Dandelion Wine (11)

• 7 cups dandelion petals
• 1 lb white raisins (chopped)
• 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 3 level tsp acid blends
• ½ tsp yeast energizer
• ¼ tsp tannin
• 1 Campden tablet, crushed
• 1 gallon hot water
• wine yeast

Wash flowers and use petals only. Put petals and chopped raisins into nylon straining bag, tie closed and put in primary. Pour hot water over petals, stir in sugar until completely dissolved, and add all remaining ingredients except yeast. Cover primary and set aside for 24 hours. Add yeast and stir twice daily until specific gravity drops to 1.040 (about 5-6 days). Strain and siphon wine off sediments into secondary and fit airlock. Rack when wine clears, top up and refit airlock. Rack again every 2 months until no more sediments appear. Stabilize, wait 2 weeks and rack into bottles. Age 6-12 months before tasting.

[Adapted recipe from Robert Massaccesi’s Winemaker’s Recipe Handbook]