Tis TM 8 Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Ive started this as a new topic, as I'm getting a bit paranoid about how "lively" this stuff can be... I just went and bought 15 wine bottle's with shoulders, and have just read that these aren't ideal.... So what have you used in the past? Here's some snippits I've found regarding suitable recepticals: ..... NB: Suitable bottles are screw-topped 1 litre bottles that held carbonated drinks, like tonic water etc. Avoid bottles with shoulders (like red wine bottles). If you use glass bottles, they must be strong enough to withstand the pressure that will build up during fermentation. Strong bottles - these need to withstand the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas produced. Two-litre plastic drinks bottles work, but old screw-cap glass bottles work better and don't let as much gas escape. 4. Leave the mixture to ferment, again covered with muslin, for a further four days. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with muslin and decant into sterilised strong glass bottles with champagne stoppers (available from home-brewing suppliers) or Grolsch-style stoppers, or sterilised screw-top plastic bottles (a good deal of pressure can build up inside as the fermenting brew produces carbon dioxide, so strong bottles and seals are essential. I made a batch of Elderflower champagne two weeks ago and bottled it in plastic fizzy drinks bottles. Yesterday evening there was a huge explosion and both bottles had exploded all over the kitchen! The biggest shame is that the champagne smelt amazing but was splatted all over the ktichen floor! Any advice on what I can use to bottle the champange? Is glass any better than plastic or will it do the same? The answer is, I don’t know. I’m not surprised the plastic bottles exploded, and I’m hoping the glass ones will better retain their integrity. Oooh and I just found this page that answers looooooads of questions on the subject!! http://www.pastymuncher.co.uk/make-elderfl...derflower-fizz/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
craigyboy 1,274 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 i think grolsch bottles would be ideal mate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
borntoshoot 1 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 i think grolsch bottles would be ideal mate thats what i always use. last year i tried with wine bottles with screwtops and a few coke bottles, both either smashed, blew up or lids popped off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neil cooney 10,415 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Last year I put mine in screw top Vodka bottles with no problems. The sup I had left I put in a 2 litre fizzy drinks bottle and caught it just as it was about to explode. As I transfered it to another bottle I lost half it. Luckily I've a friend who's fond of her Smirrnoff Ice and she saves me the bottles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tis TM 8 Posted June 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 i think grolsch bottles would be ideal mate thats what i always use. last year i tried with wine bottles with screwtops and a few coke bottles, both either smashed, blew up or lids popped off. See, I really dont like the sound of glass bombs, thats just too scary! neil cooney Posted Today, 07:57 AM Last year I put mine in screw top Vodka bottles with no problems. The sup I had left I put in a 2 litre fizzy drinks bottle and caught it just as it was about to explode. As I transfered it to another bottle I lost half it. Luckily I've a friend who's fond of her Smirrnoff Ice and she saves me the bottles. I'm just about ready to jib out and just make cordial... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Teesdale-rabbiter 15 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Dont use wine bottles, i did last year they blow up, lol i could hear them all night long as they shot across the kitchen floor! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tis TM 8 Posted June 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Dont use wine bottles, i did last year they blow up, lol i could hear them all night long as they shot across the kitchen floor! lol, oh dear, what a mess that must have been are you going to do it again???? lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Teesdale-rabbiter 15 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 yep lol! the suff that did no explode was great but a little sweet so less suger this year and new bottles lol ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
desertdog 149 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 we made 30litres on saturday and then got on the honey beer,ooer mrs another long walk home Quote Link to post Share on other sites
squint 17 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 (edited) What % (alcohol)would your average elderflower champagne be knocking out? cheers Edited June 11, 2009 by squint Quote Link to post Share on other sites
borntoshoot 1 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 What % (alcohol)would your average elderflower champagne be knocking out?cheers we recon mine was about 3% maybe slightly more last year but i added a sh!t load more sugar then it sed to. guess what happened?... the bottles went boom in my nans cupboard, what a mess. still slightly sticky now. just made 6 pints today, should be good. didnt have enough suger but put more flowers in than normal so it should be ok. it orks coz the flowers contain a source of natural yeast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gixer 0 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Ive started this as a new topic, as I'm getting a bit paranoid about how "lively" this stuff can be...I just went and bought 15 wine bottle's with shoulders, and have just read that these aren't ideal.... So what have you used in the past? Here's some snippits I've found regarding suitable recepticals: ..... NB: Suitable bottles are screw-topped 1 litre bottles that held carbonated drinks, like tonic water etc. Avoid bottles with shoulders (like red wine bottles). If you use glass bottles, they must be strong enough to withstand the pressure that will build up during fermentation. Strong bottles - these need to withstand the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas produced. Two-litre plastic drinks bottles work, but old screw-cap glass bottles work better and don't let as much gas escape. 4. Leave the mixture to ferment, again covered with muslin, for a further four days. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with muslin and decant into sterilised strong glass bottles with champagne stoppers (available from home-brewing suppliers) or Grolsch-style stoppers, or sterilised screw-top plastic bottles (a good deal of pressure can build up inside as the fermenting brew produces carbon dioxide, so strong bottles and seals are essential. I made a batch of Elderflower champagne two weeks ago and bottled it in plastic fizzy drinks bottles. Yesterday evening there was a huge explosion and both bottles had exploded all over the kitchen! The biggest shame is that the champagne smelt amazing but was splatted all over the ktichen floor! Any advice on what I can use to bottle the champange? Is glass any better than plastic or will it do the same? The answer is, I don’t know. I’m not surprised the plastic bottles exploded, and I’m hoping the glass ones will better retain their integrity. Oooh and I just found this page that answers looooooads of questions on the subject!! http://www.pastymuncher.co.uk/make-elderfl...derflower-fizz/ an ideal alternative is to use plastic bottles. well cleaned soda, fizzy drink or fizzy water bottles, can withstand the pressure and if you CHECK THEM REGULARLY IT IS POSSIBLE TO RELEASE SOME OF THE GAS GENTLEY, WHEN YOU SEE THE BOTTLES HAVE EXPANDED OR ARE SOLID. hope this helps Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neil cooney 10,415 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Made 20 litres this year and opened the first bottle the other day, lovely. I gave the brother a bottle to bring home yesterday (a Cork Dry Gin bottle) and when he got home he rang to say that half way home it had exploded and covered himself, the windscreen, the dash and the doors in sticky Elderflower Champers. His eye was nearly took out with the lid which he can't find (the lid, not his eye.) and was lucky not to crash. He drove the last 3 miles home with a steering wheel in one hand and a Gin bottle with a mouthfull in it in the other. If he had been stopped he had have had a lot of explaining to do. I LMFAO when he told be, so did he. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jasper65 6 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Its definitely a good drop of stuff but boy is mine gasey for some reason! I open the bottles and lose half of it on the floor, also full of bubbles when I'm drinking it..... Jasper Quote Link to post Share on other sites
squint 17 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 made mine and put in about 14 litres only got 10 litres out of it(5 x 2litre coke bottles) tried it last week and it was like syrup,really thick,and sweet....good sugar rush though still got a bottle left in the fridge which doesn't look a thick as the others,put 2kg of sugar in and think this is too much for the mixture,but copied HFW's River cottage recipe,and he only recommended 6 litres of water..his must have been like treacle.. oh well there's always next year,,,,,bring it on Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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