rehydrate yeast with plain water and the manufacturers suggest adding it to the must within 20 minutes. I add a bit of sugar and it's foamy in less than 30 minutes. I've never tried an overnight starter.
2. If you pour VERY hot water over the flowers it should kill everything and there's no need for kmeta. But I've read that kmeta early on can stabilize color. Also, because of the Crabtree Effect the yeast start making ethanol very quickly to make the environment inhospitable for other organisms. Yeast are ruthless! So is kmeta absolutely necessary, no, but it's good insurance.
3. Oxygen is extremely important during the first 48 hours or so when the yeast are multiplying, can't do it without oxygen. Also, the oxygen will help build stronger cell walls which is important later with higher levels of ethanol. I stir probably 6 times a day which means I also taste 6 times a day.
4. Do whatever you want. Personally I transfer to secondary, not rack. That means I pour everything into a large brew bag to remove most of the detritus and then pour into a jug or carboy.
5.The stress response of yeast to all kinds of conditions is truly remarkable. They should be able to handle 1.115 but there's no guarantee and it's kind of iffy. Starting lower is playing it safe. However, I recently did 3 different batches with 71B and a starting SG of 1.140-1.145 and there was no doubt in my mind that I would be successful with those particular wines...and they were, all the way to .990. But that's another story.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[raelynn]

Thank you, I really appreciate your responses @Ohio Bob and @BigDaveK.

@BigDaveK - do you mind sharing which recipe you used? My friend has a massive acreage that is overrun with dandelions in springtime (which is late May/early June here), so I am planning ahead so I am ready when that short window of yellow flowers happens.

 

[BigDaveK]

It was one of my earliest wines and I didn't know too much. Plus, I was more interested and curious about the flavor. This is what I did and what I think I'll do in the future.

dandelions 3 qrts (might add more)
sugar 6 cups (I got to 1.084, probably shoot for at least 1.090 next time)
nutrient 1 tsp
tannin 1/4 tsp
acid blend 1 1/2 tsp to pH 3.5 (might use citric acid, maybe get closer to 3.3)
raisins 1/2 cup (definitely more raisins, maybe 11 oz)
yeast 71B (I liked my results with 71B)

About 5 qrts boiling water poured over dandelions, add other ingredients when cool)

I didn't use pectic enzyme but I have since found out that most flowers have at least a little pectin. I'll use the enzyme next time.

My message #87 above has a couple attachments with more recipes.
Good luck and have fun!

 

[eddie sanders]

Eddie (or anyone who has made this recipe), can you please help clarify a few things?
1. The section in UPPERCASE is difficult to understand - should the yeast be re-hydrated a couple days in advance, and stirred during this period?
2. If using campden tablets/kmeta, I am assuming there is 24 hrs between that step and adding yeast. Is it recommended to use them or optional?
3. It says to stir daily pushing down the fruit cap, but then says to press the fruit down twice daily. So once a day stir, then a second time just push down the fruit?
4. Is there any reason not to put the citrus fruit + zest, raisins & ginger in a bag so I don't have to strain it later?
5. Is there any risk of the starting SG of 1.115 being too high and causing issues? With other wines I step-feed to bump up the alcohol %.

Thank you in advance!

1 - Yeast, 24 hours after metabisulphite has been added rehydrate yeast (dry) in 1/2 cup of water with a teaspoon of sugar water temp not to exceed 105 in about 15-20 minutes when foamy add to the must.
2 - yes 24 hours for the sulphites to do their job.
3 - I push the fruit cap down and stir once in the morning. In the evening I push the fruit cap down again without stirring.
4 - You can use a bag but feel that the larger area will allow more yeast interaction extracting the flavor.
5 - I have not had a issue starting the wine at 1.115 sg I always use champagne yeast if you want to step feed it that works too.

Glad you are interested in making dandelion wine enjoy the journey.

 

[Jal5]

It’s a lot of work picking the flowers buut it is good!

 

[winemanden]

We had a chap in our wine club who made aback saving Dandelion picker. He got a large coffee can and cut a rectangular piece out of it. He screwed it to a broom handle and cut the bottom edge in a large saw tooth pattern.All he had to do was walk along, pulling it behind him, collecting the flowers. As he said, he still had to sort the Dandys and pull off the green bits, but it saved his back.