How to Make Wine From Herbs
By Nell Rose
Making Wine From Garden Herbs
Herb Wines
Wine can be made from nearly every herb that you grow in your garden. And by making it yourself you will be able to capture the whole flavor and taste from the fresh plant. Herbs are a wonderful way to keep you healthy, and each and everyone of them will serve to heal a different part of your body. So many of them are blood tonics, something that we need so desperately in the winter when the main source of vitamin D disappears from our sight. When the sun becomes weaker we need to up our vitamin intake and keep our insides as clean and healthy as possible. Herbal wine can be one of the most beneficial of these internal cleansers. And they make a gorgeous addition to our table. Many herbs relieve fatigue which is something we all suffer with in the winter, and as we get older, these herbs will continue to help us retain our vitality and strength.
In medieval times all monasteries had their own secret recipe, for wine and liqueurs. Benedictine is the most famous, but they also used Chartreuse and many others. As you can guess, most wines will need a vast amount of herbs to make even a small bottle of wine, but these that are listed, are easy and have been tested. In the recipes below you will see that you don’t need a vast quantity of herbs to make a smooth and delicious herb wine.
Wine Making Kits
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Easymade Wine Equipment
If you are a wine maker already, then you will have all the necessary equipment that you need. But if not, it is relatively easy to obtain the following tools from a specialist shop or online.
Equipment
Fermentation Jar
Airlocks
Corks
Hydrometer
Yeast
Nutrient
Campden tablets
Wine making kits can be bought online at a very reasonable price. You can also buy a 'do it yourself' manual that will teach you each step, in a simple and easy way.
Dandelion Facts
Did you know? Most gardeners class dandelions as weeds! And they are one of our earliest recorded herbs. Arabian physicians used the plant for kidney, bladder and rheumatic disorders. Right up until the mid 1800s the dandelion was cultivated in English gardens for its culinary use and medicines. Being added to broths and stew. Dandelions have actually got more vitamin C than other greens, and has a very high vitamin A content.
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Dandelion Wine
You Will Need:
2 qt. or 2 ½ litres of dandelion heads
7 pts or 4 litres water
½ Ib or ¼ kilo chopped sultanas
Rind of two oranges
Strained juice of four oranges
2 ¾ Ibs or 1 ¾ kilo of sugar
1 nutrient tablet
Packet of Sauterne type yeast
2 Campden tablets
Try to collect the dandelions on a dry day. You don’t want them to be soft and soggy. Cut off their heads as far up as you can, otherwise you will have a bitter tasting wine. Place in a covered bowl with hot water, for 24 hours.
Collect the sultanas, orange rind, and yeast. Mix slightly then continue to add the orange juice, sugar and nutrient tablet, then pour into a fermentation container.
Pour all of the strained dandelion liquid over the ingredients.Then leave in a warm place to ferment for 4 to 5 days. When the mixture is ready, strain it through a bag or filter, making sure that you really press down on the sultanas.
Then fit an airlock to the container and continue fermentation.
When the time is ready, you should be able to tell by the equipment monitoring system, this is usually when it says ‘gravity fallen to 1.015’, pour into a clean jar or container then add 2 crushed Campden tablets.
When you see a deposit appear, pour again into a clear, clean sterilised bottle, that has been cleaned by the Campden tablets.
(Campden tablets are a sulfur based product that is used for Wine making, it kills all the bad bacteria)
When ready to drink, serve slightly chilled.
Elderflower Wine
You will need
1 pt or 2/3 litre Elderflower petals
7 pts or 4 litres water
½ lb or ¼ kilo chopped sultanas
Rind of 1 lemon
Strained juice of 2 lemons
2 ¾ lb or 1 ½ kilos of sugar
1 nutrient tablet
1 packet yeast
2 Campden tablets
Preparation is the same as the recipe for Dandelion Wine
Wine making Guide
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Parsley Wine
You will need
1 lb or ½ kilo fresh parsley leaves
7 pts or 4 litres of water
2 oranges
2 lemons
½ pint or ¼ litre white grape juice concentrate
1 nutrient tablet
1 packet of Hock type yeast
1 Campden tablet
2 lbs or 1 kilo of sugar.
Thinly prepare the oranges and lemons. Cut and wash the parsley. Then boil the fruit and the parsley in the water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Leave it to cool. Then strain the liquid onto the sugar and the grape juice concentrate and add the orange and lemon juice, nutrient tablet and yeast.
Ferment under an airlock until the wine is dry. And then leave in a cool place for about a week. After the week is up, rack the wine into a jar, and add a Campden tablet to get rid of bad bacteria.
Leave for six months, then bottle it in sterilised bottles. If it is possible, store for another six months.
Serve chilled as table wine.
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Herbal Wines
Wine For Health
Many Countries around the World, especially France, always drink Wine with there midday or evening meal. It is said that by drinking Wine with food, the enzymes in the Wine helps to break down the food and ease digestion. By drinking Herbal Wines, you can combine the two. These are just a few of the great Wines that you can make out of your herbs that grow in the garden. Not only will you have a great drink to keep you healthy, but you can make as much or as little as you like, therefore ensuring the freshness of the Wine. Enjoy!
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Comments
A friend made the elderflower one a few years ago and that was nice. I think I could get into making some.
Great information as always...
Blessings
Hi, Will, lol I remember it too! along with cider and a few beers! thanks as always, nell
hi, rose, I get these ideas to start something, and am looking forward to having a go! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, Quill, thanks for stopping by, always nice to see you, cheers nell
When I was younger I made marigold wine, nothing as fancy as what you have here. Just the marigold, hot water, sugar and yeast. I would pour the hot water on the marigold, let it sit for a day or two, sweeten and pour into a bottle and hide it somewhere dark for about 4-7 days. I sometimes use yeast if I wanted it to make alcohol. I loved my rough wine. I think I should start doing it again.
OMG, Nell Rose! My great aunt used to make dandelion wine. I have vivid memories of her at family gatherings at Christmas. She'd go from person to person with a bottle in one hand and glasses in the other, yelling, "DRINK!" (She was a little deaf.) Thanks for another fun hub.
dandelion wine sounds interesting. I have never tried it. We always used to pick dandelions and would give them to our mother. And the old saying, mama had a baby and her head popped off comes to mind. Or if your neck turns yellow, you like butter. Good memories
Alright! Good, informative article.
Great hub and very informative. Wish I could try this.
Who knew...What a Wonderful Hub Nell...I've learned so much. Actually I have heard of "Dandelion Wine"...and to think we used to pull them out and throw them away. Thanks for sharing this one!
My Grandfather made Elderberry wine. Another good 'how to' Hub. Thank's Nell.....
I had never knew about this before. I thought it would be great to know other wine. It's so tasty, right. But Dandelion is beautiful flower. I will love this one. Good job, Nell. VOTE UP and UP!
Prasetio
This is new to me Nell, although I have heard of Dandelion Wine...never how to make it! Bookmarked and rate up & useful! Great job.
I made elderflower champagne once. It was fizzy, but not really alcholic. I remember my friends and I were drinking it and waiting around to get drunk. After a few hours we gave up and went down the pub.
It tasted nice though.
Hi, Cardisa, it sounds great like that, but as you say if you want to make it alcoholic you can add the other ingredients, its amazing how easy it seems to be, I am definitely interested in trying it out myself, and am surrounded by books checking it out! lol I try anything once or twice, must make sure not to blow it up in the house! ha ha
Hi, The Dirt Farmer, lol! that sounds really funny, and good for her! I have drunk dandelion wine before, and it is really nice, she had the right idea! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, jfay, never heard of the 'mother had a baby' quote before! lol I used to pick a lot of dandelions when I was a child, because we kept pet mice! that's what they ate, clever little things! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, Teregirl, glad you liked it! and thanks
Hi, masmasika, maybe you should try to make the dandelion one? sounds a really good way to start, I am just waiting on all the equipment, thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, b. Malin, I know! I used to do the same! what a waste, lol! now I will be looking through all the hederows to see if I can find any, thanks as always, nell
Hi, Ruby, that one sounds lovely, I do keep trying all these little things! lol thanks as always, nell
Hi, pras, thank you so much, always nice to see you, cheers nell
Hi, Chatkath, I am visioning a cupboard full of dandelion wine by the time I have finished! lol thanks again nell
Hi, christopher, ha ha I can imagine you getting impatient to see when it kicked in! hit the pub, it always works! lol thanks
What an interesting and useful hub..rated so too. I'm tempted to try my hand at wine-making, but perhaps I should stick with cooking with a nice glass of red in my hand :)
Thank you Neil for this invaluable lesson about the nutritional value of dandelion. This is a WOW! I will certainly try to include herbal wine on my dinner table. I have voted this hub up and amazing! Thank you for sharing.
Hi, green Lotus, that sounds like a great idea! I love red wine, I can't drink white, it gives me a headache! I shall pour myself one, or maybe two when I am trying to make the herbal ones! lol thanks!
Hi, jean, I am glad you found it helpful, if I can't make it properly, I shall probably cheat and go and buy a bottle! lol thanks for reading
I've never tried making wine but certainly enjoy drinking it. When my husband and I lived in Wisconsin for 4 years we had a 1/2 acre lot and had lots of dandelions. I harvested some of them and ate them in a salad. Brings back memories! :)) Interesting hub!
Thanks for this introduction to Herbal wine. I found your article informative and educational. Voted up!
Hi, Peggy, thats a good idea, I never thought of salads! I will have to start picking some more for that, thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, Coolmon, thank you, I love learning something new, and this is my new project! lol have to see how it goes, cheers nell
Thanks for sharing. It is a very informative hub.I love to drink herbal wine as it is usually healthy.
How very clever! What an awesome combination... herbs and wine. Talk about a delicious health tonic! Bravo Nell.
Nell: This is a really interesting and informative hub. My great-grandmother used to make dandilion wine, but as kids, we would always chuckle, but never tried any. I never knew all this about herbs or that they could be turned into wine, but I can certainly see the benefits. I'm going to have to try this sometime. I do believe in natural remedies as health boosters. Thanks for a great hub! Voted up!
Ah, now here's a hub I can get behind, hee hee. Thank you for a great hub, and by golly, something to keep me busy... love yaz, lily
Hi, thanks everybody! I love herb wine and am in the process of trying it myself! wish me luck! lol
Nell, so glad you posted this! I've been wanting to make my own herb wine for a long time and I appreciate the info. I think my fave you have here is Elderberry, but Dandelion is pretty popular around these parts.
Hi, beth, I like Elderberry too, I think you can make stinging nettle wine too, I shall have to look into it! lol better not sample it though! I might get slightly tiddly! ha ha
Never heard of this - VERY interesting! I must give this a try, thank you for introducing.
Earlier this month, I saw a dandelion jelly recipe and now your telling me you can make wine out of it too...I don't think I'll ever get upset about that weed growing in my yard anymore.
Yeah, everyone killing dandelions for years when it could one day be an important food for us. I notice it is in salads I buy out now and there is plenty to be had, I use to feed it to my Hamsters, Guinea pigs, rabbits, you name it, they all loved it but now animals are all around peeing on stuff, yuck. I can't have any alcohol because of medicine but otherwise I would be trying those out! Still I will pass it around as I do all your good helpful hubs! I do have oodles of herbs though and I use them. Celery seed is like a fluid pill (lowers blood pressure) did you know? I use that every day because I can't take any fluid pill. (allergy) Great hub dear Nell, as always!
Hi, missolive, glad you found it helpful, and thanks!
Hi, leann, now you will see it in a whole new light! lol thanks again, nell
Hi, Polly, I used to use dandelions to feed my pet mice! never thought you could use if for anything else, I heard that Celery seed is good for the bladder, gets rid of water retention, but the trouble is never take it before going out! lol or else you will be constantly trying to find a public toilet! thanks as always, nell
Thank you very much for the recipes, Nell. I eat dandelion leaves in salads, but I've never tried making a wine from dandelions or from anything else. My father used to make wine at home, and it was always delicious. I'll have to try making wine myself some time!
Hi, Alicia, I have bought bottled dandelion wine before, but this is the first time I have tried to go it alone! as long as I don't add the wrong igredients or too much or too little, don't want to poison anyone! lol thanks for reading, cheers nell
Not me, I sometimes go all day and forget it and will sprinkle it over an ice cream cone right at bedtime, my bladder is better than it has been in years, I never have to get up every night anymore, but maybe that has to do with something else I take, who knows? Or maybe I don't use enough, almost half a teaspoon?
Are you looking forward to November poem month? Whether I do it or not I am going to assume I will and send off a big collection for copyright about a week before. I just don't trust my hard work to all the crooks we have online myself. You feel as I do I am sure like they are your babies. I know I can prove mine and I would tear anyone apart legally if they dared use one of mine. They most have very deep meaning, except the foolish love ones I do with songs, but still they are still mine, I just don't have the same love. I am going to read up on the rules and see what it's all about. Might be fun!
cheerio-Polly
Hi, Polly, good luck with the poems, I don't blame you about the copyright it drives me mad too! I do write poetry, but its only when I get the urge to write about something specific, but I will go take a look, thanks again
Voted up Nell. Great work. You do such a good job on your articles. I am not a drinker, but I found it interesting that they have herb wines. Before now, I didn't know that. You learn something new everyday I guess. Have you tried them and I wonder how they taste? Good work.
Hi, lyric, I have bought the dandelion wine one and thats nice, I am trying to make sure it tastes the same as mine! lol I can't really explain the taste really, its not bitter, in fact its quite sweet, but not sickly, dread to think what mine is going to turn out like! lol thanks again nell
Wine = in demand. Herbs = in abundance. Your hub is a perfect marriage of the two. :-) But seriously, love the directions, tips and instructions. Rated up!
Hi, steph, thanks for reading it, sorry I took so long to answer, been out most of the day, cheers nell
Hi Nell Rose, this is a very good preparation hope the taste is good. I'm not there I could have like to taste it because, I love talking such. keep it up!
Sounds very natural wine with all the benefits from the herbs. Very useful article.
Hi, ugochi, lol you would be very welcome! it does taste lovely! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, jamterrell, thanks so much, and glad you liked it, cheers nell
Voted up, useful, and awesome! Dandelion wine please...right now! :)
Hi, kitty, I will send it right over! Ice? lemon? ha ha
WillStarr 8 months ago
You take me back to my youth in Iowa, where lots of people made dandelion wine, and lots of young idiots like me drank it!
You sure could get zonked on dandelion wine. ^_*