Herb Of The Week - Chamomile - Wine Recipes

[Guest guest]

Mmmm, chamomile wine ....

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

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From " The Wine Maker " - Ret. Lt. Col. Jack B. Keller, Jr.

 

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques72.asp

 

CHAMOMILE TEA

 

 

Chamomile tea is made from the dried flowerheads of the chamomile plant.

Indeed, you can make wine from them. I have two recipes, each distinctly

different. In addition, Leo Zanelli, in " Home Winemaking from A to Z "

states, " Chamomile has a very powerful, fragrant scent which, while

producing an excellent wine, can be disastrous if too much is used. Use

the recipe for Broom Wine, cutting down the flower heads to only

one-quarter of the amount. " This would be about a quart of flower heads,

undried, which might reduce to 1-1/2 pts dried and crushed. Personally,

I would use less (as in the first recipe, below) and add flowers if I

deemed necessary. The second recipe below makes a carrot wine which is

then infused with fresh chamomile flowers to lend fragrance and a hint

of flavor. Since carrot wine is excellent to begin with, I would think

this recipe would make an excellent wine also. Since you have the tea

rather than the fresh flowers, I would think you could add a quantity of

tea and achieve the same effect.

 

 

 

Chamomile Wine (1)

 

 

* 1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers

 

* 3 lbs sugar

 

* 7 1/2 pts water

 

* 3 tsp acid blend

 

* 1 tsp yeast nutrient

 

* 1/8 tsp tannin

 

* 1 crushed Campden tablet

 

* Montrachet wine yeast

 

Mix sugar in water and bring to boil, stirring frequently to dissolve.

Put chamomile flowers in jelly bag and tie closed. Put bag in primary.

When sugar is dissolved and water comes to boil, pour over bag of

chamomile flowers. Drip drain bag several times to allow flavor of

flowers to seep into water. Taste. If flavor is not strong enough, add

more flowers. Cover primary with cloth and let cool to room temperature.

Add all remaining ingredients except yeast and stir to dissolve. Add

crushed Campden tablet and stir. Every few hours drip drain bag(s) to

continue extracting flavor. After 24 hours, add activated yeast. Recover

and stir daily for 5 days. Remove bag(s) of chamomile and discard. When

specific gravity reaches 1.020 or lower, rack to secondary and fit

airlock. Ferment 30 days, rack, top up and refit airlock. Rack every

additional 60 days for 6 months. Stabilize and sweeten to taste. After

10 days, rack into bottles. Allow to age in dark place 6 months before

tasting. Will improve to about two years. [Adapted from Terry Garey's

The Joy of Home Winemaking]

 

 

 

Chamomile Wine (2)

 

 

* 18-24 chamomile flowers

 

* 4 lbs carrots

 

* 2-1/2 lbs sugar

 

* 7-1/2 pts water

 

* 1/2 oz acid blend

 

* 1 tsp yeast nutrient

 

* 1/8 tsp tannin

 

* Sauternes wine yeast

 

Scrub carrots but do not peel. Thinly slice into 6 pts water and boil

until carrots are tender. In separate pan, bring 1-1/2 pts water to

boil. Strain carrots and set aside for eating. Pour water over sugar in

primary. Stir until dissolved. In small pan, add chamomile flowers, stir

and steep as if making tea. Combine the two waters in primary and cover

until cool. Add remaining ingredients, stir and transfer to secondary.

Ferment under airlock until it clears, then rack for first time. Rack

again every 2 months until completely clear and no more lees are laid

down. Stabilize and sweeten to taste. After 10 days, rack into bottles.

Allow to age in dark place 6-12 months. [Adapted from C.J.J. Berry's 130

New Winemaking Recipes]