You've probably heard of dandelion wine — but what does it taste like, and how difficult is it to make? Well, it's delicious and not at all challenging to brew! Dandelion wine is a sunny drink that really captures the essence of spring.
Even though the recipe calls for sugar, once the dandelion wine fully ferments, you're left with quite a dry wine.
It has a similar taste to mead with its slightly sweet and dry taste. You'll want to serve your dandelion wine chilled, and even though it won't necessarily spoil, it won't taste great if you age it for too long.
Related: How to Properly Drink Wine
Dandelion wine is super easy to make; however, you'll have to bring your patience — it takes about two years to ferment the drink.
This is the best dandelion wine recipe we've found, and if you're anything like us, this will be your new favorite recipe, too! Without further ado, here's the tastiest dandelion wine recipe you'll ever find, thanks to The Spruce Eats blog.
Dandelion Wine Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
- 2 quarts of dandelion flowers
- 1 gallon of filtered water
- The juice and zest of three medium lemons
- The juice and zest of three medium oranges
- One and 1/2 pounds of sugar
- 3/4 pounds of chopped golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons of cornmeal OR 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient
- Half a teaspoon of baking yeast OR 5 grams of wine yeast
- 1 cup of simple syrup (optional)
How to Make the Dandelion Wine Recipe
- First, you'll need to gather all of the ingredients.
- Then, cut off the green parts from the dandelion flowers and steps. It's not a big deal if a little bit goes in, but if you add too much of the green parts, your wine will be bitter.
- Next, you'll want to discard everything you cut off and put the trimmed petals in a container — don't use copper, iron, or aluminum.
- Bring your gallon of filtered water to a boil, pour it over the flower petals, and let it sit for two hours.
- Line a colander with cheesecloth, place it over a non-reactive pot, and strain the dandelions by gently pressing down on them to extract as much liquid as you can. Once you're done, you can discard the petals.
- Then, you'll bring that mixture to a boil again and stir in the sugar and citrus juices
- Next, add the chopped raisins and fruit zest, remove from heat, and allow it to cool.
- Once your mixture has reached room temperature, stir in your cornmeal or yeast nutrient and your baking. Or wine yeast.
- Cover the wine, and let it sit at room temperature for two weeks, stirring it three times every day.
- After two weeks, strain it into a clean 1-gallon jug and seal the jug with the fermentation lock — you can find these at any store that sells winemaking or homebrewing supplies.
- After three weeks, pour the wine into another clean jug and leave the yeasty sediment behind.
- Then, if there is more than 2 inches of space left in the top of the jug, fill it up with a simple syrup — this is a mixture of equal parts water and sugar. Once the line is clear instead of cloudy, wait an additional 30 days, and once again, pour it carefully into another jug. Don't forget to reseal it.
- You'll need to repeat this process every 90 days for a total of nine months and until there is little to no sediment left on the bottom of the jug.
- Then, carefully pour into sanitized bottles and cork them.
- Now comes the hardest part — let the dandelion wine age for another year before enjoying.
Tips for Making Dandelion Wine
When picking dandelion flowers to make this wine, it's crucial to ensure that the plants are free of any contaminants or pesticides. Wash them thoroughly before using them to make the line.
It's also essential to use non-reactive containers, like ceramic, plastic, or glass — do not use metal containers unless they are coded with enamel and have no chips or scratches.
If you're planning on making dandelion wine — or any other wine — frequently, it's worth getting a hand corker. They are inexpensive and make it much easier to secure the cork in your wine bottles.
When adding the dandelion petals to the wine, use only the yellow flower — the green parts will result in an unpleasant, bitter wine.
If you pick your dandelions and don't have enough to make a batch of wine, you can freeze the petals to use when you have enough.
You want to pick off the yellow petals you plan to use as soon as you harvest the dandelions — the flower heads close over time, making it difficult to remove the petals.
Related: How to Make Mulled Wine
Is Dandelion Wine Alcoholic?
Yes — once it ferments, your dandelion wine will contain alcohol. It's difficult to measure the exact amount; however, it will typically have about the same amount of alcohol as a white wine.
Are Dandelions Poisonous?
No — every part of the dandelion, including the green leaves and stems we cut off to make the wine, is safe and edible. However, we don't typically use the stems and leaves for cooking because they don't impart very much flavor and can be quite bitter. The only time when eating a dandelion is unsafe is if the plant has been in contact with chemicals or pesticides.
Enjoy Your Dandelion Wine in Style
At Taste of Purple, we carry the best wine glasses and accessories to help you get the most out of your favorite wine — whether it's homemade dandelion wine or a fancy red from your cellar. Our high-quality and handcrafted glasses make your wine drinking more enjoyable than ever!
Ready to drink your dandelion wine in style? Check out our wine glasses, accessories, and more!