Elderflowers anyone?

[VirginVegGrower]

Nope didn't buy any - they're still coming out in bloom around me so have a couple of days before they'll be open. I may pop down to the large waitrose store this weekend.

You have 2-3 weeks yet I would say.

[VirginVegGrower]

Putting Elderflower wine in demijohn tonight..... its in the bucket at the moment and 'working' like crazy

Elderflower wine or elderflower champagne? The former you it yeast in. Have never made that but would be interested to know how good it is. Do you rack it? Then standard wine bottles like elderberry wine - yep?!
Sounds good!

[buzzingtalk]

I have noticed now that there is still a lot of elderflowers out, so am going to make some champagne - does anyone have a recipe for it? I made 5L of cordial last night which is smelling lovely

[VirginVegGrower]

See mine in thread above! Lovely stuff x VVG

[VirginVegGrower]

I made mine today and you should always pick the creamy coloured flowers (most scented) on a sunny day. I take 10 litres of water to 1 kg of cane sugar, 3 lemons halved and juice squeezed in (throw spent lemons in too), 4 tbspns white wine vinegar and your beheaded elders. I put the whole flower head in, intact. No pulling off individual flowers as you will pull the yeast spores off. A gentle shake gets rid of bugs. Stir whole lot together. Bottle into thick glass bottles. I use Lorina pop bottles with grolsch stoppers on. Strain through muslin as you pour. Wait two weeks before drinking. Keeps well!

Recipe above buzzingtalk

[VirginVegGrower]

I bottle after 24-48 hours.

[francesbean]

I finally made some using an internet recipe that included 1/2 a campden tablet for storage purposes.
It smels great - just like the stuff i usually buy. Picking was a tad difficult as im quite small and most of the good flowers seem to be high up, but neighbours field was great for the last 20 or so (used about 40 heads some small some large). It wasn't a very sunny day and was worried that they didn't smell like the coridal - but somehow when all was put together it seems ok. Its been 24 hours another 12 to go before I strain and then another 24 before I bottle. I've chosen those little bottles of wine that you get for 3 for 4 quid (wine wasn't too bad_) with screw tops. I like to give things away and they seemed just the right size for pressies.

good luck to everyonen giving it a go.

francesbean

[francesbean]

Quick update - all bottled and tasted and its fab!

francesbean

[Two_Sheds]

Stop picking the flowers you lot ! I want enough left to make port this year

(I'm spotting loads of elder shrubs, and making my own map with Google Maps*. In the autumn I can print it off and go foraging)


* find a bush, type the address into google maps. It'll ask you if you want to create your own map... yes. Save it, edit it, add to it as you keep finding new bushes

I'm doing one for sloes too

[chris]

Now I know what to look for, I'm seeing it *everywhere*.

I've even seen some black lace elder - stunning [I bought one for my garden]

[ginger ninger]

Stop picking the flowers you lot ! I want enough left to make port this year

(I'm spotting loads of elder shrubs, and making my own map with Google Maps*. In the autumn I can print it off and go foraging)


* find a bush, type the address into google maps. It'll ask you if you want to create your own map... yes. Save it, edit it, add to it as you keep finding new bushes

I'm doing one for sloes too

That's a brilliant idea T.S, I can do one for all the cherry plum, elder, blackberry etc that I forage...


...*ginger runs off to play with Google maps*

[Rhona]

I've got 20 litres of fizz in bottles and another lot to bottle today. Some in 2 litre plastic, some in screwtop wine bottles. We're off on hols for a couple of weeks in a few days time. My neighbour is happy to loosen the tops every day but since she's also looking after the lottie, the greenhouse and the garden, feel a bit reluctant to give her another job to do. How long do the tops need loosening for before the bottles become safe, and how can you tell? I've made it previous years with no problems, but never had to leave it before.

Should I try to get the lot in the fridge to slow it down, or loosen all the caps slightly so the pressure doesn't build, or wrap it all in a blanket and shove in the shed and hope it's ok?

The batch that isn't bottled yet; should I put that in a demijohn with an airlock instead of bottling before we go? Will the fizz still be fizzy after a couple of weeks and ok for bottling?

Thanks all

P.s. I've checked with the Excellent Search Function and have found tons of useful advice, but not quite all the info I need, so there are a couple of questions included here that might well be answered elsewhere. There's a LOT of elderflower info on t'Vine!

[Hilary B]

I was going to ask, has anyone used the pinkish flowers from the 'black' elder that is getting common around here (in gardens)? Does it make pink wine?

re-glass v plastic for fizz: plastic certainly isn't explosion-proof, but unless you forget to watch it, you do get warning that it is getting stressed (the bottles stretch before bursting) and it tends not to produce flying fragments. If a glass bottle does fail, it sprays sharp pieces everywhere, and until it goes, there is nothing to show that it is about to!
Those flip-top bottles, we have some which originally held beer, and I put ginger beer in them, which we didn't manage to use very soon. No I haven't had an explosion, but when it had over-fermented, opening it was hazardous. As soone as the cap started to move it FLEW off, (completely off, the retaining metal bit bent just enough to let it escape) and so did half the contents. We had a ceiling washed in ginger beer. What was left tasted OK....

[Headfry]

We 'racked' our Elderflower wine last night! seems to be ok, very fizzy still, but that should calm with time. It has hit the 'wine' mark on the hydrometer so fingers crossed!

The pics look like Elderflower to me too! they say the flowers can smell of cats wee, and to choose your flower heads from bushes that smell sweet. Obvious really or is it? to me, they all seem to have a pungent smell - its a nice smell though, so would I really know if if was a rogue 'cats wee' one?? not sure but I hope so for everyone who partakes sake!!!!
You can get a really dark elderflower plant (for the garden) Sambucus Nigra I think - sorry for any mis spelling. It is a lovely plant but have never made wine from it or even had a sniff of its flowers.

[chris]

They all smell like cats wee to me... but from a distance it smells nicer

My old man has that in his garden, HF.. only realised this when I popped up home for a day on Saturday - was shocked, as soon as I got out of the car, I smelt it. Black beauty I believe the common name is.

I bought some 'Black Lace' a few weeks ago - may take a cutting of this black beauty.. they do look lovely though - and apparantly reading around you can use it for cordial, etc.. it gives a slightly pink tint to it too



Edit: he didn't know he had it, nor cared - just moaned about the size of it really