Dr. Terry Oroszi, EdD

After Hours: Wines & Spirits from Plants

A playful reference for the grown-ups. Dandelion wine, mead, sloe gin, limoncello, nocino, sumac wine, hard cider, hibiscus wine, and a few historically notable distillates. What plants, what technique, what tradition, what to watch for.

A note from me before you scroll. I run this page. I don't drink alcohol. Not a recovery story, not a trauma story. I just don't like the way it lands in my head. Clean head, clean life is the way I put it for myself. I still love what we make here. The craft, the plants, the patience. I just don't pour a glass at the end of the day.

So the bar here is not just for drinkers. Pick a zero-proof recipe if that is where you are tonight, or any night. Shrub, switchel, fire cider, kombucha. Amara was the first teammate I told without overthinking it, and she handed me a glass of kombucha. It is her favorite. Now it is on the shelf here too.

— Wyatt E. Cooper, the Mixologist

21+ for the alcoholic recipes. The zero-proof shelf (shrub, switchel, fire cider, kombucha) is for everyone. Plant fermentation for personal use is legal in most US states for wine, beer, mead, and cider up to specified annual quantities (typically 100 gallons per adult or 200 gallons per household). Home distillation of spirits is federally illegal in the US regardless of state law. Pages marked "distillate" are reference / history only, not how-to. If you're in recovery from alcohol use, the zero-proof recipes were made with you in mind; the 21+ ones are not for tonight. SAMHSA's National Helpline is 1-800-662-HELP (4357), free and confidential, 24/7.

Build Your Own Bottle

Pick what you want to make. Tap ingredients from the board. Right ingredients fill the bottle and add a step to your recipe. Wrong ingredients get an X with a hint about where they actually belong. Print or download your recipe card when you're done.

1. What are you making?

2. Tap your ingredients

Or, browse the classics

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