random 659 Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 Seeing as the elderflower are out and I've got the brewing bug thought I'd give this go,as I say quite often I like things simple so had browse and found this one,from river cottage... Ingredients, 8 elderflower heads 800g sugar Yeast,if using Yeast nutrient 4 lemons,zest and juice Method Dissolve the sugar in 2 litres hot water in a fermenting bucket, then top up with 3 litres cold water. Allow to cool. Aerate and add the elderflower florets, lemon zest and juice and the yeast nutrient. Pitch the yeast or, if you like a bit of excitement, don't. Elderflowers come ready stocked with wild yeasts and it can be interesting to see how things turn out. Leave to ferment. If you did not add yeast and fermentation has not started after 3 days then it is time to give the thing a kick-start with a packet of Champagne yeast. After 6 days of fermentation, strain the must through boiled muslin into a fresh fermenting bucket, leaving the lees behind. Cover the bucket and leave for a few hours for the dust to settle, then siphon into your bottles of choice. Your sparkly is about ready to drink after a week, and in any case a week is a good time to check to see how things are going. You can release a little excess pressure by easing the lid off, though as noted this is a little tricky if you have used Champagne bottles. If you are still worried then put the lot in the fridge to stop the yeast making any more carbon dioxide and drink it as quickly as you can. I'm going to be putting it in pop bottles and releasing the pressure as and when needed,also I found varying amounts of flower heads from six to twenty in the recipes and as I picked ten just stuck the lot in, I'll update when I bottle it,hopefully turn out ok... 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rabid 1,936 Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 I love elderflower wine, elderflower juice, elderflower champagne, get the idea yet........... I was just saying today I must do some in the next few days as I have a large elder tree in my hedge, I usually use lambrini bottles for mine, they are good and strong, I was told not to use plastic bottles as it tastes funny, but mine don't last long enough to worry about that Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vfr400boy 3,406 Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 I will give it a go I lost 2 bottles last year sounded like a 12g going off when it popped Quote Link to post Share on other sites
random 659 Posted June 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 I will give it a go I lost 2 bottles last year sounded like a 12g going off when it popped Hopefully i don't have that happen but it's smells real good at the minute so got high hopes for this one... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
random 659 Posted June 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 Here it is fermenting away... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vfr400boy 3,406 Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 Looks good , it did not blow top off but spilt the bottle at the neck good job no one in garage at the time lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neil cooney 10,416 Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 That's the same recipe I've been using for 7 or 8 years now and it's nice and simple. I also make my Ginger Beer the same way. Careful how you store it, it can be very volatile and can explode. I gave by brother a bottle once and he threw it on to the passenger seat to drive home. Two miles from home the cork exploded out of the bottle covering my brother and the cars interior in Champagne. The windscreen was covered in it and the first thing he did was hit the wipers, LOL, but they're on the outside. He nearly crashed. He rammed his thumb into the bottle to try and save some and if the cops had stopped him for driving erratically they'd have found a lad stinking of drink who was all over the road but totally sober. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonnie bravo 572 Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 Nice one I'll give this a go Quote Link to post Share on other sites
3175darren 1,100 Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 How long will it last in the bottles as in do you have to start drinking it so quickly?i Quote Link to post Share on other sites
random 659 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 How long will it last in the bottles as in do you have to start drinking it so quickly?i Never thought of this really,i'd guess if you let out the gas and let fermenting end it would be a wine,then would age like any other,wouldnt clear well in bottles though I think, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
random 659 Posted July 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2016 Well had this opened and it hardly puffed! I think it was my bottling process that killed of fermentation,too much steriliser and not rinsed out enough maybe? I might try again as the flowers are still out,one bottle is gone and was an OK drink,hint of elder and a kick of lemon,still got the other bottle but it's basically just a wine now,but I'll definitely try again cus if a failed batch is OK then a good one must be better?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TAXI DRIVER 549 Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 My wife made this a few weeks ago.There was a lot of gas built up and had to be let out every day or so(plastic bottles).She had a bottle in the fridge a couple of days ago and opened it last night,She really enjoyed it and will make some again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dogger 100 Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 what % of alcohol do yous think would be in this stuff? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bosun11 537 Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Timmyk was kind enough to give me a litre of this stuff after i showed him how to shoot pigeon's propper. I'm going to have a 'lil snifter' tomorrow night...! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
timmy k 591 Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Cheeky b*****d I shot loads before even got their. I had some the other day, it was nice but a bit to sweet and perfumery for my taste. And it was two litres give me some credit for my generousity 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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