Tasting the Dandelion Wine
Mmmmmmmm….now there’s a drink that’ll warm your tummy and curl your toes. Hubby and friends said it tasted more like a brandy. I say it had a kick, but not like a mule, just enough to get your attention. The flavor was warm and earthy, with citrus overtones from the lemons and oranges. I’m enjoying it, even if I am a teetotaler.
The Europeans often believed that the making of the wine was a magical process, and that the fae (also known as faeries or fairies) helped the process along. After all, they were starting with bitter dandelions and ending up with sweet wine… how can there not be magic involved?
As I mentioned in the original post, dandelion wine was allowed during some periods of prohibition due to its medicinal properties. Herbal Legacy states:
Studies show that the dandelion to be a rich source of vitamins and minerals. The leaves have the highest vitamin A content of all greens. Herbalists say that dandelion root heads the list of excellent foods for the liver because of its relatively high amounts of choline which is an important nutrient for the liver. Dandelion leaves are a diuretic, meaning that they help flush excess water from the body. Dandelion flowers are well endowed with lecithin, a nutrient that has been proven useful in various liver ailments.
Winemaking Ingredients: Dandelion Beer
8 oz / 225 grams young dandelion plants
1 lb / 450 grams demerara sugar
1/2 oz / 15 grams root ginger
1 large lemon
8 pints / 1 gallon water
1 oz / 25 grams cream of tartar
1/4 oz / 10 grams brewer’s yeast
Winemaking Method: Dandelion Beer – Wine Making Guides
This is very much a springtime recipe, when the dandelion plants are young and the leaves fresh. Dig up the dandelions plants, taking care to keep the roots intact. Wash them thorougly to eliminate all traces of soil, and remove any fine, fibrous roots, leaving a clear carrot-like taproot.
Add the dandelion plants (including leaves) into a large saucepan, together with the water, ginger (roughly chopped) and the rind of the lemon. Bring to the boil and leave simmering for around ten minutes. Strain into a fermentation bucket, adding the sugar and the cream of tartar, mixing thoroughly. When cooled, add the activated brewing yeast and the juice from the lemon. Cover and leave to ferment for three days, stirring once a day. Strain and bottle, using strong bottles with screw-tops. Drink just one week later.