🍷 Traditional Old-Fashioned Dandelion Wine
A beautiful, classic spring vintage. Bright dandelion petals are boiled, naturally fermented with citrus and sweet raisins for two weeks, and finished with a splash of rum.
Ingredients
- 1 quart dandelion blossoms (stems completely removed)
- 4 quarts water
- 1 package dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water (to bloom yeast)
- 1 lb seedless raisins
- 6 cups sugar (approx. 3 pounds)
- 1 lemon (skin left on)
- 1 orange (skin left on)
- 1 cup rum
Preparation Instructions
- Boil the Blossoms: Place the clean dandelion blossoms and 4 quarts of water in a heavy kettle or large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and let cook for 30 minutes.
- Strain & Cool: Strain the liquid to remove the loose blossoms, then pour it through a fine cheesecloth into a large stone crock or heavy glass jar. Let the liquid sit undisturbed until completely cool.
- Activate Yeast: Dissolve the package of dry yeast in ½ cup of warm water and let it bloom for a few minutes.
- The Ferment Stage: Add the activated yeast mixture, raisins, sugar, and the lemon and orange (chopped into small pieces with skins on) directly to the cooled dandelion liquid. Cover and let it stand for exactly two weeks, making sure to stir the mixture thoroughly every single day.
- Clarify & Bottle: After two weeks, strain the liquid through a clean cheesecloth several times until it runs completely clear. Let the clarified liquid sit for 1 day. The following day, stir in the cup of rum, pour the wine evenly into three clean wine bottles, and seal tightly.