Picking Dandelions

[smokegrub]

Picked and prepared 2 quarts dandelion petals today. Hope to get 2 more quarts before they are gone. Then I will prepare my first 2 gallons dandelion wine. Lots of work. I hope its worth it!

 

[Wade E]

Still havent seen any my way.

 

[smokegrub]

I now have 4 quarts. Since they are so large and numerous, I think I may try another batch with the entire blossom sans stem--they will save a lot of work if it produces a satisfactory wine. Cherries were ruined by frost but strawberries should make it. I also now have a source of elderberries.

I am going to toast some white oak and see how that turns out.

 

[Wade E]

I toasted some white oak last year in my oven and the whole house
smelled of vanilla.It took about 45 minutes to toast and they were
5/16" thick by 7/8" wide and 10" long and worked out nice in a gallon
jug. The oak on top is untoasted to show the difference in color. It
makes a lot of noise as it crackles in the oven. It took about an hour
@ 420*

 

[NorthernWinos]

Will you chip the wood or just put a stick in the carboy???


Did the toasting go all the way through the wood?

 

[Wade E]

I just stuck it in and the toasting did go all the way through.

 

[smokegrub]

Thanks for the toasting info., Wade. That was going to be one of my next questions to the board. No pun intended!

 

[smokegrub]

Two of my old country buddies brought we 3 slabs of white oak that had been previously cut and seasoned as firewood. I plan to toast it at 420 degrees as recommended. I will test it on a 1-gallon batch of Welch's White Grape.