Elderflower Champagne... time to get going!

[shirlthegirl43]

Shirl - do you only use the 4 flowerheads the recipe suggests?

I can never find very big flowerheads but the 'double batch' I put to go yesterday had a good double handful of heads to 20 litres of water and it smells 'flowery' enough. I don't bother removing them from the stalks either.

[Scottishnewbie]

Am in a quandry now as I'm supposed to bottle it today/tonight and I'm now not sure if it's going to be a waste of time. I'm guessing I probably put about 6 flowerheads (decent size) to 10 litres of water.........thoughts please?

[OverWyreGrower]

I did the h2g2 recipe and bunged in at least 8-10 flowerheads, as they weren't huge...

When I bottled it, it smelt very nice and not at all overpowering...

[sarraceniac]

I reckon you'll be OK SN. I use more but that is because I use my Elderflower shampagne (spelling deliberate) mainly for a mixer with gin. Beats tonic even.

[LostGoddess]

I reckon you'll be OK SN. I use more but that is because I use my Elderflower shampagne (spelling deliberate) mainly for a mixer with gin. Beats tonic even.

Mmmmm, can't wait!

[Sunbeam]

bottled mine about a week and a half ago and it is fizzing beautifully! have released the gas on one of the bottles as it has blown the bottom out into a dome - might rebottle into a lemonade bottle

[sarraceniac]

Just tasted my first batch started 3 weeks ago. I don't actually drink it this young but I do open a litre tonic bottle to make sure it's OK. Delicious but not very effervescent yet. More what the Americans call 'crackling'. So I guess I'll have to finish it as a gin mixer?

[pdblake]

I was just about to bottle my latest batch last night and found it to be, well, syrupy. It's a lot more viscous that the last lot, like a runny wallpaper paste.

Anyone know what went wrong. I didn't add any extra yeast this time around, that was the only change. Has it perhaps not fermented?

Now wonder I prefer wine

[sarraceniac]

I was just about to bottle my latest batch last night and found it to be, well, syrupy. It's a lot more viscous that the last lot, like a runny wallpaper paste.

Anyone know what went wrong. I didn't add any extra yeast this time around, that was the only change. Has it perhaps not fermented?

Now wonder I prefer wine

You didn't add treacle instead of sugar did you PD?

[pdblake]

Maybe I got HFW's champage recipe mixed up with haw sauce of his

I'll let it settle for a few days, maybe let a bit of the fizz go and try bottling it at the weekend.

[LostGoddess]

I sneaked a peek at mine last night.. bottled it last Wednesday and I can see little bubbles rising to the top of the bottles... I am more excited about this small fact than a grown woman really should be

[Sunbeam]

Came home this afternoon to a scene of devastation and carnage - one of my pop bottles of elderflower champers went bang whilst we were out - it smashed my salt-pig to smithereens, knocked over a bottle of oil (with the cap half open) and sprayed the whole kitchen - 4 washes with cilet bang has not got rid of the sticky!!!!! needless to say I have released the pressure on the other two!!!!

[ohbeary]

I was just about to bottle my latest batch last night and found it to be, well, syrupy. It's a lot more viscous that the last lot, like a runny wallpaper paste.

Anyone know what went wrong. I didn't add any extra yeast this time around, that was the only change. Has it perhaps not fermented?

Now wonder I prefer wine

In wine making terms, you have "ropiness" the wine pours like egg white?, bit thick?, whisk well and dose with 2 crushed campden tablets, should go back to normal, assuming you were making th' elder shampoo! it wont ferment now without restarting with wine yeast, what you can do is bottle it when clear and process through a "soda stream" thingy, wouldn't have one in the house, but seeing possibilities.

ps, ropiness cause by either wild yeast or bacteria!!.

PS, go out and buy CJJ, Berry's book "First Steps in Winemaking", ignore HFW(prat) who makes it up as he goes,IMO, tried and tested NOT!!,(reiterate previous brackets)

[wimbish]

Mines been bottled now for about three weeks in 2 litre plastic bottles. The champagne has loads of fizz, been releasing it regularly.
Theres also what seems to be alot of sediment in the bottom of every bottle, when i release the pressure it mixes through the whole bottle is this normal? Or shouldn't the sediment be there? Can't see how it's going to be drinkable

[sarraceniac]

Wimbish, don't worry. The sediment is just the yeast deposit. With some wines you would rack it off but don't worry. You won't even notice it taste-wise.

Ohbeary. Glad someone said that about the lovely Hugh. I wanted to but didn't have the nerve.