Prep clean dandelions by removing yellow petals and placing in a bowl. The easiest way to remove the dandelion petals from the green parts is to fold back the greenery, lay the dandelion on its side, and cut the petals with a paring knife from the green base. You can discard the green base of the dandelion, and put the dandelion petals into a bowl. If you do not have enough dandelion petals, you may store them in an airtight container or bag in a freezer until enough dandelions are collected.
3 quarts dandelion flowers
Sanitize everything that will be used in the brewing process.
Once the dandelion flower petals are prepared for the dandelion mead, it is time to make the dandelion tea. Set aside 1 pint of water, and boil the remaining 7 pints of water. Pour the boiling water over the dandelion flowers, and cover the container tightly with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let the dandelion tea set on the counter for 2 days (no more, no less).
1 gallon water, 3 quarts dandelion flowers
On day 2, bring the dandelion tea and flowers to a low boil. Add lemon and orange peels (avoiding the withe pith), and boil for one hour.
Pour into a crock or fermentation bucket. Once the mead has cooled to less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, add yeast and nutrient. Let the mead sit for 3 days in a warm place.
1 package wine yeast, 1 tsp yeast nutrient
On day 5 (after 3 days of sitting in fermentation bucket), strain the mixture and pour into a secondary fermentation bucket. Add raisins, and then cover and add water to the airlock. Let fermentation occur for 4-6 weeks (or until completely fermented, and bubbles are no longer rising).
1 pound raisins
Once fermentation is complete, top up with the remaining 1 pint of water and rack into carboy. Set aside until the wine clears, racking into a new carboy every 60 days or as needed as particles thicken.
Bottle when the wine remains clear, and age the dandelion wine for at least 6 months before tasting. Dandelion wine tastes best after aged for 1 year.
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Keyword Brandy, Mead, Moonshine, Schnapps, Wine
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