The Transformation of Dandelion Wine

by Susanne Price
(from the AMA Journal, reprinted with permission from Pamela Spence)

Making dandelion wine for me has been a rithe of spring. Every April when the first dandelion tops burst into bloom, the exceitment begines. The crisp mornings and soft afternoons follow each other lazily for days, like butterflies flitting carelessly from flower to flower.

This year I decided to transform my well-worn dandelion wine recipe, taken from a Czech recipe booklet that my grandpa gave me, and turn it into dandelion mead by substituting one pound of honey per 0.75 pounds of sugar (ref. Sweet and Hard Cider by Proulx & Nichols). This recipe has turned out many gallons of fine dessert wine, with a unique citrus and floral aroma and a flavor both hearty and refreshing. In earlier days, I made it with bread yeast,; lately I've experimented with Flor Sherry wine yeast. Bread yeast gave it a rugged character that aged wonderfully, while wine yeast cuts the aging time in half (to 1 year, not 2), and makes the wine drier. It is best sweet, though, with a final gravity of about 1.025.

Pick the dandelions, (chemical-free areas are best) and wash under cold running water. Pick out any green parts, this will make your mead bitter. Put these in a 12 quart crock or non-metal, wide-mouth container. Boil the water and pour over the flowers. Cover and let stand 3 days, stirring a few times per day. After 3 days, strain the flowers and pour liquid into brewpot. The liquid will smell grassy, which is fine. Add the juice of the lemons and oranges. Add honey. Chop up the prunes and raisins and add these too. Then bring the mixture to 160 deg. F and hold for 20 minutes. When cooled to 85 deg. F, pour into sanitized fermenter. Hydrate yeast and add.

 

Recipe for 3 gallons of Dandelion Mead

  • 8 qts dandelion flowers, no stems
  • 6 2/3 lbs orange blossom or clover honey
  • 3 oranges, 3 lemons
  • 1 lb raisins, 1 lb pitted prunes
  • 3 gallons water
  • 10 g bread yeast (if using wine yeast, add 4 lbs honey)
Vicky Rowe
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