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Pink Dandelion Wine

Pink Dandelion Wine
Photo Credit
Searra Liggett
The Editors
Category
Beverages
Course
Other
Preparation Method
Other
Sources
Old Farmer's Almanac
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Taste the “spirit” of spring using common dandelions. Dandelion Wine is known for its unique and tangy flavor. Combined with the tart sweetness of raspberries, it makes for a refreshing drink!

Keep in mind that the final concoction is bottled and aged for six months before drinking.  Perfect for a Christmas gift in December!

Pick dandelions on an early spring morning when the flowers are in full blossom, and the heads are just starting to open; never harvest dandelions from a yard that’s been sprayed with chemicals/pesticides.

This Pink Dandelion Wine recipe makes about three 4/5-quart (“fifth”) wine bottles.

Find more nutritious and delicious recipes with dandelions!

Ingredients
2 quarts of dandelion petals (stem and green collar of each flower removed)
2 quarts of boiling water
3 lemons
3 1/2 cups sugar
10 oz package of frozen sweetened red rasperries
1 yeast cake
cheesecloth
1 one-gallon jar (stoneware jar works best)
3 one quart wine bottles with screw-on caps
Instructions
  1. Pick the dandelions, snip off the stem and green collar, and rinse in cool water. Place the petals in the clean one-gallon jar and pour the boiling water over them.
  2. Let stand overnight.
  3. In the morning, strain the liquid through cheesecloth (or tea towel), being sure to squeeze the flowers to remove all the juice. Combine dandelion juice with the strained juice of lemons. Add juice to frozen raspberries and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, then gently simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, clean the jar with soapy water and dry it out. Pour mixture back into jar, cooling to lukewarm temperature.
  5. Add yeast. Stir until yeast dissolves, cover the jar, and let the mixture ferment for 10 days (with an airlock if possible) or until hissing subsides.
  6. Using a double layer of cheesecloth, strain the liquid into a cider jug and let stand for 3 days.
  7. Strain the liquid again and place it into quart wine bottles with screw-on caps (or swing-top bottles), but DO NOT tighten the caps. Let the wine stand for 24 hours to reduce the chance of a fizzy explosion.
  8. Seal the bottles and leave for at least six months before drinking.

Enjoy! 

(The final concoction should be drunk ice cold.)

 

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The Old Farmer's Almanac Editors

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Comments

Lisa Martin (not verified)

8 months 2 weeks ago

I cannot find sweetened frozen fruit anymore. Its all flash frozen without sugar, which I suppose is a good thing health wise, but doesn't do me any good with this wine, which I am aching to try.

Do you think unsweetened frozen raspberries would work? Should I add extra sugar?

Hi, Lisa. You could add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of sugar if you can not find sweetened frozen raspberries.

Steven (not verified)

1 year 7 months ago

Should offer all the recipes in a book as a collection.
Also a herbal medicine book would be great.
Thanks and God bless

Dave Mestemaker (not verified)

3 years ago

For Dandelion Wine using 1 yeast cake , would that be the entire 2 ounce cake?
Labeled : One 2 oz cake= 3 small (0.6oz) cakes =3 packets (1/4oz) dry yeast.
Red Star brand
Thanks

tom chase (not verified)

3 years 8 months ago

Interesting article. I've made several fruit wines had 18 5-gal carboys going at once. Used wine yeats from a local deaker and the carboys had air traps so no air gets to the wine. Sterilize everything. Having that many carboys going at once produced some amazing smells in the house. Have to rack them off at various times. I've made Dandelion, Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry, Apple, Choke Cherry, Apple-Blueberry, Elderberry (the skins and seeds are something, tough) , Concord Grape and combined various liquids . There are some good how-to-do wine books available. Also your local wine supply store can give good info and supplies needed. It was fun both in collecting the fruits and making the wine. Expect at the most 10% alcohol. I collected many bottles (no cost) and filled them. .Could turn into an interesting hobby. Did his several years. Gave many bottles away. Blueberry wine and blue cheese on crackers is great.

Olga Ardova (not verified)

4 years 7 months ago

Can you recommend a stoneware jar?

Malinda (not verified)

4 years 7 months ago

I’m having a hard time locating a “yeast cake” what is the substitute for that?

Heather Schirtzinger (not verified)

2 years 7 months ago

Hey, not sure if you saw it recently-ish; but, someone asked a little bit back on that as well. The reply was 2 ounces of yeast.
I'm willing to try it full strength the first time and adjust from there. I made some once before (different recipe) and it was Awful! He he. Just the first time brewing anything. Later projects were Much more successful.
I wish you Luck in your brewing adventure!