Locust-Blossom Wines, Sherries, and/or Meads

Locust Blossom Wine

April 5, 2001
  • 1-1/2 lb black locust flowers, destemmed
  • 1-3/4 lbs granulated sugar
  • 1 can Welch’s 100% White Grape Juice frozen concentrate
  • 2 tsp acid blend
  • 1/4 tsp grape tannin
  • 1 tsp yeast nutrient
  • 1 pkt general purpose wine yeast

Wash flowers, remove stems and pour while stirring into 1 quart boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for
30 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let soak for 10-14 hours. Meanwhile, take frozen grape concentrate
out of freezer and allow to thaw (overnight). Strain the flower liquid into primary and discard flowers.
Add remaining ingredients (except yeast) and stir until dissolved. Add additional water (luke-warm, but not
over 98 degrees F.) to bring to one gallon. Add yeast, cover primary and set in warm place. When vigorous
fermentation slows (7-10 days), check specific gravity. If at or under 1.010, transfer to secondary and fix
airlock. If wine does not clear in 30 days, put one teaspoon pectic enzyme in clean secondary and rack wine
into it. Reattach airlock and wait additional 30 days. Rack, add one crushed and dissolved Campden tablet
and 1/2 tsp dissolved potassium sorbate. Wait 10 days, sweeten to taste and set aside additional 30 days.
Rack into bottles and age 3 months. [Author’s own recipe.]