Chapter 10. Wines From Dried Herbs And Dandelion

In case the advantages of making wines from dried herbs i.e. dandelion do not immediately become evident, let me explain that the town and city dweller (and countryman, too, for that matter) may make all the old favorite wines of Granny's day for next to nothing. Practically no work is involved because, unlike fresh fruits which have to be gathered and roots that have to be scrubbed, grated and boiled, suitable packets of herbs are available ready for use. In any case, many town and city dwellers might well know of the old country wines and wish that they could make them indeed, they may well have lived in the country and tasted the wines made from the fresh herbs; dandelion, sage, coltsfoot, mint, balm, yarrow and countless others.

People living in large towns like Coventry and Birmingham have written to me asking about this field of wine-making, for they recall their early days when 'Mum' used to make what they now describe as 'really wonderful wines from leaves she used to collect from the fields all round where we used to live'.

Dandelion and other dry herbs normally cost less than two shillings per packet and such a packet is usually more than enough for a gallon of wine. The actual amount of the dried article may be varied according to personal tastes, but usually two ounces is enough for one gallon, and this amount rarely costs more than eighteen pence. I have found that the packets of herbs supplied by Heath and Heather Ltd., of St. Albans, Hertfordshire (branches in many towns), are usually suitable for one gallon of wine though the amount in each packet varies slightly with the variety of herb.

Those who know their herbs well enough to gather them fresh from the garden or field or hedgerow may do so, of course, but it must be borne in mind that one needs at least one pound of the fresh plant to get the equivalent of two ounces of the dried. It is most important one should be expert at identification because many health-giving herbs bear a striking resemblance to others which have proved themselves to be deadly poisonous. By buying ready packeted herbs such risks are done away with, and Heath and Heather Ltd. will send to anyone free on application their book of herbs.

In some of the recipes which follow the addition of raisins or wheat, or both, is recommended, and while I would stress that their use is quite optional, I do strongly advise readers to use them where they are specified unless they know in advance that they prefer wines made without them. The use of raisins or wheat, or both, adds body and bouquet where these properties may be lacking. As you will have guessed, the herb gives only flavour apart from its known medicinal properties and some aroma, but does not give the same amount of bouquet as a fully flavoured fruit; wheat and raisins help in this respect. As with root wines, the addition of acid is necessary and this may be added as citric acid at the rate of a quarter-ounce per gallon or as the juice or two large lemons whichever suits you best.

A nutrient is also necessary for the same reasons as have already been described early in this book.

The amounts of sugar in the recipes are those generally used, but readers now know that they make their herb wines dry merely by reducing the amount of sugar according to their wishes.

It should be borne in mind that while we use a gallon of water, and while the sugar occupies space at the rate of a quart to every four pounds, we shall arrive back at the gallon of wine aimed at because there will be some loss during boiling, loss of most of the sugar which will be fermented out and some small wastage when transferring to other bottles. A little less sugar is used in these recipes as compared with fresh fruit wines; this is because there is no acidity or astringency to balance, as is often the case where fruit wines are made.

The amounts of dandelion and other herbs given in the recipes are the amounts usually used and I advise readers to use them to begin with. Later, say when fermentation has nearly ceased, they may sample for strength of flavor; if they feel they would like it stronger, a little more of the herb may be added, but this should not be necessary.

On the other hand, if the flavor happens to be a little too strong a pint or two of boiled and cooled water may be added to dilute the strength of flavor. This will increase the overall amount of wine so that the amount of sugar added will not be enough for the increased amount. Therefore, when boiling the additional water, boil with it three to four ounces of sugar to each pint and then add this syrup slowly, taking samples until the strength of flavor is right. The recipes in this chapter have been given me by friends. The trials I have carried out with them have proved most satisfactory and I know readers will be pleased with the results. As will be seen, most recipes call for two ounces of the herb, but it will be found that the one-and-sixpenny packets of dried herbs from Heath and Heather will suffice in all but exceptional cases, where, for example, a very strong flavor is required. Where kola nuts are used, a ten penny packet is enough.

All dried herbs may be obtained from most chemists, but sometimes their stock is likely to be a little old. Heath and Heather deal in this field to such a large extent that their herbs can be relied upon to give the best results. Alternatively get them from a reliable herbalist if you have one in your locality.

The following method is suitable for all recipes in this chapter.

Lemons and oranges should be peeled, the fruit broken up and added and the peel discarded.

Put all the ingredients (except sugar and yeast) in a polythene pail and pour on half a gallon of boiling water. Leave for two to three hours covered as directed. Then boil half the sugar in a quart of water for two minutes and add this to the rest while still boiling. Mix well, and when cool enough add the yeast and nutrient. Cover again and ferment in a pail in a warm place for ten days, stirring daily and covering again at once.

After ten days, strain out the solids and wring out as dry as you can, and put the strained liquor into a gallon glass bottle. Boil the other half of the sugar in the remaining quart of water for two minutes and when cool add this to the rest. Cover as directed or fit fermentation lock and continue to ferment in a warm place until all fermentation has ceased.

2 oz. dried balm leaves, 2 lemons, 3 lb. sugar, 1 gal. water, yeast and nutrient.

2 oz. Dried parsley, 1 oz. Dried mint (or ½ oz. fresh mint), ½ oz. Dried sage (red), 1 gal. Water, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 3 lb. sugar (or 3¾ lb. invert), yeast and nutrient.

2 oz. Dried broom flowers, 2 lemons, 1 lb. raisins, 2 ½ lb. sugar (or 3¼ lb. invert), yeast and nutrient.

2 oz. Dried damiana leaves, 1 oz. Kola nuts, ½ oz. Dried red sage, 1 lb. raisins, 3 lb. sugar (or 3¾ lb. invert), 2 lemons, 1 gal. Water, yeast nutrient.

3 oz. Dried sage, 1 lb. raisins, 1 oz. Dried mint, 1 lb. wheat, 2 lemons, 2½ lb. sugar (or 3¼ lb. invert), yeast and nutrient.

2 to 3 oz. Of dried yarrow flowers, 2 lemons, 2 oranges, 3 lb. sugar (or 3¾ lb. invert),. 1 gal. Water, yeast and nutrient.

3 to 4 oz. Clary flowers, 1 lb. raisins, 2 lemons, 3 lb. sugar (or 3¾ lb. invert), 1 gal. Water, yeast and nutrient.

3 oz. Burnet herb, 1 lb. raisins, 1 lb. wheat, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 3 lb. sugar (or 3¾ lb. invert), 1 gal. Water, yeast and nutrient.

I do strongly advise you to experiment with half-gallon lots of these wines and to add tiny amounts of aniseed or liquor ice as fermentation nears completion. If you do this with varying amounts of herbs you must not let the total weight of the herbs exceed four ounces to the gallon of wine being made. I realize, of course, that a beginner cannot have any definite plan for blending because he will not be familiar with the flavors given to the wines by the various herbs. If you accidentally spoil the flavor of a wine by trying to improve it, you may dilute with sugar-water, and while fermentation is still going on, add other herbs to get the flavor you are aiming at. If you happen to find that the flavor is not quite strong enough you may suspend a bag of herbs in the fermenting 'must' until you get the strength of flavor you want. And this may be tested at few-day intervals by tasting.

No matter how many years you may have been makingwines with dandelion, other herbs or fruits, and no matter how many different varieties you have made, it will be clear from the number of recipes in this book that there are plenty you have not tried your hand at. However, do not be tempted to make thirty or forty different varieties on a grand scale. Make, say, half a dozen bulk lots with recipes and fruit you are familiar with, and experiment with half-gallon lots. In this way you will always have a nice stock and if any particular experiment goes wrong or perhaps does not turn out quite as hoped, little will be lost.

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