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Red Clover Wine

Getting confident

In season June to August · makes 4.5 L · target OG 1.088

A meadow-flower wine; delicate infusion, and not over-steeping a flower that turns grassy.

Before you start. Pick red clover from clean ground away from roadsides, and steep only briefly — over-steeping turns it grassy. Red clover is high in phytoestrogens — avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding, or with hormone-sensitive conditions or on hormonal medication.

You will need

  • Red clover flower heads1.5 L loosely packed
  • Sugar1.3 kg
  • Raisins, chopped250 g
  • Lemons, juice of2
  • Wine yeast + nutrient1 sachet
  • Waterto 4.5 L

Picking it at the right moment

  • Red clover flower

    Flower heads when fully coloured and fragrant, before they begin to brown.

Method

  1. 1

    Sanitise. Pick fully open red clover heads on a dry day, from clean ground away from roadsides. Shake out any insects.

  2. 2

    As with all flower wines, guard the honey scent: pour just-warm boiled-and-cooled water over the heads and steep only 24 hours — no longer, or it goes grassy.

  3. 3

    Strain onto the sugar, chopped raisins and lemon juice; top to 4.5 L (reading ~1.088).

  4. 4

    Pitch the yeast and nutrient when cool; ferment cool.

  5. 5

    Ferment out, rack and clear.

  6. 6

    A soft, honey-scented meadow wine of high summer.

What this one teaches you

  • · Delicate infusion

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An original MakeWine recipe.