old recipe dandelion wine

[Scott]

I have some questions for this recipe, hopefully with all of your help it might turn out.
The recipe follows:
12 1/2 lbs sugar; 1lb raisins; 4 lemons cut in rings; 4 oranges cut in rings; 3 qt dandelion petals; 1 yeast cake.
1st day: pour 3 gallons hot water over petals, let cool. Add 1/3 yeast cake. Cover crock. 2nd day: Add sliced oranges, lemons and raisins in crock. Add 1 gallon warm water with 10 lbs sugar dissolved in the gallon of warm water. Pour in crock and add rest of yeast. Let stand 5 days. 7th day: Add 2 1/2 lbs of sugar dissolved in 1 gallon warm water. Let stand 20 days. Strain and bottle with loose caps. Makes 5 gallons.


First off couldn't find yeast cake, the local bakery has them but only by the pound. Thats when I contacted George and he recommended the Pasteur Champagne yeast so I ordered it. I also picked up some plain red star yeast and am making a batch from both to compare. The red star package of 3 = 1 yeast cake so used all 3. The Pasteur uses only 1.


The 1st batch just reached the 20 days, the other will be reachitin 2 weeks, I strained and put into gallon water bottles,(yes I will order some carboys)should I siphon it off again in a couple of months to bottle? Since it states to cap loosely does that mean it's not done fermenting?


It is a nice yellow color and tried a sip, very high alcohol tasting.


Anyinsight will be greatly helpful. Sorry about the length of post but don't want to ruin the wine and get turned off from the experience.

 

[swillologist]

The first thing I would do Scott is buy a hydrometer. It is one of the most important instruments you will need to make consistently good wine. With it you will also be able to tell when your wine is finished fermenting. But just because it is done fermenting doesn't mean it is ready to bottle. There are other things that need to be done to finish your wine. Degassing and clearing is a couple of the things you need to do. Just keep asking questions. There arevery knowledgeable people here that can help you. I'm just not one of them. I'm kinda new at this also.

 

[whino-wino]

I have some questions for this recipe, hopefully with all of your help it might turn out.
The recipe follows:
12 1/2 lbs sugar; 1lb raisins; 4 lemons cut in rings; 4 oranges cut in rings; 3 qt dandelion petals; 1 yeast cake.
1st day: pour 3 gallons hot water over petals, let cool. Add 1/3 yeast cake. Cover crock. 2nd day: Add sliced oranges, lemons and raisins in crock. Add 1 gallon warm water with 10 lbs sugar dissolved in the gallon of warm water. Pour in crock and add rest of yeast. Let stand 5 days. 7th day: Add 2 1/2 lbs of sugar dissolved in 1 gallon warm water. Let stand 20 days. Strain and bottle with loose caps. Makes 5 gallons.


First off couldn't find yeast cake, the local bakery has them but only by the pound. Thats when I contacted George and he recommended the Pasteur Champagne yeast so I ordered it. I also picked up some plain red star yeast and am making a batch from both to compare. The red star package of 3 = 1 yeast cake so used all 3. The Pasteur uses only 1.


The 1st batch just reached the 20 days, the other will be reachitin 2 weeks, I strained and put into gallon water bottles,(yes I will order some carboys)should I siphon it off again in a couple of months to bottle? Since it states to cap loosely does that mean it's not done fermenting?


It is a nice yellow color and tried a sip, very high alcohol tasting.


Anyinsight will be greatly helpful. Sorry about the length of post but don't want to ruin the wine and get turned off from the experience.

Definitely use a hydrometer! If you put 12.5 POUNDS of sugar in a 5 gallon recipe that is equal to 25 cups. Your starting S.G. would be so high that the fermentation might not even start. I'm pretty sure the recipe meant for you to use 12.5 CUPS not 12.5 pounds. (there are 2 cups to a pound) If you use 12.5 cups your starting S.G should fall somewhere in the 1.085ish range (about 10 - 12% potential alcohol)


Sounds like you already got past this point.


Question, you noted that the wine is "high alcohol tasting", is it also very sweet?

 

[Scott]

Hydrometer, ok next on the list along with carboy.
Itstates pounds of sugar, i guess to offset the using of the whole lemons and oranges, pith and all. I did stir every 2 days, made a sizzling sound so figured the yeast was working.


The wine was not real sweet, not as sweet as Reslings for example.


Thanks for the help

 

[smokegrub]

The pounds of sugar is not terribly far off. That amount of sugar yields an SG of 1.11 or a final alcohol content of approximately 15%. This does not account for the sugar from the raisins which yield about 0.6 pound more sugar, bringing the final alcohol to almost 16% if your yeast could even handle that high an alcohol content. Sounds like you got the high alcohol and not much residual sugar. Always consider recipes as guidelines where sugar is concerned. I start by adding about half the sugar recommended and then use my hydrometer and a hydrometer table to calculate how much additional sugar I need to add. If in doubt about a desired initial SG, I recommend 1.09. Best wishes.

 

[Scott]

so are you saying that it will be potent stuff? If so I will have 10 gallons of date maker or giggle juice.


Seriously thanks for the recommendations and help everyone.

 

[Scott]

Ok just ordered 2- 5 gallon carboys and stoppers with the airlocks and a hydrometer. Will test when equipment arrives and transfer to carboy.
Keep you posted.


Thanks
Scott

 

[whino-wino]

At this point all the hydrometer is going to tell you is if you have any residual sugars in the wine. It will not give you the alcohol content. The good news is that now you have a hydrometer! To figure alcohol, you should test the must prior to starting the fermentation. This way you can see what the "Potential Alcohol" is. Subtract that from the final reading after fermentation is complete and then you will know the alcohol content.


I do have one piece of advice which I apologize for not mentioning earlier. You really should have TWO hydrometers. As many others on this forum will agree, hydrometers are very fragile and will often test real gravity and not just the "specific gravity" of a wine must.

 

[Scott]

I did read that most have 2 or more hydrometers for both of the gravity tests, I read that after ordering. Pretty sure I will be ordering more equipment and what not.
Thanks for the pointers

 

[Wade E]

the 2nd hydrometer is for when you break the 1st and it only seems to happen when you only have 1!

 

[Scott]

When Swillologist mentioned degassing, does every wine require that? and if so is that something to do after 1st racking before bottling or degass and rack once more then bottle.


I have lots of questions since to directions with this recipe, but with most things just do and figure it out as one goes.


I remember in my Grandparents kitchen closet there was always a gallon jub with a balloon on it, too young to sample then. So I am also making an Easy Grape Wine in a gallon glass jar with the balloon on top. It states when the balloon inflates and then deflates just cork.
Should that be degassed? I can print the receipe if that would help.


Thanks

 

[Scott]

Sorry it should have read no directions and gallon jug.




Looksas thoughI have already been sampling the products

.

 

[whino-wino]

If you don't de-gass, you will have an awful hard time clearing your wine. I usually rack after fermentation is complete and degass after racking. Then you have the option of using a clearing agent (such as Super-Kleer) or letting it clear on its own. The bottom line is that if you don't de-gass, then it might not clear at all.

 

[Wade E]

Degassing is surely needed for a wine to clear whether it be using a fining agent after degassing or letting it clear naturally. If you dont degas you will also notice a fizzy taste and most wines will not benefit from it.

 

[Scott]

Thanks, with your help we will get this batch to turn out yet. Just received the carboy, hydrometer and airlock. Thanks George! Took a measurement and it read at the 0 line, does that mean it's 1.000? Have it now in the carboy with the airlock, wait until it measures under 1.000 with the same reading for 2 days then degass and wait to clear then bottle.?


From the old receipe there is nothing about degassing or clearing, pretty much keep a gunny sack over the crock to keep most of the flys out. My my how times have changed.


Thanks for all the help

 

[Wade E]

That would not be god as it would introduce way to much oxygen and spoil the wine. The airlock and carboy are how its done and been that way for a long time. There have been many improvements but anyone that leaves it open to 02 exposure at this point would be leading you in a bad direction. Degas, let it clear naturally or with fining agent and then rack to clean vessel off those lees and bottle from there to prevent disturbing when bottling and get clearer wine.

 

[Scott]

Hey All,


I couldn't get a correct reading on the hydrometer, after looking closer I ordered the Proof and Tralle Hydrometer,Ooooops. It gives me a chance to order more items now soi will order 2 of hopefully be the correct ones. If someone needs a Proof and Tralle let me know.


Idid attachthe airlock 4 days ago and today the bubbles have been going out at 1 bubble a every 2 seconds. Don't know if that matters but with the wrong hydrometer not much to update on

.

 

[Wade E]

What you want is the triple scale hydrometer or the Thermo hydrometer.
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Triple Hydrometer Specific grav, Potential ETOH, Sugar


SG scale 0.78-1.150; potential ABV scale 0-16%; sugar per liter scale 0-34.
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<td width="2%"><div align="right">$5.99</td></tr></t></table>
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Thermohydrometer


Temperature 0-120° F; SG scale 0.850-1.160; potential ABV scale 0-20%; balling scale 0-35.
</td></tr></t></table>I like the thermo especially when starting a kit so I know if the temp is within range for adding the yeast to it.

 

[termini]

MODERATORS: if there is a way to better link this to Scott, please feel free to do so.....


Scott, Wade and Touchtoomuch REALLY helped me out about 10 days ago with a bit of a pickle I got into much like yourself with my Dandelion wine.
My recipie for dandelion wine had me adding a bit too much sugar( I think we also added about 14.5 pounds), and by both of they're comments, I would have ended up with a pretty "hot" wine--too high in alcohol to enjoy the taste My POST and related discussions is under "General Questions" Titled "Wine Additives"
Next time I do this from scratch, I will start with a lower sugar amount, and, USING MY HYDROMETER, sweeten it up to a S.G. that corresponds to a targeted alcohol % that is respectable say, 12%- 14%.
I am a Newbie also, but I can tell you that the amount of knowlage and help out there is Fantastic, and believe me, I need it!..........


In fact, I also am interested in the addition of K-meta at every other racking, Because I only have it in powder form, and was wondering now that I am ready to rack my Dandelion, how much ( in powder form) should I add when I rack? ( its about 4.5 galons so I was wondering maybe 1/8 teaspoon?)











Edited by: termini

 

[Wade E]

you should only be adding k-meta powder or campden tablets once your wine is done fermenting and when it is done you should be adding 1/4 tsp per 6 gallons after every 4 months of bulk aging and testing free S02 with a test kit would be a much more accurate way of determining if that 1/4 tsp is enough or more then needed but 1/4 tsp is very close to whats needed. Campden tablets are not as good as the mixture of -meta and filler used to hold those pills together are no accurate. They will get you close but if not ground up enough may result in a new post where you are wondering what that white stuff is floating in my wine and how to get rid of it.
Wine additives This is the link to what Termini was referring to.