Topic: Elderflower Champagne

[Digeroo]

Plastic bottle come in several qualities.  Coca cola ones are much thicker best for bottle cloches, I am not sure that some of the thinner ones are suitable for highly fizzy things.

Do be careful opening very fizzy bottles so that the cap does not fire off into your eye.  Commercial bottles now have a mechanism to prevent this. 

[Twoflower]

We went for a walk on Sunday and i managed to find just enough to make my first batch of elderflower cordial yyyyyuuuuuuummmm oh and i heard my first cuckoo yesterday spring must be here ;D

[betula]

I saw some elderflower this evening and was thinking about this on the dog walk.

Did anyone see Alys on her programme make some?

Was it 35 heads to twelve litres?And how much sugar?

I have recorded this so must search it out.

[books]

I just used the river cottage recipe about 12 heads and 700g sugar 4 lemons  & champange yeast to about 8 litres

Will know in about a week how it came out ;D

Ive also so made cordial for the kids which came out ok, and have an elderflower wine bubbling away.

I plan to go out again in the next week to get some more ;)

[bobbie john stringer]

I have made my first batch of elderflower champagne and just bottled it. The only thing I think I have done wrong is put in the pith of the lemon to make it more cloudy and bitter. It taste fab before bottling it and the fizz is already building up nicely and I am relieving the pressure when built up and more and more sediment is fizzng off each time. The only thing that is bothering me is there is a slight smell of egg in the gas when I open it. :-\ Is this just methane mixed in with the co2 from the fermentation of the natural yeasts and sugar?? It is worrying me as I have my next batch in (minus the pith of the lemon and dont want to find i am doing something wrong and it all be useless. Any tips  help or advice would be appreciated. many thanks,
Bobbie

[bobbie john stringer]

I have made my first batch of elderflower champagne and just bottled it. The only thing I think I have done wrong is put in the pith of the lemon to make it more cloudy and bitter. It taste fab before bottling it and the fizz is already building up nicely and I am relieving the pressure when built up. the only thing that is bothering me is there is a slight smell of egg in the gas when I open it. Is this just methane mixed in with the co2 from the fermentation of the natural yeasts and sugar?? It is worrying me as I have my next batch in (minus the pith of the lemon and dont want to find i am doing something wrong. any help or advice would be appreciated. many thanks,
Bobbie

[books]

I thought i share this tip picked up from another forum, If its already hear apologies.

place elderflower heads in a black bag leaving in plenty of air in the black sack and leave for 24hrs and just give them a shake the flowers will just fall off.

I tried this although i left them for about 3 days it works a treat ;D

[markfield rover]

Just bottled 2 gallons,fingers crossed!
Are going for a tasting late summer?

[artichoke]

I seem to be making elderflower champagne by mistake: I've made lots of cordial (most of it now in freezer) and also keep a 2 litre plastc milkbottle of diluted cordial in the fridge.

The sides are bulging,  it fizzes slightly when I open it, yeast is visible at the bottom, and it tastes rather nice.

[books]

I seem to be making elderflower champagne by mistake: I've made lots of cordial (most of it now in freezer) and also keep a 2 litre plastc milkbottle of diluted cordial in the fridge.

The sides are bulging,  it fizzes slightly when I open it, yeast is visible at the bottom, and it tastes rather nice.

Sounds like it to me, well done and enjoy ;D, I would say that you should maybe place it in fizzy pop bottles as they cope better with gas expansion or drink it quickly ;)

[caroline7758]

I have made this for the first time this year. i bottled it just over a week ago. Should it become clear, and if so how long does it take? I used the HFW recipe.

[markfield rover]

Mine is the same colour as cloudy lemonade and was ready to drink in two weeks.