Directions: |
Directions:Use only fresh blossoms, from which all stems are removed (otherwise it will be a bitter wine). For every gallon of flowers (well packed but not crushed) pour one gallon of boiling water over them. Let this mixture sit 24 hours or so. It will smell really weird (sort of like artichoke water - Don't worry this is okay). Then, add lemon, oranges, raisins (Note: I add 2-3 to mine!), sugar (Use a bit less than this for a drier wine) and yeast. Special wine or bread yeast both work well. Add a little (about 1 quart) of hot water over the top of this mixture. Put cheesecloth over the opening of the container (to keep bug-beasties out) and let sit and ferment for 10 days.
It will boil and bubble most merrily!
After the 10 days, strain into a cask/vat/container. If you don't have fancy wine-making equipment a bottle from those water fountain dispensers (5 gal.) with a water seal works great. For water seal, put a large cork in the top of the container through which you can run some aquarium tubing. Seal the top with duct tape (to ensure no air leaks) and run the tubing from inside the liquid about halfway inside the bottle, downwards into a bucket of water. Water seal lets the carbon dioxide escape from the fermenting wine, into the water, letting no air into the process. Let this arrangement sit for however long it takes, until there is no further fermentation/action taking place, and the liquid looks clear. Then siphon off the wine (taking care not to disturb the sediment in the bottom) and bottle it.
This wine can be tasted at this point, but is better if you let it sit about 3 more months.
Happy wine making! |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Keep in mind that this recipe was obtained from an "old timer", and has been passed down (hand written) over the years. You can modify it, experiment with it as you please. Note: the secret to the potency of this wine is in the raisins. The more raisins, the stronger your wine will be.
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