Brew UK Forum | Wine Making
Elderflower Champagne
Is anyone making any Elderflower Champagne this year?
There are loads in my Garden and its makes a great drink which the ladies love!!!
Planning:Maybe a lager.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Responses
Posted 1 year ago by Member
think I may give this a go - as long as the Elderflower in my garden is Elderflower.
Got about 40 odd 330ml bottles I could Utilise
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Ouch, I remember the first time I ever brewed. It was a 23ltr Youngs lager and I was gonna bottle it. I didnt do the math and tried using all 330ml bottles. Gave up after 20 and kegged it!
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Dave, Elderflower should be quite easy to spot by the smell. I would recommend making some as its good stuff especially as a summer afternoon drink. Watch out though as it can be quite explosive.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
ah thanks Greg, I have a feeling my exploding bottles may follow me round this forum!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi all. I'm new to brewing and thought I'd try elderflower champagne first. JJust one question though.... when I leave the ingredients in the fermenting bin, is the little valve in the hole on the lid supposed to be tightly closed or loose to let any gas out? I'm just worried about explosions in my garage!
Many thanks for any help.
:o)
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Hello,
Ideally you want the lid closed down (and airlock fitted) if you have one. Don't worry about anything exploding as the gas will escape via the airlock. If you are not using an airlock then the gas will still escape out of the lid. If the lid starts to balloon up then just release the gas a bit by lifting one corner up gently.
You only need to worry about anything exploding when its in the bottles as these will not release the pressure.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Aaahhh, thank you Greg. I bet this first batch STINKS, but I'm willing to keep trying. I've just moved house and for the first time I have a big rambling garden with all kinds of plants, shrubs and trees about. Do you happen to know if wine can be made with honeysuckle flowers the same way as elder? I guess I'd better check it's not toxic first though.... ;o)
Thanks again for your help Greg!
Fizzy
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Hi Fizzy, yes you can use honeysuckle. I'll post a recipe later when I get back from work as I don't have it with me now.
I'm sure your elderflower will be fine, don't worry.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hey Greg - I just checked in my bin and gave it a little poke and it's FIZZING!! Also it smells heavenly, almost like an alcopop but not sickly, if you get my meaning. Like a grown-up alcopop! Just hoping my swingtop glass bottles arrive in time for bottling next week. I have the plastic screwcap bottles which came with the kit but when friends see it and sample it for the first time I think posh glass bottles look more professional and don't hint at a trip to A&E a few hours later.
I saw a recipe for honeysuckle wine when I googled it earlier. It sounds lovely. Very similar to elderflower only using oranges instead of lemons. Maybe an Elderflower/Honeysuckle hybrid? I'd be very interested to see yours though, as I get the impression you've done this before!
Chat later peeps
Fizzy
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Swind tops are the way to go. I have just changed my bottles to all swing tops. They look great, easy to clean and go POP! Its a great sound.
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Indeed Nath! Nothing like a good *POP* to impress the neighbours. ;o) I can't wait to taste it. I just went out for an hour to get some shopping and missed the delivery bloke so I'm guessing it's my bottles... I managed to get 2 second hand glass demijohns from a health food shop last week so I can get the elderberry wine on the go too. Plus there's an enormous blackberry patch in the field behind my house which is begging to be plundered. Do plastic demijohns work as well as glass ones? I think in my current state of excited enthusiasm I'm gonna need a few more.
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
I'd expect plastic would be fine, but I'd go for glass as no doubt you will be wanting some more glass later anyway!
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
:o) Plastic is fine - in fact, it's possible to use the 5 ltr water bottles that can be bought in supermarkets, just get a bung and a trap to fit :o)
I'm sure they have a relatively short life span, but for 99p (sainsburys), can't be bad. :o)
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Plastic are fine for fermenting although glass are better is leaving to mature for a while and they will also last a lifetime so personally I would invest the extra in glass.
Found the recipe you wanted but can't really post in here as its from a book so has copyright. Email via the contact us page in the main website and I'll email you back.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks Greg, will do. I just had a sniff and a poke of the fermenting bin and it's really starting to smell sharp, just like a dry champagne. I mixed the ingredients on Saturday morning so I'm going to bottle it this Saturday coming and dash straight back out for more elder flowers for batch 2! So, do you think it would be OK to throw three or four honeysuckle heads in with the elder flowers in the next batch or does that require a totally different procedure?
I'm off to the "shop" bit on the other page now to order some more yeast! WOO-HOO!!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
HELP! I had a look at the bottles in the rack in my garage and they all appear to have a layer of cloudy sediment the length of the bottle. Should I take them out and store them upright? Has it all gone Pete Tong? Is my first batch doomed???? If so, the second batch will be to because so far I've used the exact same method as the first. Maybe I should double-layer the muslin when I'm bottling? I put the muslin cloth in my funnel, put the funnel in the bottle and poured the mix through it, with a glass jug, from the fermenting bin straight into the sterilised bottles. Right now it looks like the junk you get at the bottom of a bottle of orange squash, except creamy coloured.
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Thats fine, its just yeast dropping out. Just store them upright and all will be peachy (or elderflowery).
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Phew! Thanks Nath, ya little star.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Just ordered all the bobbins and gubbins to make my next experiment. Spoke to the lovely Greg. Thank you!
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Experiment eh???? Do go on!
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Don't get excited Nath (but yes, I do love going on!) I'm just planning on plundering the elder trees for their berries when they're ready. Elderberry wine. I was going to try to make it sparkling somehow. Not sure now as I don't want to compromise the flavour just to get a bit of fizz into it. What can I tell you? I'm a girl who likes all things wot do sparkle. ;o)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
OK, we tasted our first batch. Not bad but very cloudy and leaves a thin "scum" in the bottom of the glass. Very sparkling and quite pleasant apart from that.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Nice ... give it a little time and in a blind tasting you won't be able to tell it apart from a Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck
:o)
Well done!
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Hi Fizzy, they will clear if you give them a bit more time.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Excellent news! My usually Tee-Total husband tried it and loved it. I had 2 glasses and felt a definite "buzz". I'm sure it's stonger than the recipe says it should be.....? I'll let it be for a while longer in that case. Thanks again everyone for the help. You all ROCK! x
Posted 1 year ago by Member
first of all do smell the elderflower, elderfloers vary some are exsquisite with a lovely armoma others smell of cat pea you must pick your elderflower when the sun is shining pick the florets not the stalks put in a clean polyethylene bag I personally do not like elderlower I make gooseberry and elderflower wine this has a little more bite to it and the combination works
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Good advice there from Chris, my grandfather said you should never pick elderflower within 24 hours of rain. He used to put all his elderflowers in buckets for a day or two and then shake them off the stalks. I must give this a try next year!
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Just cracked my first bottle of this years batch and very nice indeed. I left it in the fermenter for 2 weeks (as I was busy) before bottling so I was worried they would need priming to carbonate but I risked it anyway and didn't bother priming.
They are actually nicely carbonated and not at all explosive so I'm going to give them this long from now on. Used some clear 500ml swing tops which are great. You can see when the drink is clear. I've got the turbo cider in some too just need to store them in the garage away from light.
Not as lemon flavoured as usual as I omitted the peel as the lemons I had were waxed but its really nice. Dryer than normal too but works well. Not sure about the ABV, doesn't taste very alcoholic but I can feel it already so may be a dangerous brew.
Talking of dangerous brews, the Chinook IPA I made a few weeks ago is like rocket fuel but tastes devine, I think it fermented down low and I use a low temp to mash. I didn't take a final hydrometer reading but I reckon its about 7% but doesn't taste anything like that. Very dangerous as gets you mega pissed as I found out last night. Oh well it was Saturday and no harm done!
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Funnilly enough Greg, we've got visitors and I was too busy to bottle my second batch after the first week so mine's had 2 weeks to ferment too! I bottled it in glass swing tops and it's sitting in my garage now, waiting. My first batch is SO full of fizz it's really tricky to open without getting yourself drenched and it stirrs up the sediment in the bottom, which just won't go away. I tried filtering it through muslin as I pour it into the glass which helps, but obviously I'd rather not have to do that! I'm always left with that residue in the bottom.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
OK, guys? It's still got a layer of yellow scum at the bottom of each bottle (both batches - and the second batch I filtered through coffee filters plus muslin when I bottled it). The scum gets all whipped up when the bottle is opened, both plastic screw top and glass swing top. Lots of fizz. Batch one was fermented for 8 days in fermenting bin and has been sitting in plastic screw tops in cool garage for 1 month. Batch 2 was fermented in bin for 2 weeks and is sitting in garage in glass S/T bottles. It smells divine but tastes watery and a bit unpleasant. I can't quite put my finger on it. Not exactly bitter but something like.
Any suggestions as to where I'm going wrong? I wouldn't mind tasting "the real thing" to compare. Where can I get some?
P.S. I followed the recipe, sterilised everything and rinsed everything thoroughly. :o/
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Can't speak for batch 2 .. but as far as all brews go, its almost impossible to avoid a sediment in the bottom of primed bottles. Commercial types do it by pasteurising their stuff which stops the yeast working - no yeast, no sediment. They also force carbonate their stuff more often than not.
Occupational hazard and all that.
Of course .. I'm so drunk at the moment that I could say anything!
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks Tony, you giddy git. ;oD Maybe I just don't like elderflower champagne? My husband seems to like it. His friend tried it and declared it, "A glass of total indifferece!" Maybe it needs more time?
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Well Fizzy don't be put off. You've got the gear now so soldier on. At least you didn't have to wait a here to find out you didn't like it that much.
You could try either mixing it with lemonade to give it a bit more sweetness or perhaps try adjusting the recipe. I must admit I had a bottle of mine last night as its very dry. I didn't add lemon zest this year as my lemons where waxed so I think that has made it a lot less lemony than usual. You could try adding more elderflowers as these obviously vary in strength and flavour but perhaps you just don't like it.
You win some and you lose some with home brewing but the good thing about Elderflower (and most country wines) is that the ingredients cost nothing so all that is wasted is you time and effort. At least you husband will drink it so could be a lot worse.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Christ what a &%$£
I hope you punched him right between the eyes. I've never tried making it to be honest as I'm not a fan of champers/fizzy wine - or even white whine (btw - sainsbury's have some champagne at half price today), but that comment was uncalled for... you put love and care into that and I'm sure it tasted wonderful.
I added the 'n' missing from indifference at no extra cost by the way.
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks Greg x
And Tony, I laughed my ass off at your reply, seriously dude, "Punched him right between the eyes.." *POW* The reason I find that so hilarious is cos I'm five foot nowt and he's six foot eleven. He's also one of the most gentle souls I've ever met. He's just really funny!! I might manage to poke him in the bellybutton but that's about it. And thank you for the free n, I had run out. ;o)
I'm going to try balckberry wine next as they're growing in abundance on the wasteground near my house.
I'll try adding lemonade to my wine in a big jug with lots of ice and see how I go.
(Still giggling at the thought of me climbing on a box to punch Flom in the middle of his face.... :oD )
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Balkberry????? I meant blackberry of course. Balkberry aren't as nice and tend to cause 24 hour balking fits.
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
My last balking fit was a doozy. Nevery trying those bad boys again.
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Balking fits can be cured by dropping ice cubes down the front of your trollies and humming loudly into an open microwave.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
I imagine that the hum would be more of a scream if the microwave was closed.
Although with ice down your trollies, screaming would come naturally.
I've no idea what balking is .. must be a 'northern thing'
Flom...? Hmmmm, that explains a lot. Is he in the Tweenies? Although at 6'11" I doubt that.
(don't let him have my address)
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
ROFLCOPTERS!!!
I just couldn't resist opening another bottle to make sure I didn't like it - and guess what folks...??? It was bloody lovely! Mind you the top shot off over the garden wall and two thirds of the liquid ended up spraying about 12 feet in the air and straight back down onto the ground, but the two inches that were left in the bottom of the bottle was sheer nectar. How chuffed am I????? WOOTWOOT!
Thank you guys for your encouragement and advice. I shall be getting squiffy for the forseeable future.
Goodnight
FizzyJugs
x
Posted 1 year ago by Member
I made it for the first time too (first time I've brewed anything). Fermented for about 10 days in an open tub. Amber swing top bottles, bled the Co2 off a couple of times in the first week or two after bottling as I was scared of explosions - just gently easing the cap till it starts to escape. Took ages, lots came off, but they're now better behaved. The sediment still gets disturbed when I open a bottle, but I can then leave it in the fridge overnight and by the time I come to drink it the sediment stays at the bottom. Nice and clear, fizzy, very dry, very aromatic. No idea how strong though.
Conditioning: Woodfordes Great Eastern
Drinking: Elderflower champagne
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Ah, cool. Just answered my other question then. I fermented mine for 2 weeks this year, mainly because I couldn't face bottling it (pet hate of mine) and its worked out really well. Fizzy but not too fizzy and nothing sprays out like previous years. Min of 2 weeks for me from now on. If it ferments right out you could always prime the bottles with a little sugar.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Oh bollocks. I just tried one of the smaller size bottles (which I bought from what appeared to be a good supplier) and EVERY SINGLE ONE IS FLAT AS A FART. The big ones are lovely and fizzy and taste great but the half size ones are flat and smell sour. They all came from the same batch and bottled on the same day. I guess the seals must be crap? Down the drain?
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
What bottles are they? 500ml swing tops?
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hope it aint swing tops cos I have 40x500ml full of lager (ready in 2 weeks) and I could do with them being lively. @Fizzy jugs...Did you buy the bottles from the homebrew place on Bucks Road? I have been there for the odd bits and pieces and found the bloke very helpful, although you do pay Manx prices.
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Rodders Swing tops should be fine. I always use swing tops for my beers and they come out lovely and carbonated.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
+1 there, my swings are all good.
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Rodders, I got my 500ml swingtops from a website called..... erm.... hang on..... *rumages for invoice* Ah-haa, here it is, it's Wares of Knutsford. Pretty, faceted 500ml glass, swing-top bottles with little red rubber seals. All FAILED. And as for the lovely bloke on Bucks Road, I got some dj's from him. 2 glass and 2 plastic. He's a star! I'm going to raid the blackberry patch behind our house and try my hand a wine making. (I live on Richmond Hill near IOM Farmers)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Inidentally, the good bottles I've used are the plastic ones from BrewUK (although they swell up alarmingly so you need to release some gas every now and then or you warp the bottoms of the bottles and they won't stand up) and I saved my swing-top, fizzy drinks bottles (French pink lemonade, pamplemousse etc) from the healthfood shop in Castletown. I ask my friends to save theirs for me too.
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
If you remove the metalwork from the bottle you can 'tweak' it with a pair of plyers to make a tighter seal, also Greg sells replacement washers.
Fermenting: Wheat beer
Maturing/Conditioning:
Drinking: Pseudo-Lager, Oatmeal stout & Shop bought stuff
Posted 1 year ago by Member
I used know a joke about tight seals. Something about tupperware and eskimos I think.... ?
Posted 1 year ago by Member
HEY! If I put a dab of sugar in each flat bottle will it get it's fizz back eventually, (after tweaking the metal bits), or am I too late?
Posted 1 year ago by Member
I am sure the Blackberries will be fine. Just sample them first. An incinerator on one side and roadworks on the other side might make them a bit dusty.
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
You may have enough yeast in suspension so give it a go and keep em warm for a while, but.....be careful!
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 8 months ago by Member
Hi guys
Just picked a load of elderflowers to try this out for the first time! Only thing is, was a little premature and don't have my kit yet. Is it ok to leave the elderflowers for a day or two once picked before putting together the batch? Or do I have to do it straight away?
Thanks!!
Ali
Posted 8 months ago by Moderator
I would expec dried elderflowers would be fine, if its anything like herbs then the taste should intensify when drier!
(ps - best to start a new thread next time - it gets more answers!)
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
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