From the Homemade Hooch Files: How to Make Dandelion Wine

field of dandelions

Heads up: you definitely don’t want to be spraying weed killer on your dandelions. If your lawn is a total dandelion breeding ground, you are so close to having some delicious wine! Get out there and pick some so you can get started on fermenting a batch of flower wine. This drink is not only tasty, but is said to have liver-cleansing properties as well!

The following is an excerpt from Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz. It has been adapted for the web.


“Wine made from flowers preserves the exquisite flavors and benevolent properties of the blossoms from which it is made. It also preserves the memories of fine, clear, sunshiny days—alone or with Someone Else—in woods, meadows, and hills, picking millions of tiny flowers for hours until they become etched on the insides of the eyelids.” These wise words were written by my friend and neighbor Merril Harris, in an article, “Nipping in the Bud: How to Make Wine from Flowers,” published in Ms. Magazine nearly thirty years ago.

Dandelion wine is the classic flower wine, made with the bright yellow flowers of the plentiful and easy-to-find weed. Don’t believe the hype of the manicured lawn lobby; dandelion is not only beautiful and tasty, but potent liver-cleansing medicine. Many other flowers can transfer their delicate bouquets and distinctive essences into wines, as well, including (but certainly not limited to) rose petals, elderflowers, violets, red clover blossoms, and daylilies.

“Begin by gathering your flowers,” writes Merril, “perhaps the most pleasurable part of the winemaking process.” As a general guideline, pick about a gallon of flowers per gallon of wine you intend to make. If you cannot gather this many in a single outing, freeze what you gather until you accumulate enough. Be sure to pick flowers from places that have not been sprayed, which usually means not roadsides.

fermenting dandelionsYields 1 gallon/4 liters

Timeframe:

1 year or more

Equipment:

  • Crock, bowl, or bucket of at least 1-gallon/4-liter capacity to allow for vigorous stirring
  • 1-gallon/4-liter jug or carboy with air lock

Ingredients:

  • 1 gallon/4 liters flowers in full bloom
  • 2 pounds/1 kilogram (4 cups/1 liter) sugar
  • 2 lemons (organic, because you will use the peel)
  • 2 oranges (organic, because you will use the peel)
  • 1 pound/500 grams raisins (golden raisins will preserve the dandelion’s light hue better than dark raisins)
  • Water
  • 1 ⁄ 2 cup/125 milliliters berries (for wild yeast) or 1 packet wine yeast

Process:

  1. As much as possible, separate flower petals from the base of the blossoms, which can impart bitter flavors. With dandelions this can be a tedious project.
  2. Reserving about ½ cup/125 milliliters to add later in the process, place the flower petals in a crock with the sugar, the juice and thinly peeled rinds of the lemons and oranges (to add acidity), and the raisins (to introduce astringent tannins). Then pour 1 gallon (4 liters) of boiling water over these ingredients, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover the crock to keep flies away, and leave to cool to body temperature.
  3. Once the mixture cools, add the reserved flower petals and berries to introduce wild yeasts. (Or to use commercial yeast, remove 1 cup of the cooled mixture, dissolve a packet of yeast into it, and once it starts to bubble vigorously add it to the crock.) Cover the crock, and stir as often as you think of it, for 3 to 4 days.
  4. Strain out the solids through a clean cheesecloth and squeeze moisture out of the flowers. Then transfer liquid to a carboy or jug with an airlock, and ferment about 3 months, until fermentation slows.
  5. Siphon into a clean vessel and ferment at least 6 months more before bottling.
  6. Age bottles at least 3 months to mellow wine; even longer is better.

Recommended Reads

Homemade Dandelion Beer

Why You Need to Drink Wet-Hopped Beer Right Now

Read The Book

Wild Fermentation

The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods, 2nd Edition

$29.95

Recent Articles

Miyawaki Method

The Miyawaki Method: Imagining a Mini-Forest’s Potential

Want to witness the magic of the mini-forest? When you practice The Miyawaki Method, a unique approach to reforestation, you’ll see an empty lot or backyard transform into a biodiverse forest before your very eyes. The following is an excerpt from Mini-Forest Revolution by Hannah Lewis. It has been adapted for the web. Photo Credit:…

Read More
urban gardening

Urban Gardening Tips: No Space? No Problem!

Do you want to learn how to transform your balconies and windowsills into productive vegetable gardens? Try urban gardening! Choosing the right crops based on climate and light conditions, along with creating a companion planting strategy to prevent pests and attract pollinators, can help maximize food production with limited space. The following is an excerpt…

Read More
spring curry

Forager’s Spring Curry: A Wild, Seasonal Recipe

Nothing says “spring” like a fresh, foraged meal! Savor the flavors of the season with this mouth-watering spring curry recipe. The following is an excerpt from Forage, Harvest, Feast by Marie Viljoen. It has a been adapted for the web. Forager’s Spring Curry This boldly flavored spring stew evolved from a forager’s version of fridge…

Read More
testing soil

Testing Soil: Healthy Soil is Just A Test Away

Testing soil in your garden is the first step to a more bountiful harvest. It’s not as hard as you might imagine, either — simply take a small sample, get it examined, and you’ll be on your way to healthy soil and a promising harvest this season. The following is an excerpt from The Regenerative Grower’s…

Read More
plant grouping

Creating A Plant Grouping: Edible Forest Gardens

Get one step closer to the edible forest garden of your dreams by creating a plant grouping! These arrangements of plants help contribute to a healthy, thriving food forest. The following is an excerpt from The Home-Scale Forest Garden by Dani Baker. It has been adapted for the web. Planning a Plant Grouping Deciding what plants to…

Read More