Hi folks, the Elder is in full flower over here at the moment so i was wondering if any of you make Elderflower Champagne or Cordial.
If so got any recipies ?
Thanks
Rich
If so got any recipies ?
Thanks
Rich
Elderflower recipies
- Thread starter Roving Rich
- Start date
Is this the same as elderberry (Sambucus? If so, dipping the flower clusters in a batter and frying is excellent eating.
I once made jelly from elderberry but it didn't gel, even though I added pectin. BUT, it made one of the best pancake syrups I've ever tasted. :-D
I once made jelly from elderberry but it didn't gel, even though I added pectin. BUT, it made one of the best pancake syrups I've ever tasted. :-D
Suggest steeping the flowers in hot water and judging the colour
A pale straw yellow
Remove flowers, add sugar and yeast and start fermenting
Happy brewing
Tant
A pale straw yellow
Remove flowers, add sugar and yeast and start fermenting
Happy brewing
Tant
Elderberries and elderflowers despite being from the same tree are quite different. Think white flowers on a bramble bush and juicy sweet blackberries, or Rose hips and rose flowers ...
I was hoping somebody might have Grannies old Elderflower Champagne moonshine recipe or summit.
Cheers
Rich
I was hoping somebody might have Grannies old Elderflower Champagne moonshine recipe or summit.
Cheers
Rich
http://thefoody.com/drinks/elderflowercordial.html and i found this but dont know if its correct Elderflower Champagne
Elderflower heads 5 pints
Cold water 5 qts.
Lemon 1
Sugar 3 1/4 cups
White wine vinegar 2 tbsps.
Campden tablets 2
Dissolve the sugar in warm water and allow it to cool. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and chop the lemon rind roughly. Place the elderflowers in a bowl and add the vinegar. Pour on the rest of the water and add the campden tablets. Steep for four days. Strain the infusion well so that all solid matter is excluded, and bottle in screw-top bottles. The elderflower champagne will be ready to drink in seven days. This is a very hit-and-miss recipe--sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. If there is no sign of the natural yeast present in the flowers working after a day or two, try adding a little activated yeast.
The elder blossom at Midsummer represents the Goddess, and this is the traditional time to gather the flowers for wine and the leaves for healing salves.
Elderflower heads 5 pints
Cold water 5 qts.
Lemon 1
Sugar 3 1/4 cups
White wine vinegar 2 tbsps.
Campden tablets 2
Dissolve the sugar in warm water and allow it to cool. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and chop the lemon rind roughly. Place the elderflowers in a bowl and add the vinegar. Pour on the rest of the water and add the campden tablets. Steep for four days. Strain the infusion well so that all solid matter is excluded, and bottle in screw-top bottles. The elderflower champagne will be ready to drink in seven days. This is a very hit-and-miss recipe--sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. If there is no sign of the natural yeast present in the flowers working after a day or two, try adding a little activated yeast.
The elder blossom at Midsummer represents the Goddess, and this is the traditional time to gather the flowers for wine and the leaves for healing salves.
just a tip, dont leave it somewhere furmenting with checking on it. We had a couple of bottle explode, made a mess on the wall
Roving Rich said:
Go down to your Oxfam shop, and buy any old books on country wines.
But be warned: elderlower wine is particulary addictive, especially among those who like the flowery German white wines (Rheinhessen, and Rheinpflaz even more so).
And a word of caution: there are many strains of elder: some produce flowers that smell distinctly of cat wee (and no, it can't be that cats have ****** on them).
I personally prefer elderberry to elderflower (OK, so elderflower fritters are better than elderberry fritters). But elderberries contain a lot of tannin. This can be reduced by boiling a half to two-thirds of your berries before setting them to ferment.
Also, beware of berry skins floating to the top of your demi-john and clogging the airlock. The pressure builds up, until it blows the plug of redskins up to your invariably white ceiling (it never, ever happens in a room with a red ceiling). And that stain lasts.
Keith.
in al's recipy it says "Steep for four days" can anyone tell me what steep means?
also on another note to do with brewing sfety:
my dad and i were making a homebrew, and it was in the boiler room in a big bucket with only a tea towl to cover it, now the boiler room being warm is also a favorite place for our cat, the pour begger miss juged the rigidity of the tea towl and ended up swimming in beer, unfortunatly he then went a licked it all of, he was swaying somewhat when he left the house and we didnt see him for a few days.
note: always keep animals out or brewing items well covered! :-D
also on another note to do with brewing sfety:
my dad and i were making a homebrew, and it was in the boiler room in a big bucket with only a tea towl to cover it, now the boiler room being warm is also a favorite place for our cat, the pour begger miss juged the rigidity of the tea towl and ended up swimming in beer, unfortunatly he then went a licked it all of, he was swaying somewhat when he left the house and we didnt see him for a few days.
note: always keep animals out or brewing items well covered! :-D
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