Three pounds of frozen petals

Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BernardSmith

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
3,914
Reaction score
2,534
Location
Saratoga Springs
Does anyone know the definitive volume or weight of dandelion petals to make dandelion wine? Last year I made a decent dandelion mead using about 3 pints of petals to make 1 gallon. This year I have harvested (so far) about 3 lbs of petals (frozen). Do you think that that may be enough to make 3 gallons? Thoughts? Thanks
 
I do 4 liter primary/ gallon batches, examples:
3 quarts flower heads = 149.8 gm petal
a four liter ferment used 230.2 gm petals
3 quarts of flower heads (505gm) = 279 gm (58.8% yield) of petals
and the last time 4 plastic buckets = 365.7 gm
 
Thanks, Rice_Guy. Thank you.
This is very helpful. And so rounding, to make 1 US gallon you would use about half a pound (8 oz) of petals and with 3 lbs of petals I could make 6 gallons? And that makes a rich enough flavored wine?
 
the term is dandelion is DELICATE, I will guess that you will not have a rich flavor, what I have done is double what ECKrause or Jack would put in a gallon. Technically I go 4 liter to 3.79 liter to 3 liter In racking. ,,, Today I might start with the 5 literBig Mouth Bubbler racked to 4 liter Etc
When I did this my favorite was to put it in a bland pear juice backbone, a straight chemicals (Fermaid etc EC Krause) was next.
? And that makes a rich enough flavored wine?
 
Here's my thing: I often make elderflower wine and while that is a rich flavored wine it is not like say a Riesling but you cannot miss the flavors. When I used (last year) 3 pints of petals (their weight presses down so I have no good sense of what that volume is objectively) the flavor was rich and enjoyable... BUT I made this as a mead and some of the flavors came from the honey and some came from the gesho I also used (OK it was a dandelion t'ej) but this year I was planning on making a more traditional dandelion wine... and so was wondering if say, 8 oz per gallon would be enough or whether I should aim for 1 lb of petals /gallon. Is this like money or weight? You can never have too much money or never be too slim (and you can never use too many petals)?
 
I have not made elder flower wine, I like it‘s aroma when walking by the elderberry and thought a lot of aroma was lost making a flower tea. In contrast I can mow dandelions and not have a flowery sensation.
The classic description as delicate , , possibly sounds better than weak/ citrusy/ floral. In the Midwest I am about half way through flower season. My impression from producing about a pint of petals a day is that the flavor is strongest about a week into the flower cycle. Picking petals is time intensive, unless you can hire the neighbor kids, my guess is it will be self limiting.

Sorry I can’t give a better answer.
 
Does anyone know the definitive volume or weight of dandelion petals to make dandelion wine? Last year I made a decent dandelion mead using about 3 pints of petals to make 1 gallon. This year I have harvested (so far) about 3 lbs of petals (frozen). Do you think that that may be enough to make 3 gallons? Thoughts? Thanks
WOW, that's true dedication, that is a lot of petals 👍
Dawg
 
@BernardSmith When I was researching how to deal with my lilac last year- I read everything possible on amounts of petals. Most recipes or discussion ended up with volume to volume, not weight. It took quite some time - but finding and reading the people who -did- use weight, I settled on 1 pound per gallon for the delicate flowers. 8 oz per gallon for stronger scents/tastes/ or adding a grape/apple backbone. I'd rather have a too-strong wine I need to blend, than one that is somewhat blah.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top