Ginger Spice Dandelion Wine

Making dandelion wine is my favorite anual tradition. It connects those cool wet spring days to the deepest nights of winter. It is bottled at the start of summer and finished by Christmas.

I use a very simple recipe, and have done for the last 4 years. This year I added cloves and ginger, I'd bet you anything the results are going to be wonderful. It makes a sweet wine with a very nice bouquet and honest to goodness tastes like spring in a bottle.

It requires a commitment time wise, to pick and process the flower heads, but by the time the wine has matured I always wish that I had made more. It's a wonderful idea to have a friend lend a hand with the picking, the promise of a bottle of dandelion vintage can be a powerful motivator.

Method:

• 2 quarts dandelion heads 
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 4 quarts water
• 6 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger 
• 6 cups sugar 
• wine yeast (Redstar Premier Cuvee)
• cheesecloth or coffee filter

Part One

1. Rinse the dandelion heads well, removing all possible sand, dirt, and bugs.
2. Using a clean pair of kitchen scissors snip the base off of each flower head, discarding the green base (recommended). Or at least making sure there is no stem left at the base of each head. Stems will make your wine taste bitter and vegetable.
3.  Place the petals in a large glass or plastic bowl or container and fill with enough water to cover. I place a big plate over the opening in the bowl to keep the petals submerged. Let soak for two days in the refrigerator.

Part Two

1. Rinse and drain the petals.
2. In a large pot, combine 4 quarts of water with the sliced lemon, orange, and dandelion petals. Let the mixture come to a boil and continue to boil for one hour uncovered.
3. This is a great time to sanitize and ready your primary fermentor and equipment.
4. Towards the end of the boil, add the 6 whole cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger along with the 6 cups of sugar.
5. Let boiling mixture cool to a safe temperature, and cover it to keep dust out etc. 
6. Then, (you might want to grab a friend) pour the liquid carefully through a colander lined with cheesecloth into your primary fermentation vessel. You may also use coffee filters for this, but I find they drain too slowly. 
7. If the mixture is under 100 degrees fahrenheit you can add your packet of yeast. If you have any, add 1 tsp. of yeast nutrient per gallon.
8. Cover and let that baby bubble! 

Part Three

1. In about a week your wine will have cast off a thick deposit on the bottom of the primary fermenting vessel. If you have the equipment, rack the wine off the sediment and into a sanitized secondary fermentor. 
1. Otherwise, carefully pour the wine into a sterilized pitcher trying to leave behind as much of the sediment as possible. Sediment tastes funny, you don't want it in your wine. If you are using the same vessel for the primary and secondary fermentation, give it a good clean and sterilize it before replacing the wine and covering it again. If you are using balloons to keep your wine safe, be sure to check on and change them as time passes. Contamination means certain death to your wine, so it's worthwhile to be careful. 
2. In two to three months your wine will have cast off another, thinner deposit on the bottom of the fermentation vessel. Rack the wine off of the deposit like before, and either let it go a further few months or stabilize and bottle it. Keep 6 months to a year before drinking. I know it's hard. You can do it.

Notes:

• Pick dandelions when they are completely open, bugs like to hide in the partially closed flowers. A sunny midmorning is the perfect time for harvest.
• Dandelions suck up toxins and heavy metals from polluted soil, do not pick them from sites that you are unsure of. Do not pick them from road sides either.
• If this is your first time brewing, please be careful and educate yourself. Check your local public library for literature on how to get started.
• Some people argue that the "pith" in citrus fruit will make your wine bitter. The hour of boiling in this recipe seems to nullify the bitter flavor, but if you don't want to risk it-- thinly zest the fruits and add their juices to the boiling mixture.
• This recipe is based on this wiki how article, and this recipe for Dandelion Wine 17.