380g dandelion petals (removed from flower heads) 500g dried raisins 3 tea bags 4.5 litres water 1.3Kg white sugar 2 tsp citric acid vitamin B1 tablet yeast nutrient 1 tsp Brewmaker yeast & nutrient

DAY 1: 29-04-02
The dandelions were picked, then laboriously de-pettled.
4.5 litres of water was brought to the boil to which 1.3 kg sugar was added. Once boiling it was poured over the raisins, citric acid, tea bags and petals which were waiting in a brew bucket. After a good stir the bucket was covered and allowed to cool overnight. Meanwhile a starter bottle comprising 250ml cool boiled water, 1 tsp yeast, a pinch of citric acid, pinch of nutrient, a dessert spoon full of sugar and a vitamin B1 tablet was prepared

DAY 2: 30-04-02
The tea bags were removed. The starter bottle was added to the now cool liquor along with 2 tsp Pectolase and a tea spoon of yeast nutrient. Later in the day the mixture was stirred thoroughly again.

DAY 3: 01-05-02
The contents of the bucket were stirred twice during the day.

DAY 4: 02-05-02
The must was passed through a nylon straining bag into a clean demijohn. After squeezing the pulp the bottle was filled to shoulder level, with no liquid leftover for a pop bottle ferment. The bright orange liquid was murkier than seen previously, with more solids as the straining through muslin was omitted on this occasion. Fermentation was well underway, with a rapid stream of bubbles from the airlock.

WEEK 13: 04-08-02
The brew had stopped fermenting some time ago, though so far has stubbornly refused to even begin clearing. The wine was put through the VinBrite to speed things up. Some loss was incurred, requiring 500ml of topping up solution. After filtration the wine was considerably clearer, though still a rather cloudy. Once the new addition of sugar has fermented out this will be tackled with Bentonite or possibly Kwik Clear.

WEEK 15: 16-08-02
Somewhat disappointingly the brew failed to continue fermentation.

This is probably due to the inhibiting effect of the high alcohol concentration in the wine. It is also possible that over zealous use of campden tablets during the filtration exercise managed to kill the yeast!

In an effort to restart the brew 120g of sugar was dissolved into 500ml water along with ½ tsp citric acid, ½ tsp nutrient and a B1 tablet (rather like the topping up solution used previously). To this a whole sachet of "SB3 high alcohol & country wines" yeast was added, plus a teaspoon of pectin enzyme for good measure. This was put into a clean airlocked demi john and left for 12 hours to re-hydrate. Once under rapid fermentation the new demijohn was filled to half way with the stuck wine, and left for a further 12 hours. After the second pause there was still a reassuring gentle stream of bubbles issuing from the wine, and the bottle was filled right to the neck.

Clearly this left around 500ml of cloudy 'stuck' wine with no further use, which was discarded. The down side of this operation is that the original flavour, which was diluted by the initial top up solution, has been further diluted by the second. On the plus side the brew will hopefully now ferment to dryness, whereas without intervention it would have been unpleasantly sweet.

The wine was returned to the temperature controlled cupboard to continue fermentation.

WEEK 29: 17-11-02
The gravity was measured to be 994, indicating the restart had not only been successful, but had continued to completion. Unfortunately the cloudy orange brew was showing no sign whatever of clearing. The wine was racked off, and ½tsp Ritchie Kwik Clear par A added and mixed in. After ½  hour ½tsp of solution par B was added, and the bottle topped up to the neck with cooled boiled water. The was wine left to (hopefully!) begin clearing. The flavour of the brew at this point was a little disappointing, with distinct overtones of swede. Not encouraging at this point, hopefully the flavour will improve with time and clearing!

WEEK 30: 22-11-02
After only several days the wine was extremely clear! The Kwik Clear had a miraculous effect. Might be one to use in preference to Bentonite in future, though it's inclusion may make the brew unsuitable for vegans (?)

WEEK 40: 03-02-03
The dark straw coloured brew was now clear, and was given a final polish by passing through the VinBrite before bottling into green glass after the addition of two crushed campden tablets and ½ tsp of sorbate. The taste still has an unusual slightly sweet turnipy overtone, though it is quite pleasant to drink with none of the nose-wrinkling associated with swede!