Elderflower wine from cordial

[wulfii]

Hi, my first WOW was a resounding success, meant to keep a bottle or the local produce show in the autumn but unfortunately drunk it all.
I am looking to make an elderflower wine with cordial, can't for the life of me find a basic white recipe, can I use Wow and swap the OJ for apple juice and follow the recipe help would be gratefully appreciated. :thumb:

 

[ingypingy2]

Most posts I have seen regarding making an easy white WOW have been the original recipe but with the substitution of OJ for AJ, so that might be your best bet :)

 

[The Goatreich]

I'm about to start a WoW using white grape juice, and apple and elderflower juice. Maybe that's the kind of thing you're looking for?

 

[tonyhibbett]

Considered this myself. My plan was to make it with white grape juice, adding the cordial in the later stage of fermentation, to preserve the elderflower bouquet, with some decent honey to make a medium dry white.

 

[jasea3632]

you got it spot on, if you substitute the OJ for AJ then you make a basic white, ferment it then add the cordial and let it ferment again. This should do the trick

 

[tonyhibbett]

Just check the elderflower cordial ingredients. Could be a spanner in the works there.

 

[wulfii]

Just check the elderflower cordial ingredients. Could be a spanner in the works there.

It's the Belviour, preservative free kind, thanks for all your input I will let you know how it goes, I have also started 40pts of On The Rocks blueberry cider and a Geordie mild.

 

[wulfii]

How should I go about adding the cordial, gradually in 100mls over 5 days I was told but all the font of brewing knowledge is in here so thought I'd check :)

 

[jasea3632]

Yep thats the way moley says to do it so it must be right :thumb:

 

[wulfii]

Bought the elderflower cordial, entered the competition on the neck sleeve and went a won a pair of wellies to boot (groan) :)

 

[tonyhibbett]

Hard to follow that. Lost for words!

 

[wulfii]

its still fermenting just a tad...............

 

[wulfii]

Just racked it and its quite sweet is there any way to make it less sweet prior to bottling??
Thanks in advance

 

[tonyhibbett]

Afraid no way to reduce sweetness apart from blending with a very dry wine. However you can add acid (tartaric or citric) to give a bit of bite and serve it very chilled. Were there any artificial sweeteners in the cordial?

 

[wulfii]

Afraid no way to reduce sweetness apart from blending with a very dry wine. However you can add acid (tartaric or citric) to give a bit of bite and serve it very chilled. Were there any artificial sweeteners in the cordial?

No sweeteners,the cordial was the Belvoir one, I shall add a drop of basic white methinks, thanks for the help :)

 

[tonyhibbett]

Another approach is to convert it to liqueur. Vodka is so cheap these days. The extra alcohol will give it a bit more bite and slightly reduce the sweetness by dilution, depending on how much is added.

 

[wulfii]

Another approach is to convert it to liqueur. Vodka is so cheap these days. The extra alcohol will give it a bit more bite and slightly reduce the sweetness by dilution, depending on how much is added.

That's a great idea, I just might try that instead of adding a dry white Thanks a lot you are a great font of knowledge :)

 

[tonyhibbett]

Elderflower is great stuff, but dry elderflower wine tends to be catty, (evokes cats ****) unless it is sparkling (elderflower champagne) so just as well it's slightly sweet!