I decided to make a dandelion wine for the first time this year. It was May 1st, and there were all sorts of nice looking dandelion flowers on the fields near my home. I collected them between noon and 2:00pm, then rushed them home to chop off the green base and get rid of as much green stuff as possible. I then froze the petals overnight to get a jump start on rupturing the cell walls and extracting as much flavor as possible. I modified a recipe from Jack Keller.
Here's the record of this batch from my database (sorry for the mixed units -- I'm Canadian):
Batch Name: May Day
Varietal: Dandelion
Batch Size: 1 Gal/3.8 L Jug (5 bottles)
Date Started: May 2, 2013 4:43 PM
Cost of ingredients: $2.00
2.5 L Dandelion petals (bulbous green part and as much green stuff as possible removed) [2.5 litres = 10.5 cups]
1.36L jug of Welch's white grape juice [that's the 46 oz size]
4L water [about a gallon]
~1 kg granulated sugar [about 2 lbs]
2 lemons
1 orange
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/2 tsp white acid blend
1 pkg Lalvin-1118 yeast
I picked the flower heads between noon and 2:00pm (when they were open). I quickly returned home and sliced off the big green part at the base and the green layer around the flowers, many of which had begun to close up. I froze them overnight.
I put the petals in a straining bag and tied it shut while bringing the water to a boil in large pot. When the water boiled, I placed the bag in the water, reduced to a simmer and covered the pot with a lid. I simmered for 20 minutes then removed from the heat.
When it was cool I drained the petals (squeezing lightly) and returned water to a low boil. I then added the nutrient, the acid blend, the sugar and the peels of the lemons and orange (peeling very thinly to avoid any of the white pith). I again reduced the heat and simmered for an hour, then I added the juice and pulp (no pith!) of the lemons and orange and allowed the mixture to cool quite a bit. I then poured it into a one gallon jug and added the white grape concentrate. I took note as to how much more water it would take to fill the jug, knowing that if I had to add more sugar some of that volume would be the sugar...
Ignore the fact that it looks like swamp water. Really.
The next day I tested the SG and found it was where I wanted it (which was high, about 1.100), so i topped up with water, retested the SG (still awesome), added the yeast and a little more yeast nutrient, then put an airlock on it. It began to bubble within 15 minutes. About a day in it looked like something from an old sci-fi movie, what with the swamp water roiling around and tumbling about.
Leave it alone for about 5 days, then rack it off the citrus pulp and refit the airlock. A few days later you can rack into a stabilization jug with some clarifiers. Allow it to age about 4-6 months, then bottle and age another few months...
Current ABV level: 14.8%
Initial Chemistry:
SG: 1.105 TA: n/a % pH: n/a SO2: n/a ppm
History:
Code:
Date Event Value Details/Observations
May 2, 2013 4:43 PM Start
May 4, 2013 2:00 PM SG Reading 1.100 Took off like a rocket! Smelled spicy and quite citrusy at the very start, although it looked like swamp water...
May 6, 2013 11:14 AM Note Incredibly active at the airlock - really circulating! Now a pale yellow shade with lots of suspended solids...
May 9, 2013 11:00 AM SG Reading 0.994 Looks good! Like wine!
May 9, 2013 11:00 AM Racked Racked to fresh 1 gallon jug
May 9, 2013 11:00 PM Stabilized Also added one ampule each of the siligel/liquigel clarifiers and 1 pkg bentonite. It threw 1cm new sediment within 3 hours, but is still opaque. Will check in 1 week to see if it is truly clearing - may need racking and another dose of clarifiers (or time)...
May 27, 2013 3:05 PM Battonage Decided to stir on the lees. It took a day to resettle, and still looked a little cloudy.
Jun 13, 2013 5:28 PM Battonage Was crystal clear, did a second battonage - will do this when it's fully clear again.
Jun 27, 2013 2:30 PM Battonage Last battonage -- When clear I will rack, age for a couple of weeks, filter and bottle
Jul 4, 2013 2:00 PM Racked Crystal clear with a fair amount of fine lees
Jul 12, 2013 1:30 PM Bottled Tastes bright - better than expected with both ginger notes and nice floral notes.
I made a label too: