Dandelion wine is one of my favorite things to make in the summer, and the best part is, anyone can do it. Herbal meads and wines are simple and delicious, and dandelions in particular are often overlooked. The concept is simple: you extract flavor from dandelion petals, add honey (or sugar) as your fermentable sugar, pitch yeast, and let fermentation do its thing. People have been making dandelion wine for generations and there are many different ways to do it. In this article I'll walk you through several methods I've tried and some tips and tricks to make it a delicious summer tradition!
If you're brand new to brewing in general, I'd recommend checking out my article on how to make mead for beginners first. That covers all the fundamentals of fermentation, equipment, and the basic process. If you still have questions about the details of mead making after this dandelion recipe, they are probably answered there.
What Is Dandelion Mead?
Dandelion mead is exactly what it sounds like: a mead brewed with dandelion petals for flavor. The petals themselves don't contain much sugar, so the honey is doing the heavy lifting as your fermentable. When you use honey as your sugar source, you're technically making a metheglin (a spiced or herbal mead), though most people just call it dandelion mead. If you use plain granulated sugar instead of honey, you'd be making a dandelion wine. The process is virtually the same either way, so it's easy to swap between the two based on what you have on hand or what flavor you're after.
The flavor you get from dandelion petals is subtle, floral, and slightly herbal. Think of it as a light, dry white wine with a gentle wildflower character. It won't knock you over with flavor the way a big fruit mead will, but that's kind of the point. It's delicate and refreshing, especially when chilled.
Picking and Preparing Dandelions
This is the part that takes the most time, and I won't sugarcoat it. Picking dandelions is easy. Cleaning them is tedious. But it's worth it.
You want to pick your dandelions on a sunny day when the flowers are fully open. Try to pick from an area that hasn't been treated with herbicides or pesticides, because you're going to be soaking these in your brew. Your own yard is usually the safest bet, as long as you know what's been applied to it.
For a one gallon batch, you'll want about 300 grams of dandelion petals. That translates to roughly two to four quarts of whole flower heads depending on their size. Once you've collected your flowers, you need to separate the yellow petals from the green parts at the base of each flower. The green bits (called sepals and bracts) will add a bitter, vegetal flavor that you do not want in your mead. This is the part that takes a while. I find the easiest method is to pinch the petals free from the base. Some people use scissors, but I think once you get into a rhythm, using your hands is faster.
Two Methods for Using Dandelion Petals
There are two common approaches for getting the dandelion flavor into your brew, and both work well.
Brew Bag Method: This is the approach I prefer because it makes cleanup so much easier. Put your cleaned petals into a sanitized brew bag (the same kind you'd use for fruit in a mead) and drop the bag directly into your fermenter with the rest of your ingredients. The petals steep during fermentation and after 30 days, you just pull the bag out. No straining, no mess.
Tea Method: The other approach is to make a dandelion tea first. You bring water to a boil, pour it over your petals in a sanitized container, and let them steep for 24 to 48 hours. Then you strain out all the petals and use the infused liquid as your water base. This method gives you a cleaner must from the start, and some people feel like the hot water extraction pulls out more flavor. The tradeoff is that you're adding an extra step and an extra day or two to the process.
Both methods produce good results. If you want simplicity, go with the brew bag. If you want a slightly more refined starting point, make the tea.
People Also Ask...
Does dandelion wine actually taste like dandelions? Sort of. It picks up a subtle floral and slightly herbal character from the petals. It's not going to taste like you're eating a dandelion. Most people compare the finished product to a light, dry white wine with honey and floral notes.
Can I use the whole dandelion flower? You can, but you shouldn't. The green parts at the base of each flower contain bitter compounds that will make your mead taste harsh. Take the extra time to separate just the yellow petals. Your future self will thank you.
Is dandelion mead the same as dandelion wine? Not exactly. Dandelion mead uses honey as its fermentable sugar, while dandelion wine uses plain granulated sugar. The process is nearly identical, but the honey version will have a richer, more complex flavor.
The Recipe (One Gallon Batch)
Here's what you need for a one gallon batch of dandelion mead. If you don't have honey on hand or prefer to keep it simple, I've included a sugar based alternative below. If you need a fermentation vessel, airlock, hydrometer, and the other basics, my Glass Mead Making Starter Kit comes with everything you need so you don't have to track down each piece separately.
Dandelion Mead: 300 grams dandelion petals, 3 lbs raw wildflower honey, juice of one lemon, juice of one orange, K1-V1116 yeast or similar, 6g Fermaid-O yeast nutrient, and water to one gallon.
Sugar Alternative (Dandelion Wine): 300 grams of dandelion petals, 2 to 2.5 lbs granulated sugar, juice of one lemon, juice of one orange, K1-V1116 yeast or similar wine yeast, 6g Fermaid-O yeast nutrient, and water to one gallon.
The citrus is optional but I highly recommend it. Dandelion petals on their own don't bring much acidity, and the lemon and orange juice add a nice brightness and balance to the finished product. If you want to get more precise with acidity, you can use tartaric or malic acid instead post-fermentation, but citrus juice works great and adds a complementary flavor that pairs really well with the floral notes from the dandelion.
Step by Step Process
Sanitize everything. I say this in every article because it matters every single time. Every piece of equipment that touches your brew needs to be sanitized. If you've read my beginner mead article, you already know the drill.
Prepare your dandelion petals. If you're using the brew bag method, load your cleaned petals into a sanitized brew bag and set it aside. If you're making a tea, pour boiling water over your petals, cover, and let steep for 24 to 48 hours before straining.
Mix your must. Add your honey (or sugar, if going that route) to your fermentation vessel. If you made a dandelion tea, add the strained liquid. If you're using the brew bag method, add your water (room temperature or slightly warm to help dissolve the honey) and drop the brew bag in. Add the citrus juice. Stir until everything is dissolved. Top off with water to reach one gallon, leaving a couple inches of headspace.
Take your starting gravity reading. Use your hydrometer to record the original gravity before pitching yeast. You'll need this later to calculate your ABV.
Pitch yeast and nutrients. Rehydrate your yeast according to the packet instructions and add it to the must. Add your Fermaid-O nutrient. Give everything a good stir to incorporate some oxygen, which your yeast needs at the beginning.
Ferment. Attach your airlock and place your vessel somewhere at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. You should see airlock activity within a day or two. If you used a brew bag, you can gently swirl the vessel every day or so to help extract more flavor from the petals. Primary fermentation typically takes three to four weeks, but be sure to measure the gravity with a hydrometer to track when the value stops changing.
Rack and age. Once fermentation is complete (confirmed by stable gravity readings over two consecutive days), rack your mead off the sediment into a clean vessel.
Stabilize and sweeten if desired. If you want any residual sweetness in your final product, you need to stabilize first with potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate before adding additional honey or sugar. I go over this entire process in my article on how to stabilize mead. Do not skip this step if you plan to backsweeten, or you risk bottle bombs. This is where patience comes in. Dandelion mead really benefits from aging. A few months minimum will smooth things out considerably and allow particles in suspension to settle, making the final product crystal clear.
Bottle it. Transfer carefully into sanitized bottles using a siphon, minimizing splashing. Cork or cap, store somewhere cool and dark, and try your best to wait at least a couple months before opening. Dandelion mead is one of those brews that genuinely gets better the longer you leave it alone.
Tips for a Better Batch
Use only the yellow petals. I've said it already, but this is the single most common mistake people make with dandelion mead. The green parts taste bitter and grassy. Take your time cleaning them.
Citrus makes a big difference. The acid from lemon and orange juice adds balance and brightness that dandelion petals lack on their own. Don't skip it.
The honey you use matters. Get creative and try varietals such as orange blossom for an even more complex mead.
If you've got the equipment ready to go but need to shop for ingredients, my Brewing Ingredient Pack includes yeast, nutrient, and stabilizers so you have the essentials covered.
Final Thoughts
Dandelion mead is one of those projects that feels a little magical. You're literally taking weeds from your yard and turning them into something you can pour into a glass and enjoy months later. Whether you go the honey route or sub in sugar to make a dandelion wine, the process is forgiving and the results can be really impressive once you give it some time to age. Cheers!
Sources: American Homebrewers Association: How to Make Mead | E.C. Kraus: Dandelion Wine Recipe | Golden Hive Mead YouTube: How to Make Dandelion Mead