Henbit is one of the many weeds I've tried this year. The plant didn't have enough flavor for me to try wine.
And the thought of collecting 4-6 pints of flowers seemed like madness.
Chickweed wine - I'm going for it!
- Thread starter BigDaveK
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And the thought of collecting 4-6 pints of flowers seemed like madness.
If Dave can find it, he'll make it.
I get a lot of entertainment from Dave's activities. And not the kind where I'm holding someone's beer while being ready to dial 911 ...
I found some chickweed today, in of all places my driveway. It’s a bad looking specimen but thinking of digging it up, putting in a pot and giving it regular water. How much did you use for a gallon batch of wine?
For the sake of fun, I googled making wine from weeds. The only thing that came up was making wine from cannabis 
Ohio Bob
Senior Member
We are a strange bunch. We find a weed growing in the yard or the driveway, and get all excited and put it in a pot. I have cultivated yarrow and English plantain that way.
Did you consider that we are normal, and everyone else is weird?We are a strange bunch. We find a weed growing in the yard or the driveway, and get all excited and put it in a pot. I have cultivated yarrow and English plantain that way.
I used 2 quarts (197 gr). The whole thing is edible and I suggest tasting it. I noticed it had a slightly different flavor in different parts of the property. Soil? Sun? Age?
Next time I make it I may go to 3 quarts.
This may be hard to believe but I haven't had any in my possession for 40 years. It puts me to sleep - where's the fun in that? However, I DO have multiple recipes for cannabis wine. Maybe someday!
On a slightly related note, I have some Indian hemp (dogbane) on the property. Good for making rope. And I've said many times my yard is a pharmacy - the seeds are good for gonorrhea and the milky sap is for venereal warts.
One person's weed is another person's gourmet snack.We are a strange bunch. We find a weed growing in the yard or the driveway, and get all excited and put it in a pot. I have cultivated yarrow and English plantain that way.
I was disappointed in the plantain flavor but it sure is useful. And funny that you should mention yarrow...
The Roman soldiers used to carry dried yarrow leaves on their campaigns. Ground yarrow leaves help promote blood clotting in wounds. I use it for relieving inflammation and joint pain after working outside. I make a tea with yarrow and peppermint.
About ten years ago my wife and I were on a trip to China. Our tour group was walking across the plaza at one of the ancient sites, and one of the kids in our group got a bee sting. My wife looked down and saw plantain growing out of a crack in the pavement, so she pulled up a few leaves and told the kid to smash them and then press them on the sting. After a few minutes, he reported that it no longer hurt. People from our group that were nearby looked at my wife with amazement as though she was some sort of mystical medicine woman.
Is yarrow next????One person's weed is another person's gourmet snack.
I was disappointed in the plantain flavor but it sure is useful. And funny that you should mention yarrow...
If you really want to make something with yarrow...
https://advancedmixology.com/blogs/art-of-mixology/how-to-make-viking-meadI call my version of this Viking Elixir. You can look up the medicinal benefits of meadowsweet, yarrow, and juniper berries.
If you have juniper on your property, please note that not all varieties of juniper berries are edible.
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Is the rolled eye- dumb idea or, well um maybe? If you don’t I may, but so far I only found one yarrow on my property. I’m still learning how to ID. Mostly what I see in my property is Queen Anne lace. Being careful and learning how to distinguish from hemlock also. I’m pretty sure I have that backyard pharmacy too, just need some better sources of info for ID. Do have a huge mullein plant and some wild lettuce that I have positively identified. Not for use in wine, but going to start another hobby with tinctures as soon as I learn more. I gotta quit popping ibuprofen.
@Newbie Mel If you are interested in using herbs with medicinal properties, you should consider metheglin, which is the name for herb meads. The word "metheglin" comes from two Welsh words, one meaning "medicinal" and the other "alcoholic." Many of the methelgins made in centuries past were created to treat medical conditions.
It's important that you have learned to distinguish yarrow from queen anne's lace and hemlock (both of which are toxic). They are quite different once you know what you are looking for. Yarrow is easy to propagate if you want to grow more.
I would not consume wild lettuce because it can act as a psychoactive drug and cause hallucinations: Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa): Pain Relief, Benefits and Risks This site, Healthline: Medical information and health advice you can trust. is a good source for information about the medicinal benefit and possible side effects of various herbs.
The best herbal treatment that I have found for muscle and joint pain is yarrow + meadowsweet + juniper berry (see the recipe linked above). But be sure to read the precautions for each herb on healthline.com. For example, some herbs act as blood thinners, which might be good/bad depending on your medical condition. Some will help lower blood pressure, while others might raise it. Some herbs should not be consumed long term on a daily basis. With all medicines and herbs, it is important to consider the stress they put on your liver and kidneys.
It's important that you have learned to distinguish yarrow from queen anne's lace and hemlock (both of which are toxic). They are quite different once you know what you are looking for. Yarrow is easy to propagate if you want to grow more.
I would not consume wild lettuce because it can act as a psychoactive drug and cause hallucinations: Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa): Pain Relief, Benefits and Risks This site, Healthline: Medical information and health advice you can trust. is a good source for information about the medicinal benefit and possible side effects of various herbs.
The best herbal treatment that I have found for muscle and joint pain is yarrow + meadowsweet + juniper berry (see the recipe linked above). But be sure to read the precautions for each herb on healthline.com. For example, some herbs act as blood thinners, which might be good/bad depending on your medical condition. Some will help lower blood pressure, while others might raise it. Some herbs should not be consumed long term on a daily basis. With all medicines and herbs, it is important to consider the stress they put on your liver and kidneys.
No, definitely not a dumb Idea eye roll!! I would never think anything is a "dumb idea" for a wine ingredient....well, maybe a concrete block.
Taste your yarrow. Better yet, make a cup of tea and let that decide for you. Looks like I may have 3 different kind judging by the slight variations of the flower. One is very fragrant and doesn't taste bad. Another is awful.
I'm right there with you on the mullein. Another weed with a 1001 uses! I'll be tasting once mine get bigger.
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This seems pretty big, you think? Or let it continue to grow?
Yarrow is fairly bitter. If you include it, you would use it mainly for medicinal purposes. Balance it with herbs with a better flavor and/or back sweetening.
I make a yarrow/peppermint tea that is nice with some sweetener. Good for relaxing and relieving aches and pains. But including meadowsweet is even better, because it contains salicylic acid (the natural form of aspirin).
