Elderflower wine

[wombatski]

As it is Elderflower season I thought I would have a go. Not made Elderflower wine since the 80s. I'm following this recipe but did not add the extra citric acid and used 225g of sultanas as I had that quantity lying around. Anyone else tried it or have any thoughts? Elderflower wine recipe | BBC Good Food

 

[gillonstewart]

I have made hundreds of gallons of elderflower wine over the years. It was always my "house wine". Only once did I make it from a proper recipe and it was rancid (probably due to me doing something wrong mind you).

After that I bought white wine kits and added elderflowers in at the start of the brew as well as a variety of other ingredients over the years (lemons mostly). After a few months maturing in the bottles it was as good as any "proper" elderflower wine and was consistently good. As it happens, I've got a 5 gallon batch on as we speak.

Doesn't answer your question mind you.

 

[Tanglefoot]

As it is Elderflower season I thought I would have a go. Not made Elderflower wine since the 80s. I'm following this recipe but did not add the extra citric acid and used 225g of sultanas as I had that quantity lying around. Anyone else tried it or have any thoughts? Elderflower wine recipe | BBC Good Food

I would say one lemon is a bit light, especially if not using Citric acid.
White grape juice is a good addition if you can find it.
Also, my usual method differs in that after trimming elderflowers I cover with boiling water and add a crushed campden tablet and leave for 24 hours to kill off wild yeast.
I also use 1 tsp pectolase per gallon
I've found it useful to use a grain bag to make straining at the end of fermentation easier.
The BBC doesn't mention taking an gravity reading which helps for telling how fermentation has progressed.
Batch I made this year showed little sign of fermentation but a sample showed it was progressing fine and I transferred to demi John's at .998 from OG of 1.084

Edit: My recipe here Tanglefoot's fruity fermentations

 

[wombatski]

I would say one lemon is a bit light, especially if not using Citric acid.
White grape juice is a good addition if you can find it.
Also, my usual method differs in that after trimming elderflowers I cover with boiling water and add a crushed campden tablet and leave for 24 hours to kill off wild yeast.
I also use 1 tsp pectolase per gallon
I've found it useful to use a grain bag to make straining at the end of fermentation easier.
The BBC doesn't mention taking an gravity reading which helps for telling how fermentation has progressed.
Batch I made this year showed little sign of fermentation but a sample showed it was progressing fine and I transferred to demi John's at .998 from OG of 1.084
View attachment 70038
Edit: My recipe here Tanglefoot's fruity fermentations

Thank you for the info. Possibly too late to add another lemon?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I wouldn't ferment with sunlight falling on my vessel.
I've only ever made it as a sparkling variant. Elder flowers, boiling water poured on, sugar, lemon juice or citric acid, yeast nutrient, liquid from 2 tea bags stewed and zest of lemons.
I did one with champagne yeast and another with kveik yeast then finished with champagne yeast.
You could still add more lemon juice, its a matter of taste.

 

[wombatski]

Well, I bottled it yesterday and had a couple of glasses that wouldn't make up a 6th bottle as usual. Nicely dry, definate taste of Elderflower and lovely colour but not what I was expecting.