Elderflower Wine - What the best recipe

rolstherat

Hi

I had a quick look around and I could not see any posts on this

My elderflower bush is starting to flower, I was just wondering if anyone had some good but not too complicated recipes for elderflower wine. I have never made it before.

All the ones I have found differ a bit, are there any secret tips?

Thanks in advance

annie123

Never made wine but I've made 'champagne' for years using this recipe http://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A593363

Double the number of flower heads.

arbroath_lass

annie123 wrote: »

Never made wine but I've made 'champagne' for years using this recipe http://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A593363

Double the number of flower heads.

I make elderflower cordial as I'm not much of a drinker. The champagne sounds lovely, though - I may try that. My flowers are just starting to make an appearance now.

Farway

arbroath_lass wrote: »

I make elderflower cordial as I'm not much of a drinker. The champagne sounds lovely, though - I may try that. My flowers are just starting to make an appearance now.

Elderflower champagne is lovely, I used to make it years ago, but mine was fully intoxicating, not mildly :beer:

FLA27

Hi Rolstherat,

I don't have a recipe to hand, but my tips are not to be to vigorous when shaking any bugs off. You will loose the pollen doing that. Take the time to remove as much green as possible and ALWAYS pick it in the morning. It smells awful if picked too late in the day!

Another thing I sometimes do with some recipes, is to add a carton of pure grape juice (not juice drink). It helps to give the wine a bit more of a 'wine' taste if you find the flavour of the main ingredient to overpowering. Adjust the added sugar to compensate though.

Good Luck!

rolstherat

Thanks for the tips, I will try the champagne after. I like the grape juice suggestion, i had read that somewhere.

I also read about adding black tea. Is that for colour?

Cheers :beer:

Farway

If using grape juice you may have to use organic because most commercial juices have preservative added, this is to deliberately kill of to prevent yeast sporse growing & spoiling the juice

You could try concentrated wine juice made specifically for that purpose

Either way I suggest you read the label

Farway

rolstherat wrote: »

Thanks for the tips, I will try the champagne after. I like the grape juice suggestion, i had read that somewhere.

I also read about adding black tea. Is that for colour?

Cheers :beer:

No. more likely for the tannin

pandora205

I've made elderflower champagne for the last couple of years but last year it was much too sweet (the Hugh FW recipe has too much sugar for my liking) though it was very fizzy. Having experimented, plastic lemonade (or sparkling water) bottles are the cheapest and safest to use as those with stoppers seem to pop rather easily.

rolstherat

Can you use all types of elderflower ? I don't know what variety I have!

arbroath_lass

rolstherat wrote: »

Can you use all types of elderflower ? I don't know what variety I have!

I have a black elder (Black Beauty). For years I thought it was ornamental but it's not. And produces lovely pink cordial. Hopefully also pink champagne this year too! I love elderflower, yum.