Homemade wine... Do you? What is your favorite?

[Scrambled Egg]

I want to make dandelion wine this year.

ummmm Banter, want to come clear out my yard??!!! lol!! Dandelions grow soooooooo much around here, hate them!! Glad there is some reason to appreciate them...or at least drink enough to forget you hate them, lol!

 

[banter]

Thanks chickenannie. I realy want the fizz-does anyone know about that?
Scrambledegg-I have plenty of my own, thankyou!

 

[nightshade]

OMG I forgot to list dandilion ! How did I do that ? Hubby said this year he wil pay the 5 yr old to help pick the flower heads.

 

[ThreeGlovers]

Banter,

The fizz is from bottling the wine before the ferment is finished. That is where it can become very dangerous. If you do not use the right kind of bottles AND use the wire tie tops the bottles can explode. TRUST ME on this one. I have had bottles that have had the corks pushed out very violently. My dad had 3 cases that the bottles literally blew up because they used wine bottles instead of the thicker champaign bottles. Please use caution and use the correct bottles for what you are making and secure the tops correctly.

Bo

 

[Rosalind]

That dandelion wine recipe from Mother Earth News can be altered for use with other flowers--elderflower (doesn't taste like the flowers smell), rose, violets, etc. I use 5 lbs. honey/gallon instead of sugar.

 

[carugoman]

I never really liked Mother Earth News and add I still don't after reading that recipe for "dandelion wine." That magazine has plagarised(sp.) so much since its inception, it's hard to believe what truth is? That recipe is copied verbatim from a Rodale Institute publication from over five decades ago; no credit was cited. The only thing missing is fresh diced gingerroot, added to the mix to aid in formation of carbonation. Personally, I do cut back on the citrus peel, but that's because I have my own citrus trees and a little goes a long way. Also I add some fennel seed and some celery seed.

I grew into an Italian family, where my father was born and raised Italian; as were his older siblings-his younger siblings are fully American, as am I. Wine cheese and bread were never "store bought", even to this day. I have dairy goats, a small produce farm, a small orchard, a small dairy, an outdoor beehive oven and bakery, and a smokehouse. Oh, how could I forget the ladies and all that?

 

[Crunchie]

This thread is rockin'!! Does anyone have any links to places that they like to order supplies?? Where is a good and reasonably priced place to buy fermenting crocks and the right kinds of bottles? I'd love to try my hand at some dandelion or strawberry wine....

 

[silkieluvr]

For rose petal wine, do you just use petals or whole flower?? i think I'll make some for my parents this summer

 

[Crunchie]

I was wondering about the rose petal, too. Especially because it seems that most rose varieties that you can find easily these days don't really smell much like roses.

I wonder what varieties have a real rose scent? My hybrid teas are pretty, but they don't smell like much of anything!

 

[bluebirdfarm]

rosalind, i'm glad to se that u use honey instead of white sugar.
LOL i can't even make jam with sugar since the recipe calls for 7 cups !!!!! I put in half the amount of homey anfd it was awesome.
WE have our own hives and we make honey mead. it is basically wine with honey and not sugar . although the honey does something top the fermentation and

it packs a punch about the smae proof as a schnaaps liquer.