Have you been into your lawn lately? Have you noticed patches of dandelions growing here and there?
Now that most of us are on home quarantine, days go by like they’re nothing. Our gardens will also have unwanted guests and we want to get rid of them right away.
If you don’t want them growing on your property, then don’t just get rid of them. Collect them and turn it into a delicious and nutritious wine instead! How does that sound?
More about Dandelions and Dandelion Wine.
Several centuries ago, Dandelion Wine was first made and referred to as the poor man’s wine in Europe.
Dating as far back as the Celts, one website also said that:
“The tradition continued with settlers in the Great Plains of North America because dandelions even grow in dry, sparse environments. Plus…those pioneers probably needed a drink after a long day sowing the plains.”
It’s known to be closer in composition to alcohol rather than wine.
It’s also considered a medicinal drink.
Dandelion flowers are good sources of vitamins A, B, C, and D and are great for digestive health because they clean the kidneys and liver.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health wrote on its website:
“Today, dandelion is promoted as a “tonic,” as a diuretic, and for a variety of conditions, including infections and digestive symptoms. As a food, dandelion is used as a salad green and in soups, wine, and teas. The roasted root is used as a coffee substitute.”
However, the oral intake of Dandelion in any form may not be safe for everyone.
“The use of dandelion in the amounts commonly found in food is generally considered safe. Less is known about the safety of taking it in larger amounts. Some people are allergic to dandelion; allergic reactions may be more likely in people who are allergic to related plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies.”
Winemaking at home? Why not?
Are you now ready to make your homemade Dandelion Wine? In fact, your kids could also participate in this activity. Just give them a basket and then ask your little ones to go out and pick those dandelions outside.
First, collect the dandelion flowers and put about a gallon of them in a large bucket, bowl, or any decent container.
Make sure to remove the green parts before moving on to the next step.
The reason you should remove the green parts is that they give a bitter taste. It’s best to always get rid of them and just stick with the yellow flower heads.
Winemakers suggest harvesting dandelion flowers in the early afternoon because that’s when they are fully open.
Boil water and sugar solution in a large pot.
Then, in a large one-gallon fermentation vessel, add the dandelion petals, yeast nutrient, citrus juice, and citrus zest. Then pour in the boiling water.
Just make sure to NEVER use aluminum or iron (yes, that means cast-iron, too) as a fermentation vessel. Why? Because the fermenting process can react with both of these materials in a way that will contaminate your wine with unhealthy components. So, stick to stainless steel, ceramic, etc.
Using a different bowl, dissolve the wine yeast in lukewarm water and wait for about 2 hours, to allow it to stand until it cools.
After that, pour in the yeast to the container and then top it with water. Make sure to leave at least an inch of space for the carboy.
Cover your container with an airlock and ferment it for three weeks, or until you notice that the fermentation has stopped.
Take note, it will take a bit longer if you don’t use raisins because they provide extra micro-nutrients to get the yeast working faster.
After that, you may now siphon the wine into another clean container, leaving the yeast sediment behind. Then give it a secondary fermentation for another 6 to 8 weeks.
Once the second fermentation has passed, siphon the Dandelion Wine into a clean container, again leaving the sediment behind, to prepare it for bottling.
Bottle the wine into cork wine bottles and place them in a cool dark place for a minimum of 2 – 6 months before drinking.
Take advantage of your ‘stay at home’ days and make it productive by trying out this homemade Dandelion Wine recipe.
You may see the full recipe here or watch the tutorial video below.
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By Michael Dabu
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Michael Dabu is a contributor at SBLY Media.
