How ripe must Elderberries be?

[pteron]

I've just made some elderberry tincture from berries I picked locally. I pulled out all of the green or slightly green berries, but as the young berries contain cyanide, I'd like to check on just how ripe they have to be?

All the berries I used were purple, but the odd one was not very plump, i.e. small and a little firm maybe. Are these still OK? I'd rather not dump the whole lot if poss as the only 80 proof vodka I could find was Absolut and it's a tad expensive!

 

[Toddy]

No idea, I've never tinctured elderberries. I usually make syrup instead with them. What do you intend to use the tincture for, and where did you find the information on the cyanide in the green ones; does it give amounts? Some fruits and a few alcoholic drinks contain tiny quantities anyway.
You can obtain 100% ethanol for tincturing (in limited quantities) from cosmetic / health suppliers. I generally use about 1ltr a year, it costs about the same as a reasonable whisky since you have to pay the tax.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[rich59]

A good trick to harvest mostly only the ripe berries from a mixed bunch is to not use a fork at all, just grab the bunch by the stalk and shake it vigorously from side to side in a plastic bucket, knocking into the sides. You find that the ripe berries come off preferentially, leaving the unripe ones and the overdone, dried ones on the stalk.

 

[pteron]

I'm trying this recipe.

They mention to not use unripe berries, but don't really define the transition point.