Dandelion Wine (9)

• 2 qts dandelion flowers
• 23 oz Welch’s 100% White Grape Juice Frozen Concentrate
• sugar to starting S.G. of 1.090
• 6½ pts water
• wine yeast

In primary, mix grape concentrate and water and use a hydrometer to determine how much sugar to add. Stir well to dissolve sugar and then add yeast. Cover and allow to proceed through violent, initial fermentation. When fermentation settles down, wash and trim flowers of all stalks. Leave calyces (the green cup-like outer covering of the flower) on ¼ to ½ the flowers. Put flowers in nylon straining bag with a dozen sterilized glass marbles and tie closed. Immerse bag in fermenting primary and cover. Squeeze bag twice daily for 5 days and then remove bag and squeeze lightly. Discard flowers and transfer wine to secondary and fit airlock. Rack after 4 weeks, being careful not to splash wine, and top up and refit airlock. Rack again when wine clears and again 3 months later. Stabilize wine, wait 30 days and rack into bottles. Age at least on year before tasting. If kept for 3-4 years, the wine takes on a remarkable whiskey flavor.

[Adapted recipe from W.H.T. Tayleur’s The Penguin Book of Home Brewing & Wine-Making]