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Country Wine
Traditional Dandelion Wine
A delicate, pale golden wine with gentle honey notes. The secret is using only petals — no green — which keeps bitterness away. This recipe follows my grandmother's method from her Yorkshire WI book, circa 1955.
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10.8%
ABV
23 L
Batch size
1.086
Target OG
1.004
Target FG
Ingredients
3.5 litres dandelion petals (green removed)
1.5kg white sugar (per 4.5L)
4 oranges (juice and zest)
4 lemons (juice and zest)
2.5cm fresh ginger root, sliced
1 tsp wine yeast nutrient
1 Campden tablet
General purpose wine yeast
Method
1. Collect petals on a sunny day. Sit with a cup of tea and remove every green piece — patience is essential.
2. Put petals in a bucket. Pour over 4.5L boiling water. Stir well. Cover.
3. Leave 2 days, stirring daily. Strain and squeeze through muslin.
4. Dissolve sugar in the liquid, add citrus juice, zest, ginger, nutrient, Campden tablet.
5. Next day, pitch activated yeast.
6. Ferment 3–4 weeks at 18°C.
7. Rack into demijohn, fit airlock.
8. Rack again when clear. Bottle after 4–6 months. Drink at 12 months.
Process
Yeast
GV1 (Gervin)
Target temp
18°C
Nutrient protocol
Standard additions.
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