Make Your Own Dandelion Wine

By
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith is a food writer and certified botanist who has written five books on foraging and preserving food.
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Updated on 02/13/24
Dandelion wine

13-Smile / Getty Images

Prep: 2 hrs
Cook: 15 mins
Fermentation 1 - 2 years: 17,545 hrs
Total: 17,547 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 22 servings
Yield: 3 1/2 quarts

Many people have heard of dandelion wine but may not have had the pleasure of actually tasting it—or making it. This recipe captures the sunny color of spring's dandelion flowers in a bottle. Despite the sugar in the recipe, once fully fermented, the result is a deliciously dry wine. Dandelion wine has been likened to mead, with a hint of honey taste to it. This wine should be served chilled, and although it won't technically spoil, if it is aged too long it may not taste quite as good.  

If you've never made wine before, be prepared to be patient—fermenting dandelion wine takes about two years.

what you'll need to make this dandelion wine recipe
A Big Nonreactive Pot
A Handy Dandy Citrus Zester
A Fermentation Lock

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts dandelion flowers

  • 1 gallon filtered water

  • Zest and juice from 3 medium lemons

  • Zest and juice from 3 medium oranges

  • 1 1/2 pounds granulated sugar

  • 3/4 pound golden raisins, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient or 2 tablespoons cornmeal

  • 1 (5-gram) packet wine yeast or 1/2 teaspoon baking yeast

  • Optional: 1 cup simple syrup

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Snip off most of the calyxes (green parts) from the base of flowers and all of the stems. It’s OK if a little of the green goes in, but too much will result in a bitter wine.

  3. Compost or discard the calyxes and stems. Put trimmed petals in a nonreactive vessel (no aluminum, copper, or iron).

  4. Bring water to a boil and pour over flower petals. Let mixture sit for 2 hours.

  5. Place a colander lined with cheesecloth or butter muslin over a large, nonreactive pot and strain dandelions, pressing gently on the flowers to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Compost or discard dandelion petals.

  6. Place pot over high heat and bring strained dandelion infusion to a boil.

  7. Stir in citrus juices and sugar, mixing to dissolve sugar.

  8. Add lemon and orange zest and chopped raisins. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

  9. When mixture has cooled to room temperature, stir in yeast nutrient or cornmeal and wine or baking yeast.

  10. Cover and leave at room temperature for 10 to 14 days, stirring 3 times each day.

  11. Strain into a sanitized 1-gallon jug and seal with either a fermentation lock (available from online homebrewing and winemaking supplies) or a balloon with a single pinprick in it. The pinprick allows gasses to escape during active fermentation, but the balloon still keeps detrimental bacteria out.

  12. After 3 weeks, siphon or carefully pour the liquid into another sanitized jug, leaving behind any yeasty sediment.

  13. If there is more than 2 inches between the top of the wine and the rim of the bottle, top off with a simple syrup of equal parts sugar and water.

  14. When wine is clear, rather than cloudy, wait 30 more days and then siphon or carefully pour it into another jug, leaving behind any yeasty sediment on the bottom.

  15. Refit with an airlock or pricked balloon.

  16. Repeat this procedure every 3 months for 9 total months until almost no sediment is forming on the bottom of the jug anymore.

  17. Funnel into sanitized bottles and cork bottles.

  18. Age for another year before drinking.

Tips

  • When picking your dandelion flowers for this wine, make sure that the flowers are free of any pesticides or other contaminants. Rinse them thoroughly before using.
  • Make sure to use a non-reactive container, such as glass or food-safe plastic or ceramic. Do not use anything made of metal, unless it is coated in enamel and is void of chips.
  • If you think winemaking may become a new hobby, you might want to get a hand corker from a winemaking supply company. They are cheap and do a much better job of securely corking the bottles.

Does Dandelion Wine Have Alcohol?

After fermentation, dandelion wine does contain alcohol. It typically contains a similar amount of alcohol as white wine, although the exact amount will vary since it is homemade.

What Part of the Dandelion Is Poisonous?

No part of the dandelion is poisonous, and the entire blossom and greenery are technically edible. The stems and leaves are not typically used culinarily since they don't impart much flavor. Be careful to use dandelions that have not had contact with pesticides.