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Hi Everyone,

Has anyone got any good recipes and brewing instructions for making Elderberry wine?  I have picked over 20lbs of berries today from along the River Thames in Chertsey, so I have got 'room' to experiment.

Many thanks

Duncan

aww shucks! can you send me 5lb or so....no elderberry trees around here.

how about this for a receipe:

1 gallon of elderberrries, stripped from stalks
3 oz root ginger, bruised
2 gallons water
12 lb sugar
yeast

put elderberries, root ginger and water in an enamelled pan. bring to the boil and simmer until berries are softened. strain liquid unto the sugar and stir until dissolved. when lukewarm add the yeast and pour into fermentation jars. keep back about 1 pint to fill up with as it works. insert an airlock and ferment to a finish - it should take about 6 weeks. syphon off and bottle. this wine can be drunk after 2 months, but the longer it is kept the better.
(source: home made country wines - farmers weekly collection)

Thanks for that.  That sounds tasty! 

There are still plenty of berries there - its in an area called The Meads, part of the River Thames flood plain.  If they have all gone there are lots of big blackberries ready for picking too!

Duncan

Hi Duncan,
                 I would add 4 to 6 ozs of chopped raisins to Svea's recipe unless you like a very dry wine.

My personal experience is that elderberry will ferment to complete dryness unless a fruit containing non-fermenting sugars is added. ;)

                                                       PREMTAL

You could use this recipe(makes a about 4 gallon) and have a good party ;)
4 - 6 lbs elderberries
1/2 lb black raspberries
4 limes
2 apples
2 plums
1 campden tablet
5 tbls yeast
5 tbls nutrient
8 lbs sugar

Extract juice from fruits. Boil pulp for 1/2 hour then strain and add to extracted juice. When lukewarm add other ingredients. Add enough water to make 3 to 4 gallons. Cover and protect from insects. Stir and skim foam and solids daily for 1 week. Let stand for 2 to 4 weeks then siphon into another container. When siphoning, do not siphon sludge from bottom of container. Repeat standing and siphoning process until wine is clear. Protect wine from light to keep color bright. Bottle and let stand a couple of months.

It's bubbling away nicely - only a few more weeks and it will be time to rack it off and bottle it.  Might try one at Christmas!

Just started 2 gallons meself! Tis looking good! ;D

Having never made elderberry wine, I would like to give it a try.

I have elderberries picked last year and frozen - any good for wine making?

I don't like dry wine, so does anyone have a recipe that will produce a medium bodied wine?

I am a little confused by all the recipes as I do not know how they will

taste - any advice out there??

Debs

For a sweet full bodied port style elderberry wine
although more complicated to make :(

1kg/2.25 lbs elderberries
1.35kg/3lbs raisins
900g/2lb sugar
2 lemons
1 tsp yeast

1. crush berries and cover with 2.25 pints of boiling water, stir in 1lb of the sugar.
2.add a further 2.5 pints of cold water , lemon juice add yeast and leave for 3 days ONLY
3. strain on to raisins in a fresh fermentation bucket.
4. leave for 7 days then strain in to demi-john under a airlock 
5. ferment to dryness
6. place in fresh demi
7. feed remaining sugar in a syrup form in 4oz doses ( also top's up demi in this process)
8. repeat step 7 until a sweet taste is a acquired (around 3 to 4 doses of syrup)

source- Brain Leverett country wines

Travman,

Excuse the novice-type questions...

I would like to make a wine which is medium bodied ie drinkable but not sweet

dessert/port wine but not dry. Do I reduce the amount of raisins and forget about adding the

syrup?

Any advice gratefully received - I would like to start making some wine and there is a

home-brew shop nearby.

Debs

I have 3 gallons of elderberry wine in a fermenting bin, with airlock.

It has gone through the bubbling stage and now only rarely bubbles.

Is this a sign to do something further?

If  so, what ??

Debs

P.S. This is my first attempt at wine-making...

My wine has totally stopped bubbling.

Should I now bottle it up and wait ::)

If so, does elderberry go into dark coloured glass bottles

Advice anyone.....??

Is there anybody out there......

Helloooooo......

1. Make sure fermentation as totally stopped
2. rack into clean demi-john
3. wait to see if any further action takes place
4. if none stabilise it
5. fine, filter,rack
6. wait...
7. sweeten if needed.. .
8. then bottle 
9. Drink and enjoy

P.S
Green demi's and bottles for red wines
clear for white and rose wines
;)

Thanks Travman...

...excuse my wine-making inexperience, but how do I

4. stabilise it

and

5. fine,filter and rack  ???

Debs

Stabalise by adding..
1 crushed campden tablet(soduim metabisulphite)
1 tsp of pottassium sorbate( usually sold as stabalising powder)
dissolved in a little of your wine  or a little cool boiled water add to the demi.

it does need BOTH. One on its own will not work.
both can be bought easily and cheaply from most places at around 79p a tub. 

Be sure fermantion as fully completed as this will both stun, kill and stop any further fermentationyour wine or bottles. If it is your intention to any sparkling wines do not add them.

5. Filter and rack

This is just the process of getting the drinkable wine off the sediment and into it's final storage containers (either demi-johns or wine bottles) you can buy commercial filters from winemaking shops but I have never used them. Just carefully siphon it off the lees (sediment) using clear plastic tubing making sure not to disturb any of the sludge in the bottom. By the way, you can also use washed and crushed eggshells to clear the wine before final botting.

P.S. and don't forget to make prettty labels on your computer and printer, it doesn't half give the finished product that extra bit o' class. ENJOY !    {:¬)#

Thanks Travman / Aikendrum ;D

...its my first attempt at wine-making, so would like it to be a success.

Debs ;)