Elderberry Wine...

[Hilary B]

Yeast nutrient takes out some of the guessing. It may work fine without, it's only a few chemicals that makes the yeast 'grow' better, so you get a more reliable ferment, but if you haven't got LOTS of fruitiness in your mix, then it becomes essential.
The yeast nutrient sold usually contains potassium salts (can't remember exactly which ones) and basically 'trace elements' that make for healthy yeast.

[Beckybex]

I've started a batch of this today, the recipe from the very top of the thread. Does anyone one what point to add the citric acid? With the yeast and nutrient? Thanks.....

[Two_Sheds]

Add the citric with the yeast, yes.

(I'm bottling my Elderberry & Redcurrant*, it's delish, very port-like)

* I replaced some elderberries with redcurrants because I didn't have enough

[Alison]

Picked the last of the elderberries last night (you should see the colour of my hands how!) and have made some pontack - never had it before but it's supposed to be good so thought I'd give it a go

[Glutton4...]

I'm bumping this, as it's taken me all morning to load the darn page, and our Elderberries are plumping up nicely round here at the moment.

Not sure I can be faffed with all the add this add that, specific gravity, and bubbly top thingies (technical terms, thems lol ), so I'm looking at simple recipes.

[Two_Sheds]

The trouble I've found with elderberries, in every recipe I've tried, is that they stop fermenting at some point - the brew just stops and needs restarting with a fresh batch of yeast starter, so having a SG meter thingy is really useful.

You do need a bubble top thingy too, to keep the flies & dust out, and to let out gases so the brew doesn't explode. Have a look on eBay

[Glutton4...]

You just want me to get involved in 'proper' brewing dontcha?



I do already have the CJJ Berry book..........

[Munch]

Can I just ask...

Do you add 2 tsp of nutrient AND 2 tsp of yeast per gallon?

Looking forward to this, I have picked up a DJ on Freecycle!

[Two_Sheds]

^ I only use one tsp of each per gallon. The nutrient feeds the yeast, gets it going fast so it can turn all that lovely sugar to alcofrol

[grenhouse]

Any ideas as to how alcoholic this wine is?

steve

[VirginVegGrower]

Questions from me too peeps:-
1. Made up 9 litres today and am awaiting cooling before adding other ingredients. Do I also add a Campden tablet? If so to start or finish or both?
2. Sales woman in Wilkos makes her own and she sold me the yeast compound as they were out of yeast nutrient - she said it was yeast and yeast nutrient together. Is she correct?
3. Bought these bungs and bubble tap thingies - what do I do with that bubbly thing.
4. My other half said did you get any finings? What the hell are they and do I need them?
5. Wilkos had Pectolase - do I need that?
6. Long way off but how do you rack exactly?

Sorry everyone - can you tell it's my first time?

Thanks in advance

[Two_Sheds]

Any ideas as to how alcoholic this wine is?

That will depend on your yeast, also how much and when you add the sugar. The wine I make is about 12-13%. To get it stronger you need a robust (dessert) yeast and to add the sugar incrementally (too much sugar at once will kill the yeast)

Do I also add a Campden tablet?

If so to start or finish or both?

Campden is basically a steriliser. You use it to sterilise your equipment. Sometimes you might use it to sterilise your ingredients, eg if you're using wild fruit with yeasts on them. You also might add a Campden at the end of fermentation, to stabilise the wine

what do I do with that bubbly thing.

it goes in the bung (with water in it) to let gas out of the wine, and stop dust & bugs getting into it

My other half said did you get any finings?

I've never needed finings - they are to clear a stubborn hazy wine

Pectolase - do I need that?

Pectolase clears the starchy haze in a wine

how do you rack exactly?

You really need to get a library book now, or start looking at how-tos on you tube

[VirginVegGrower]

OK TS thanks - have used the yeast compound which has finings as well as the yeast and nutrient. Will leave the Campden tablet until the end when I think I'll pop one in. Looked at the Yanks on YouTube racking wine - basically siphoning so no issues there.
The bubble thing is worrying me slightly. Do you part fill it with water or completely? Do you keep rinsing it out and refilling or is it dandy to just leave it? Don't want to come home and find I've got elderberry plonk on the ceiling

[Two_Sheds]

Fill the bubbler half full with sterilising fluid (Milton or similar)... you can use plain water but you may well get moulds growing in it

You leave it in place

Are you just using a DJ, or a bucket first? If just a DJ, then don't fill it more than about three quarters full for the first week, or you'll get Elderberry Ceiling (and floor)

[VirginVegGrower]

It's in a fermenting bin at the moment - once I strain it I will put it into Demi johns, then rack later into bottles. Thanks for guidance on my dumb questions.