All products were chosen independently by our editorial team. This guide contains affiliate links and we may receive a commission for purchases made. Please read our affiliates FAQ page to find out more.

How to make pink dandelion wine

Combine dandelions and raspberries to create a refreshing wine. Writer and naturalist Tiffany Francis shares her recipe.

Tiffany Francis-Baker

Published: April 3, 2019 at 11:27 am

When the frosts of winter finally begin to thaw in March, dandelions are one of the first flowers to unfurl in the weakened sun. Although their seed ‘clocks’ were a most accurate way to tell the time as a child, for adults they can be used to create something a little more tempting.

Dandelion wine is known for its unique and tangy flavour, but combined with the tart sweetness of raspberries it makes for a refreshing drink in late summer.

Pick your dandelions on an early spring morning, when the flowers are in full blossom and the heads just starting to open; the final concoction should be drunk ice cold with a dash of lemonade for extra sparkle.

Ingredients

10 Dandelions, heads
2.3l Water, boiling
2 Lemons
2 Limes
800g Sugar
250g Raspberries, fresh
1 rounded tsp Yeast

Methods

Step 1
Take a demijohn and sterilise with hot, soapy water before rinsing and leaving to dry. Wash the dandelion heads in cold running water, snipping off any green leaves where the head joined the stem, and pop each head into the demijohn.
Step 2
Cover with the boiling water and leave to stand overnight. The next day, squeeze the contents through a teatowel or muslin cloth and combine with the lemon and lime juices, raspberries and sugar in a preserving pan. Heat gently and simmer for 25 minutes.
Step 3
In the meantime, clean and sterilise the demijohn. Once the liquid has finished simmering, return it to the demijohn and cool to room temperature, around 25°C. Add the yeast and swirl until it has dissolved and spread out, and leave to ferment with an airlock for 12 days.

After this time, strain the liquid into swing-top bottles. For the first 24 hours, leave the swing-top resting on the bottle without securing, to reduce the chance of major fizz explosion. Seal the bottles and leave for at least six months before drinking. Pink Dandelion Wine

Tiffany Francis-Baker

Nature writer and illustrator

Tiffany Francis-Baker is a nature writer and illustrator from the South Downs in Hampshire. She is the author of several non-fiction books, including Dark Skies: A Journey into the Wild Night, a nature memoir about the landscape after dark. In 2019, she was chosen as a Writer-in-Residence for Forestry England to celebrate their centenary year. She has written, edited and illustrated for a number of national publications, including The Guardian, Harper’s Bazaar, BBC Countryfile, BBC Wildlife and Resurgence & Ecologist, as well as appearing on BBC Radio 4 and Channel 4. She is a Custodian for the South Downs National Park and also runs a small business selling her own ethically designed gifts and stationery.

How to make pink dandelion wine

Ingredients

Methods

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Share this article