Name: Dandelion Wine
Yield: 4.5 litres
Ingredients: 2 l dandelion petals; 1.1 kg sugar; 4.5 l water; 2 oranges; 1 lemon; 1 campden tablet; 1 tsp yeast nutrient; 1 sachet Lalvin 71B

About this recipe

Easy homemade dandelion wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Two litres of petals, oranges, lemon and patience. The lawn finally pays rent.

Ingredients

dandelion petals2 l

sugar1.1 kg

water4.5 l

oranges2

lemon1

campden tablet1

yeast nutrient1 tsp

sachet Lalvin 71B1

Method

1

Pick the flowers on a dry sunny day and pluck the petals free of all green

2

Pour boiling water over the petals in a sterilised bucket, cover, and steep 2 days, stirring daily

3

Strain through muslin into a clean bucket, squeezing gently

4

Add the sugar and the zest and juice of the oranges and lemon, stir until dissolved

5

Add a crushed campden tablet and leave 24 hours

6

Add the yeast and nutrient

7

Ferment 5 to 7 days

8

Transfer to a demijohn and fit an airlock

9

Ferment out for 2 to 5 weeks

10

Rack off the sediment

11

Age a year, it needs it

Brewer's notes

Tradition says pick on St George's Day, 23 April, but any sunny spring day with a lawn full of open flowers will do. Petals only, every scrap of green is bitter, and yes, plucking two litres of them takes an afternoon and stains your fingers yellow. Skip any lawn that has been sprayed or is popular with dogs. Drunk young it is frankly medicinal, at a year it turns into a golden sipping wine, and it is strong, so sip it.

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Dandelion Wine