Herbal Wines:
A Truly Magical Brew
By Kalioppe
One of the memories I cherish most is that of making wine with my father. It was the summer that I was eight years old and our pear trees seemed to have outdone themselves. The fruit was everywhere—on the trees, on the ground—it even graced the roof of the nearby chicken coop! Try as she might, Mom simply couldn't bake pies or can the fruit quickly enough to keep it from spoiling. Spoilage constituted waste and wasting food was unheard of in our household. Thinking that he had resolved the fruit problem, Dad announced that she could make some wine. After seeing the exasperated look upon Mom's pretty face, he quickly amended his statement to reflect that we'd make the wine—just the two of us—a real father-daughter project.
I remember what seemed to be bushels of sliced pears, the delicious smell of cloves, cinnamon and lemon, large crocks and innumerable sacks of sugar. I also recall the tap of my mother's foot upon the hardwood floor while she mumbled a lot about the waste of sugar and perfectly good pears. I have a vague recollection of her muttering something about "fools," as well, but at the time I didn't connect the two. Of course, it never occurred to me that Dad didn't know what he was doing—he was "Dad," and to an eight-year-old girl, that word is synonymous with "God!"
As wonderful as those memories are, I hadn't thought much about them until I was thumbing through my favorite herbal magazine and found an article on wine-making. Just seeing the term brought the warmth of that childhood experience rushing to the surface! But upon reading further, I realized that the wines of which the author spoke weren't just ordinary fruit beverages, but herbal ones! Although herbs are a mainstay in my magical efforts, I had never considered the possibility of brewing them into fine wines. I had made herbal incenses, powders, sachets, talismans, charms, oils and dream pillows. I'd drawn herbal baths and simmered herbal cough syrups, soaps and cosmetics upon my kitchen stove. Yes, I had even utilized their magical vibrations in the preparation of the meals ingested by my family. I thought I had used herbs in every effort possibly conceived! Using herbs in the brewing of wines, though, was totally new to me.
Though the article in question certainly did not mention enchantment, it occurred to me that winemaking coincided perfectly with the realm of magical efforts. After all, the working of magick is a very simple premise: Whenever any condition has been changed by use of any ritual, magick has been used. What could be more magical than the ritual process of changing charged and enchanted herbs into a beverage which could be ingested for protection, creativity, harmony, etc.—a beverage which was delightfully pleasing to the palate, with none of the medicinal aftertaste of the usual herbal tonic?
Armed with the magazine and a bevy of magical ideas spinning through my brain, I headed for the kitchen. Surprisingly enough, I found most of the equipment necessary for magical winemaking already ensconced in my cabinets. With a little imagination, I was able to substitute other ordinary household articles for the missing items on the equipment list.
Tools
Below is a list of the tools necessary to make your own wines. Be absolutely certain that you clean them meticulously before beginning your "ritual." An extra scalding with hot water is advised.
A pot large enough to boil three quarts of water
Large plastic bucket or crock—for the first fermentation
Large plastic trash bags
Nylon stocking (a leg from an old pair of pantyhose works beautifully!)
Large glass jug [1-5 gallon]—for the second fermentation
A large funnel
Fermentation lock or one balloon (the neck must be large enough to fit well around the neck of the glass jug)
Siphon or a length of plastic tubing (an aquarium siphon works well)
Bottles, corks, bottle brushes, measuring spoons and cups
Choosing Herbs for Magical Wines
In brewing herbal wines, the amount of the herb necessary for a good recipe depends on whether you intend to use dry plants or fresh ones. Though we normally think of "fresh" as being "better," the opposite is true in winemaking! It takes much less dried herb for a good wine [making it a much thriftier process] and the rich flavor and body achieved from their use far exceeds that of wine made with fresh plants. The type of herbs you use in the wine must also be well considered for the magical results that you wish to achieve. A few good candidates for magical wines are:
Elder Flowers: impart the aspects of the Lady, and is an excellent choice for an all-purpose wine, or for use at Full Moon Circles.
Rose Petals: for love, harmony and beauty.
Lavender Flowers: for protection.
Dandelion Flowers: for creativity, change and transformational growth.
Peppermint: for spicing up one's life and adding new excitement to those aspects of living which have become absolute drudgery.
Lemon Verbena: for success in your endeavors.
Spearmint: to cool raging tempers.
Of course, the herbs listed above are just suggestions. Use your imagination and experiment. The list of herbs suitable for magical winemaking is endless! Carefully charge and enchant the herbs you decide to use in the wines, imbuing them with the magical properties that you desire. If you are familiar with this process, charge the herbs as usual. However, Scott Cunningham listed a very simple enchantment process in Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, which I include for your convenience.
Enchanting Herbs for Magical Use
1) Gather together a wooden or ceramic bowl, two candleholders, the herbs, and two candles of the proper color.
2) Place the bowl between the lit candles. Then place the herbs (still in their containers) around the bowl. (Be sure you will not be disturbed—close the windows and doors, and unplug your phone if you have to!)
3) Pour the necessary amount of dried herb into the bowl and gaze intently into the herb. Sense its vibrations and see the power emerging and waiting to work for you. Lean toward the bowl and touch the herb with your dominant hand. Do not move your hand for a few seconds, and visualize your need very strongly and clearly.
4) Run your fingers through the herb as you visualize your need. Feel your fingers charging the herb with your need and infusing it with power.
5) When the herb is tingling with power, the enchantment is complete. Remove your hand, and repeat with other herbs if necessary.
That's all there is to it! One note of caution, though: Be sure to check one of the very reliable herbal books available to make certain that an herb you wish to use is not poisonous! No matter how inviting its properties, your magick will fall short in the face of illness or death!
Making the Wine—Basic Recipe
1 ounce dried herb or 2 quarts of fresh herb
1 pound chopped Raisins
3 sliced Oranges or 4 sliced Lemons or 4 sliced Limes
(This adds the acid necessary to preserve the wine during fermentation and balance the flavor. Whichever of these citrus fruits is handy and in season will work just fine!)
2.5 pounds Sugar
1 tsp. Yeast Nutrient (readily available at wine-maker's supply stores, also sometimes at large liquor or grocery stores)
1 package all-purpose Wine Yeast
Toss the charged herbs into the crock or plastic bucket and pour three quarts of boiling water over them. Cover the crock immediately and leave it for 24 hours. Add 1.25 pounds of sugar to one quart of water and heat to a boil. Strain the herbs from the crock and add the raisins and the sugar water. Let the mixture cool until it's just a bit warmer than tepid, then add the citrus fruit, yeast nutrient and wine yeast. Cover with a trash bag, tying it loosely with string or twine around the crock. Stir the mixture twice daily in a clockwise motion for the next 48 hours.
Boil half the remaining sugar with one pint of water then let stand until completely cool. Toss it in with the fruit/yeast mixture and let it sit for 48 hours, stirring it clockwise twice each day. Boil the rest of the sugar in one pint of water, cool, and pour it into the crock as well. Stir the crock's contents twice each day for the next three days. The first fermentation is complete.
Place the funnel into the glass jug, lining the inside with the nylon stocking and pour the contents of the crock into the jug. Secure the balloon well around the neck of the jug. During this process, the wine takes on a life of its own, bubbling and fizzing and dancing within the container. As this second fermentation takes at least six weeks, it is an excellent time for further enchantment. I suggest picking a day of the week that is appropriate to your magical purpose, lighting a candle of proper color and "spelling" the wine weekly until it is ready to be bottled. Your ritual doesn't have to be lengthy. It could be as simple as lighting a candle and some incense, and saying (in the case of dandelion wine):
Dandelions, so wild and free grant us creativity!
Of course, visualization and intent are very important with simple ritual. They are the essence of the magick—so remember to announce these words with fervor and feeling, and know that you are imbuing the liquid with your intent!
You will know that the wine is nearing completion when it begins to clear. Any sediment in the bottom may be removed by siphoning the liquid into another bottle. You may wish to perform this process several times. When the visual clarity of the liquid suits you, it is ready for bottling. If the wine has not cleared within six weeks, though, don't fret! Depending upon the type of wine that you're making, it could take two or three months for the wine to be ready for use.
Magical winemaking isn't a difficult process, but it is a lengthy one. Yes, it is much quicker to run to the neighborhood grocer's and pick up a bottle of whatever's handy for Circle. However, the magical results you'll achieve by working up your own vintage brews are indescribably effective; moreover, homemade wines are delightfully pleasing to the palate! Yes, much to my mother's chagrin, our winemaking efforts produced terrific results! And Dad? Well, he came out smelling like the proverbial rose: A scent most befitting gods and fathers!
A Truly Magical Brew
By Kalioppe
One of the memories I cherish most is that of making wine with my father. It was the summer that I was eight years old and our pear trees seemed to have outdone themselves. The fruit was everywhere—on the trees, on the ground—it even graced the roof of the nearby chicken coop! Try as she might, Mom simply couldn't bake pies or can the fruit quickly enough to keep it from spoiling. Spoilage constituted waste and wasting food was unheard of in our household. Thinking that he had resolved the fruit problem, Dad announced that she could make some wine. After seeing the exasperated look upon Mom's pretty face, he quickly amended his statement to reflect that we'd make the wine—just the two of us—a real father-daughter project.
I remember what seemed to be bushels of sliced pears, the delicious smell of cloves, cinnamon and lemon, large crocks and innumerable sacks of sugar. I also recall the tap of my mother's foot upon the hardwood floor while she mumbled a lot about the waste of sugar and perfectly good pears. I have a vague recollection of her muttering something about "fools," as well, but at the time I didn't connect the two. Of course, it never occurred to me that Dad didn't know what he was doing—he was "Dad," and to an eight-year-old girl, that word is synonymous with "God!"
As wonderful as those memories are, I hadn't thought much about them until I was thumbing through my favorite herbal magazine and found an article on wine-making. Just seeing the term brought the warmth of that childhood experience rushing to the surface! But upon reading further, I realized that the wines of which the author spoke weren't just ordinary fruit beverages, but herbal ones! Although herbs are a mainstay in my magical efforts, I had never considered the possibility of brewing them into fine wines. I had made herbal incenses, powders, sachets, talismans, charms, oils and dream pillows. I'd drawn herbal baths and simmered herbal cough syrups, soaps and cosmetics upon my kitchen stove. Yes, I had even utilized their magical vibrations in the preparation of the meals ingested by my family. I thought I had used herbs in every effort possibly conceived! Using herbs in the brewing of wines, though, was totally new to me.
Though the article in question certainly did not mention enchantment, it occurred to me that winemaking coincided perfectly with the realm of magical efforts. After all, the working of magick is a very simple premise: Whenever any condition has been changed by use of any ritual, magick has been used. What could be more magical than the ritual process of changing charged and enchanted herbs into a beverage which could be ingested for protection, creativity, harmony, etc.—a beverage which was delightfully pleasing to the palate, with none of the medicinal aftertaste of the usual herbal tonic?
Armed with the magazine and a bevy of magical ideas spinning through my brain, I headed for the kitchen. Surprisingly enough, I found most of the equipment necessary for magical winemaking already ensconced in my cabinets. With a little imagination, I was able to substitute other ordinary household articles for the missing items on the equipment list.
Tools
Below is a list of the tools necessary to make your own wines. Be absolutely certain that you clean them meticulously before beginning your "ritual." An extra scalding with hot water is advised.
A pot large enough to boil three quarts of water
Large plastic bucket or crock—for the first fermentation
Large plastic trash bags
Nylon stocking (a leg from an old pair of pantyhose works beautifully!)
Large glass jug [1-5 gallon]—for the second fermentation
A large funnel
Fermentation lock or one balloon (the neck must be large enough to fit well around the neck of the glass jug)
Siphon or a length of plastic tubing (an aquarium siphon works well)
Bottles, corks, bottle brushes, measuring spoons and cups
Choosing Herbs for Magical Wines
In brewing herbal wines, the amount of the herb necessary for a good recipe depends on whether you intend to use dry plants or fresh ones. Though we normally think of "fresh" as being "better," the opposite is true in winemaking! It takes much less dried herb for a good wine [making it a much thriftier process] and the rich flavor and body achieved from their use far exceeds that of wine made with fresh plants. The type of herbs you use in the wine must also be well considered for the magical results that you wish to achieve. A few good candidates for magical wines are:
Elder Flowers: impart the aspects of the Lady, and is an excellent choice for an all-purpose wine, or for use at Full Moon Circles.
Rose Petals: for love, harmony and beauty.
Lavender Flowers: for protection.
Dandelion Flowers: for creativity, change and transformational growth.
Peppermint: for spicing up one's life and adding new excitement to those aspects of living which have become absolute drudgery.
Lemon Verbena: for success in your endeavors.
Spearmint: to cool raging tempers.
Of course, the herbs listed above are just suggestions. Use your imagination and experiment. The list of herbs suitable for magical winemaking is endless! Carefully charge and enchant the herbs you decide to use in the wines, imbuing them with the magical properties that you desire. If you are familiar with this process, charge the herbs as usual. However, Scott Cunningham listed a very simple enchantment process in Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, which I include for your convenience.
Enchanting Herbs for Magical Use
1) Gather together a wooden or ceramic bowl, two candleholders, the herbs, and two candles of the proper color.
2) Place the bowl between the lit candles. Then place the herbs (still in their containers) around the bowl. (Be sure you will not be disturbed—close the windows and doors, and unplug your phone if you have to!)
3) Pour the necessary amount of dried herb into the bowl and gaze intently into the herb. Sense its vibrations and see the power emerging and waiting to work for you. Lean toward the bowl and touch the herb with your dominant hand. Do not move your hand for a few seconds, and visualize your need very strongly and clearly.
4) Run your fingers through the herb as you visualize your need. Feel your fingers charging the herb with your need and infusing it with power.
5) When the herb is tingling with power, the enchantment is complete. Remove your hand, and repeat with other herbs if necessary.
That's all there is to it! One note of caution, though: Be sure to check one of the very reliable herbal books available to make certain that an herb you wish to use is not poisonous! No matter how inviting its properties, your magick will fall short in the face of illness or death!
Making the Wine—Basic Recipe
1 ounce dried herb or 2 quarts of fresh herb
1 pound chopped Raisins
3 sliced Oranges or 4 sliced Lemons or 4 sliced Limes
(This adds the acid necessary to preserve the wine during fermentation and balance the flavor. Whichever of these citrus fruits is handy and in season will work just fine!)
2.5 pounds Sugar
1 tsp. Yeast Nutrient (readily available at wine-maker's supply stores, also sometimes at large liquor or grocery stores)
1 package all-purpose Wine Yeast
Toss the charged herbs into the crock or plastic bucket and pour three quarts of boiling water over them. Cover the crock immediately and leave it for 24 hours. Add 1.25 pounds of sugar to one quart of water and heat to a boil. Strain the herbs from the crock and add the raisins and the sugar water. Let the mixture cool until it's just a bit warmer than tepid, then add the citrus fruit, yeast nutrient and wine yeast. Cover with a trash bag, tying it loosely with string or twine around the crock. Stir the mixture twice daily in a clockwise motion for the next 48 hours.
Boil half the remaining sugar with one pint of water then let stand until completely cool. Toss it in with the fruit/yeast mixture and let it sit for 48 hours, stirring it clockwise twice each day. Boil the rest of the sugar in one pint of water, cool, and pour it into the crock as well. Stir the crock's contents twice each day for the next three days. The first fermentation is complete.
Place the funnel into the glass jug, lining the inside with the nylon stocking and pour the contents of the crock into the jug. Secure the balloon well around the neck of the jug. During this process, the wine takes on a life of its own, bubbling and fizzing and dancing within the container. As this second fermentation takes at least six weeks, it is an excellent time for further enchantment. I suggest picking a day of the week that is appropriate to your magical purpose, lighting a candle of proper color and "spelling" the wine weekly until it is ready to be bottled. Your ritual doesn't have to be lengthy. It could be as simple as lighting a candle and some incense, and saying (in the case of dandelion wine):
Dandelions, so wild and free grant us creativity!
Of course, visualization and intent are very important with simple ritual. They are the essence of the magick—so remember to announce these words with fervor and feeling, and know that you are imbuing the liquid with your intent!
You will know that the wine is nearing completion when it begins to clear. Any sediment in the bottom may be removed by siphoning the liquid into another bottle. You may wish to perform this process several times. When the visual clarity of the liquid suits you, it is ready for bottling. If the wine has not cleared within six weeks, though, don't fret! Depending upon the type of wine that you're making, it could take two or three months for the wine to be ready for use.
Magical winemaking isn't a difficult process, but it is a lengthy one. Yes, it is much quicker to run to the neighborhood grocer's and pick up a bottle of whatever's handy for Circle. However, the magical results you'll achieve by working up your own vintage brews are indescribably effective; moreover, homemade wines are delightfully pleasing to the palate! Yes, much to my mother's chagrin, our winemaking efforts produced terrific results! And Dad? Well, he came out smelling like the proverbial rose: A scent most befitting gods and fathers!
