Dandelion Wine Instructions/ Recipe

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Here is a one gallon recipe:

  • 3 qt. Dandelion Heads (Little to no green)
  • 2 1/2 lb. Sugar
  • 2 Lemons
  • 1 Orange
  • 3/4 lb. Raisins
  • 1 tsp. Wine Tannin
  • 1 tsp. Yeast Nutrient
  • Lalvin D47 Yeast

Nina's Advice: Begin Yeast Starter: Rehydrate the yeast in a covered cup of room temperature water with the yeast nutrient and some dissolved sugar. This allows the yeast to begin working.

Directions:

The flowers must be freshly gathered (traditionally St. Georges Day, April 23rd, is the correct occasion), picked off their stalks, leaving out as much green as possible (without being too picky) and put into a large bowl. One does not need to pick off the petals: use the whole heads. Bring the water to a boil and pour over the dandelions. Let sit for two days, stirring each day. Try to keep the bowl covered to limit access of bacteria. On the third day, pour all into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and the rinds (either fully zested or carefully peeled, leaving as much pith behind as possible) of the lemons and orange. Boil for an hour.

After the hour, pour into primary fermenter. Add the juice and "pulp" of the lemons and orange. Allow to stand until it cools to about 75°F. Then add yeast starter (or wine yeast and yeast nutrient if you didn't make a yeast starter) and wine tannin. Then, seal lid, fill airlock half-way with water, and allow fermentation to begin. Let your dandelion wine sit in the primary fermenter for 7 days. After this, strain into a secondary fermenter and divide raisins equally amongst them.

Then, rack dandelion wine into your secondary fermenter with a airlock/stopper on top. Allow your dandelion wine to sit in the secondary fermenter for anywhere between 6mo-3yrs (the longer the better) racking occasionally. If done in April you should be ready to drink your dandelion wine by Christmas!

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