Dandelion Wine Questions...........

[Lori O'Dowd]

Oy! So i started removing petals, placed them in a ziploc (left on the table overnight instead of popping them in the freezer) and was going to continue the next morning, but now they smell sour. Let me guess, I have to throw those away and start picking fresh today?

 

[HillPeople]

Just a few observations on Dandelion Wine:
We've made about 75 gallons since 2013 and it remains one of the most requested.
We do not remove the green directly below the blossom.
We do start the batch immediately after picking, within 4 hours.
We boil with lemon and orange peels for 1 hour, steep overnight, then strain.
Target starting SG- 1.096, ending dry at .992. Never backsweetened.
At least 3 rackings over the next 6 months.

 

[Jal5]

We like ours from 2018 but sweetened a little too much. Haven’t started one yet this year been a bit busy.

 

[Lori O'Dowd]

I started my first small batch (only 1 gal) last night (after losing my blossoms the night before and starting over). This really seems like a much easier process than making beer (except for the pulling of petals, of course). It took at total of almost 2 hours of my fiancee picking and over 4 hours of me separating. Should I use a wine yeast or will an active dry yeast work just as well?

 

[Jal5]

Use a wine yeast. Several to choose from.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Oy! So i started removing petals, placed them in a ziploc (left on the table overnight instead of popping them in the freezer) and was going to continue the next morning, but now they smell sour. Let me guess, I have to throw those away and start picking fresh today?

I would toss anything which is sour, the flavor is delicate.
My dandelion (200gm/ 5ml water) is sitting in a plastic carton after being heat “blanched” in the microwave for about 3 minutes total (as I added to the batch), I will probably add more this morning. My experience is it doesn’t stop metabolizing in the fridge or freezer, , , it has to be heat treated at which point you can freeze it indefinitely.

 

[Rice_Guy]

(except for the pulling of petals, of course). It took at total of almost 2 hours of my fiancee picking and over 4 hours of me separating. ?

The lazy way is to roll the yellow petal away from the green bract and rotate/ roll the yellow out. I have minimal green bract which is pulled out as I go. I would sooner spend 4 hours picking more petals to do a bigger batch.
The finished flavor is delicate, consider using tannin (an antioxidant) in your batch (ex FT Blanc at maximum) or the local wine shop tannin (flavorful) at low level.

 

[HillPeople]

Wine yeast if you want it to finish at 12.5-14% ABV.
We use D47.
I really don't believe it's necessary to remove the green below the blossom.
Our finished wine at 13.8-14% definitely is not bitter- tastes like drinking in a sunny field.
We do add white raisins for a little tannin- but never tannin powder.

 

[wildhair]

I posted this pic on pg 2 of this thread - I agree with HillPeople - the green leaves IMMEDIATELY below the flower are actually just green flower petals and do not taste bad. here - from post #30

 

[wildhair]

I made wine this spring from petals I pick & cleaned, vacuum sealed and froze last year. It was the ugliest looking olive green mud I had ever seen. But - it fermented fine, all the disgusting looking green mud settled out by the 3rd rack and it tastes & smells great. btw - I poured a bit of the boiling water into each bag to clean out the yellow pollen when I started. I have picked and vacuum sealed enough for 2 gallons so far.
Additional notes - 1 full gallon bucket of blossoms will yield about 8 cups of petals loosely packed and weighs about 320 g. That's enough for 1 gallon of wine.

I have picked blossoms and put them in the 'fridge over night and there was no "sour" smell. But if they smell funky, I wouldn't use them. I found I can pick a gallon bucket of blossoms in about 1/2 hour and it takes about an hour to remove the petals.

Here's my "beheading" technique - I put 3 buckets in front of me - blossom bucket in the center, petals go to the bucket on my left, bottom of flower head to my right. Flower in the Left hand, stem end in the right - bring your thumbnails together under the blossom and ABOVE the leaves that curl down - twist and roll the petals off the flower. Once you get a rhythm going, it moves pretty quick.

 

[HillPeople]

Forget about the tedious separation of green that comes with plucking the blossoms.
No stem pieces however.
Our typical yearly batch uses 18 lbs of fresh, totally open blossoms picked on a sunny day to make 18 gallons wine.
So- about a pound per gallon.
The lemon and orange zest is enough to get the pH to 3.2 or so.
White raisins optional.
SG of 1.096 seems to be the sweet spot. Finish at .992- dry
D47 works well for a yeast- Fermaid K at 1.050 or so.
Pectic enzyme is a must add.
Good luck!

 

[Lori O'Dowd]

Wine yeast if you want it to finish at 12.5-14% ABV.
We use D47.
I really don't believe it's necessary to remove the green below the blossom.
Our finished wine at 13.8-14% definitely is not bitter- tastes like drinking in a sunny field.
We do add white raisins for a little tannin- but never tannin powder.

I did use golden raisins to my batch with lemon and orange! Since it was my first attempt, I decided to try it in a small batch, to fill a 1 gal carboy. I ended up using dry active yeast. I jope that won't affect the flavor.

 

[Lori O'Dowd]

I made wine this spring from petals I pick & cleaned, vacuum sealed and froze last year. It was the ugliest looking olive green mud I had ever seen. But - it fermented fine, all the disgusting looking green mud settled out by the 3rd rack and it tastes & smells great. btw - I poured a bit of the boiling water into each bag to clean out the yellow pollen when I started. I have picked and vacuum sealed enough for 2 gallons so far.
Additional notes - 1 full gallon bucket of blossoms will yield about 8 cups of petals loosely packed and weighs about 320 g. That's enough for 1 gallon of wine.

I have picked blossoms and put them in the 'fridge over night and there was no "sour" smell. But if they smell funky, I wouldn't use them. I found I can pick a gallon bucket of blossoms in about 1/2 hour and it takes about an hour to remove the petals.

Here's my "beheading" technique - I put 3 buckets in front of me - blossom bucket in the center, petals go to the bucket on my left, bottom of flower head to my right. Flower in the Left hand, stem end in the right - bring your thumbnails together under the blossom and ABOVE the leaves that curl down - twist and roll the petals off the flower. Once you get a rhythm going, it moves pretty quick.

 

[Lori O'Dowd]

I used that technique as well. It seemed to go faster the more I pulled. I had a 5 gal bucket of blossoms and 16 cups of petals for my batch. I'm in the fermenting stage now, almost 3 weeks of daily stirring!

 

[Lori O'Dowd]

Also, is it necessary to add K-meta when (after the first 3 week ferment cycle)pouring into the first carboy?

 

[wildhair]

I typically don't add the K-meta when I go from the primary fermentation into the carboy for it to finish fermenting. 3 weeks seems a bit long for the initial fermentation, but if it was in a cool area, it could take that long. I'm usually racking it out of the primary after a week. Main thing is for your sg to be around 1.020 - 1.010 when you put in the carboy.

 

[Lori O'Dowd]

I have a hydrometer ordered and on the way. When I first started this project, I was told to wait until it stops bubbling which typically takes 2-3 weeks before it's first racking into the carboy. It is in a relatively cool, dark space (avg 65 F). I hope I haven't ruined anything. I got the recipe as it was made without modern devices. Do you add K-meta at all?

 

[wildhair]

Yes. Potassium meta-bisulphite is critical to preventing spoilage. "Modern devices" make for better, more consistent wine, I think. You probably haven't ruined anything, and I assume you have it under airlock now?? Curious - was it fermenting in a container with an airlock? That could also account for the long ferment time. Primary fermentation is generally done in an open bucket with only a cloth covering. The yeast needs O during the initial stages.

I have an old neighbors wine book from 1935 with his Dandelion Wine recipe - they were drinking that stuff before it even cleared. LOL

 

[Lori O'Dowd]

Initial ferment was an open container with a cloth.
Its now in my 1 gal carboy. The stopper at the top allows for slow air release.
My recipe calls for 2-3 months to sit before another racking. It's sitting in my basement now which maintains a temp of around 70 degrees in the summer, but colder in fall & winter.
So I guess I will add the k-meta now with the initial sit?

 

[sour_grapes]

I would!