Chickweed Wine

• 1 qt chickweeds
• 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• water to make 1 gallon
• wine yeast

The whole plant, except the roots, is used in the wine. Bring 1 gallon water to boil. Meanwhile, wash the chickweed and thinly peel the orange and lemon. Add the peelings to the chickweed in a primary. Pour boiling water over them and allow to cool. Strain the liquid back into the primary and discard the chickweed and peelings. Add sugar and juice of the citrus and stir well to dissolve. Add remaining ingredients and cover with clean cloth. Ferment 7 days, then pour into secondary and fit airlock. Rack every 30 days into sanitized secondary until wine clears and no further sediments are dropped during a 30-day period. Stabilize, sweeten if desired and rack into bottles. This wine will not be remarkable until aged at least one year. Two years is better. [Recipe adapted from Steven A. Krause’s Wines from the Wilds ]