This dandelion wine recipe is gonna surprise you more than a Midwest summer thunderstorm. Let me tell ya, folks, this batch of sunshine isn’t just any ol’ hooch. It’s a Podunk specialty that’ll have you feeling like you’re sittin’ pretty on cloud nine. So here I am, about to share with you the most rewarding adventure in homemade hooch you’ll ever embark on – the legendary Dandelion Wine Recipe.
Dandelion Wine Quick Facts:
- Prep Time: 2 hours (plus pickin’ time)
- Fermentation Time: 6 months
- Servings: Enough to make the whole town tipsy
- Difficulty: Easier than herdin’ cats, harder than fallin’ off a log
For more delightful ways to use these sunny weeds, check out our Dandelion Recipes collection. And if you’re itchin’ to dive deeper into the world of homebrewin’, don’t miss our Ultimate Homebrewing Guide.
The Great Dandelion Debacle
Now, let me tell you about the time I decided to make this dandelion wine: It was a beautiful spring mornin’ in Podunk, and I’m out in my yard pickin’ dandelions faster than a squirrel gatherin’ nuts for winter. My neighbor, Jed, hollers over the fence, “What in tarnation are you doin’? Tryin’ to save the lawn one weed at a time?”
I yell back, “Naw, Jed! I’m makin’ wine!” Well, I’ll be darned if his eyebrows didn’t shoot up higher than a cat’s back in a dogfight. “Wine? From them yellow menaces? You’ve lost your marbles!” Little did Jed know, I was about to turn these “yellow menaces” into liquid gold.
Three hours and a backache later, I had enough dandelions to make an elementary school kid jealous. Now, I’m not gonna lie, by the time I finished separatin’ them petals, my fingers were more yellow than a coward’s belly. But let me tell ya, the end result was worth every minute of me lookin’ like I’d arm-wrestled Big Bird in my kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Dandelion Wine Recipe
This ain’t your grandpappy’s moonshine. Here’s why you’ll be fallin’ head over heels for this dandelion delight:
- Nature’s Multivitamin: It’s packed with more health benefits than Grandma’s secret tonic (and tastes a heap better too)
- Conversation Starter: You’ll feel prouder than a rooster in a henhouse when you serve your own homemade wine
- Family Affair: It’s a great way to keep the kids busy and out of your hair for an afternoon
- Instant Street Credit: You’ll be carrying on a time-honored Midwestern tradition, just like your great-grandpappy did
- It’s cheaper than therapy: Nothing says “I’ve got my life together” like turning your lawn problems into party solutions.
Dandelion Wine Ingredients
Dandelion wine is made from a handful of ingredients:
- Dandelion flowers: (3 quarts of packed petals) More yellow than a field of buttercups in July
- Honey: (3 pounds) Sweeter than Grandma’s smile at the county fair pie contest
- Water: (1 gallon) Cleaner than a whistle
- Orange: (1 medium-sized) Juicier than the latest small-town scandal
- Lemons: (2 medium-sized) More sour than Aunt Mildred’s comments at the family reunion
- Raisins: (1 pound) Wrinklier than Grandpa after a long day in the sun
- Wine yeast: (1 packet) Busier than a one-armed paper hanger with fleas
- Yeast nutrient: (1 tsp, optional) It’ll make your brew stronger than a Cledus handshake
Equipment Needed to Make Dandelion Wine
Now, don’t go thinkin’ you need some fancy-schmancy setup for this wine. Here’s some equipment you’ll want to rustle up:
- Fermentation bucket: With an airlock tighter than Fort Knox, ’cause we don’t want uninvited guests in our brew
- 1 gallon carboy, 5 gallon carboy, or glass jar with fermenting airlock lid: A glass jug curvier than a country road, perfect for aging your hooch without picking up any funky flavors
- Airlock: Keeps the good stuff in and the bad stuff out, like a bouncer at the most exclusive speakeasy in Podunk
- Siphon: For moving your wine smoother than a greased pig at the county fair, leaving all the gunk behind
- Flip top bottles: To show off your liquid gold (and maybe win a ribbon at the state fair)
How to Make Dandelion Wine
This is a one-gallon dandelion wine recipe, however, you can click on the 5x box for the 5 gallon batch of dandelion wine recipe. Now, let’s get down to business.
Choose your scaling option:
- 0.5x: For the “I’m not sure about this” crowd
- 1x: The classic batch
- 2x: For when the whole Podunk Gardening Club wants in
- 3x: You’re planning to open a speakeasy, aren’t you?
- 4x: Preparing for the apocalypse, one dandelion at a time
- 5x: You’ve got a field of dandelions and a dream
Now, here’s the instructions on how we turn these sunny little weeds into a drink that’ll make you grin wider than a possum eating a sweet potato:

Dandelion Wine Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 quarts dandelion flowers
- 3 pounds honey (about 4 cups)
- 1 pound raisins (about 3 cups)
- 2 whole lemons
- 1 whole orange
- 1 gallon water (divided)
- 1 package wine yeast
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient (optional)
Instructions
- Pluck them dandelions like they owe you money. We're only using the yellow parts, mind you. We ain't makin' salad here.
- 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.2 whole lemons, 1 whole orange, 1 gallon water, 3 quarts dandelion flowers
- Remove from heat, and add honey and juice of the orange and lemons (include the pulp).3 quarts dandelion flowers, 2 whole lemons, 1 whole orange, 1 gallon water, 3 pounds honey
- 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.
- Enjoy!
Dandelion Moonshine Tips & Tricks
- Pick your dandelions on a sunny day when they’re fully open. Mornin’s best, before the bees claim ’em all.
- Use only the yellow petals. Them green parts are bitter as your old Aunt Edna after her third divorce.
- Sterilize everything. We’re makin’ wines, not penicillin.
- Don’t rush the aging process. Good wine, like good gossip, takes time to develop. If it tastes like crap, leave the rest of the batch on the shelf for another 6 months. It WILL get better with time!
- Wine Pairing: Believe it or not, dandelion wine pairs wonderfully with light summer food. Try it with a fresh salad or grilled fish for a truly unique dining experience.
Dandelion Mead Variations & Substitutions
- Sugar: If you’re fresh outta honey, plain ol’ sugar will do. Just use 3 pounds and prepare for more stirrin’.
- Maple syrup: Swap out some honey for maple syrup, and you’ll have a brew sweeter than a love note at the sock hop.
- Flavor boost: Add other edible flowers like violets or honeysuckle. Because if you’re drinking flowers, why stop at just one kind?
- Fruit additions: Try adding some ripe strawberries or grape for a fruity twist on this classic recipe
- Gluten-free: Good news! This dandelion wine recipe is naturally gluten-free. Even your lawn knows how to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Vegan: Skip the honey some recipes call for and stick with plain sugar. Vegan-friendly and still guaranteed to raise eyebrows at your next family gathering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dandelion Wine
- What is dandelion wine?
Dandelion wine is a country wine made from dandelion petals and citrus fruits, creating a light-bodied wine with a unique floral aroma and golden color. - What does dandelion wine taste like?
It has a delicate flavor with initial citrus notes, followed by an almost honey-like taste from the dandelion petals. It’s light-bodied and different from traditional white wine. - Is dandelion wine sweet?
The wine is typically between a dry and sweet wine. Many brewers recommend slightly back-sweetening to enhance the flavors. - How long does dandelion wine need to age?
The wine should ferment for at least 6 months and is best consumed within 2 years to enjoy its optimal texture and aroma.
Remember, Podunkers, whether your dandelion wine turns out to be the talk of the town or needs to sit on the shelf for a while, you’re part of a grand tradition of turning weeds into wonder. So raise a glass to the art of making something out of nothing. Here’s to you, Podunk!
Awesome recipe! Can’t wait to try it next spring!
Picking dandelions and prepping the petals is very labor intensive. I wish there was a better way!
I’ll be sending the kids out to collect dandelions this year. Hopefully I can get some help with prepping them!
Just bottled some. It tasted great going in the bottle, can wait to see what its like in 6 months!