Elderflower Cordial

jap200

I've got my first batch of elderflower cordial steeping in boiling water. I used the waitrose recipe here:
http://www.waitrose.com/recipe/Classic_Elderflower_Cordial.aspx

Just a quick question though - I haven't got any suitable glass bottles, only plastic ones which I obviously can't sterilize with boiling water. I do have some Milton fluid (the old-fashioned stuff for sterilizing babies bottles with) - do you think this will be OK? If not, how should I sterilize the plastic bottles?

meanmarie

Milton will be fine jap200

Marie

kinkyjinks

psso wrote: »

If it`s any help, I bought citric acid at the pharmacy counter of Tesco last week. Needed it to clean steam steriliser for baby grandson`s bottles.

It was 99p for 50g. Not as cheap as the wholefood shop but maybe more accessible for some people.

If you have a Manor Pharmacy nearby they also sell it along with a few other handy home brew bits and pieces. Wilkinsons also stock it but only in their larger stores but you can order it online to be delivered to your local store at no extra cost.

thriftlady_2

jap200 wrote: »

I haven't got any suitable glass bottles, only plastic ones which I obviously can't sterilize with boiling water. I do have some Milton fluid (the old-fashioned stuff for sterilizing babies bottles with) - do you think this will be OK? If not, how should I sterilize the plastic bottles?

You could just freeze it if it is in plastic bottles then you won't have to bother with sterilising:)

Dustykitten

thriftlady you use the same glass bottles as I do. I freeze half my double batch in pour and store bags. A friend freezes in ice cube trays and just takes a couple out per drink.

floyd

As my freezer is packed to the rafters I have been hunting high and low for citric or tartaric acid for my coirdial. No chemists, independent or supermarket pharmacies had either but I finally found citric acid in a small arabic grocery near where I work, 190g for £1.39 so for anyone around Liverpool that is looking, try the shop on the corner of Norton st and London Road

jollymummy

I'm going to make my first ever elderflower cordial next weekend as I have the weekend off work. I'm quite excited - I know I need to get out more Now all I need to do is find my jam pan and start collecting bottles!!

floyd

Just a quick question, I made my eldrflower cordial but it isnt the lovely lemon-yellow colour I'd imagined, more of a light caramel like this one



Is this normal for home-brewed elderflower cordial or is it something I did/didnt do that causes the colouration? There werent any brown flowers in the mix and it smells and tastes fine and is clear so it hasnt got any rogue bacteria or yeast in it, it just looks a bit odd

gailey_2

Im confused

how long does cordail keep in setralised bottles as could give away some for xmas.

you can freeze in ready made.

Is it ok to freeze elderflower heads to use later.

floyd

I have read elsewhere that if you are careful with your sterilizing and decanting you can get 3-6 months out of it and others say it will keep for a year so I guess its just a case of see how it goes.
I have also seen on another Allotment forum some people report that after 6 months theirs had fermented and become quite alcoholic so worth remembering before giving it to designated drivers

I believe you can freeze the flowers to use at a later date, I have 30 small flower heads in a ziplock bag in my freezer