Elderflower wine

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Elderflower wine
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mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 10:58 am Post subject:
I've just put 1 gal of elderflower into a DJ. First wine I've made in years, so I really hope this works.

leebu

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 418
Location: east yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 12:07 pm Post subject:

cab wrote:

Can't immediately tell what the sediment on top is. If you're concerned, rack through it. My own inclination would be to leave it.

Is the stuff on top kind of solid-ish, or very fine?

Mainly fine/powdery but some small bits of solid which are, I think, the bits of elderflower that got in.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 2:09 pm Post subject:

leebu wrote:

Mainly fine/powdery but some small bits of solid which are, I think, the bits of elderflower that got in.

Could be pollen. I'd be less concerned about it being kind of fine.

Does the brew smell like floral cat-pea? That's how mine normally smells around now.

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 4:02 pm Post subject:

leebu wrote:

Hello again,
I am increasingly worried about my elderflower wine.
It is in a demijohn (I've racked twice now) but there is a fine white sediment on top of the wine that doesn't look like shifting any time soon. The wine itself is very slightly cloudy still, but I suspect that will clear, the stuff on top however seems stuck to the glass. Is this normal?How do I get rid of it and is it ruined?

If you had any fruit in the recipe, it could be pectin which is normally kind of stringy. You would normally put pectolic enzine in at the start to stop the pectin forming, but I am not sure about dealing with it post fermentation.

The white stuff on top could be oil etc. from raisins or sultarners, if used. Try getting hold of none oiled dried fruit.

You could try clearing it with "wine finings" I think it's called. I vaguely remember some books using egg white for this purpose, you would have to check on that one though.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 4:23 pm Post subject:
You could do all those things... Or you could leave it be to see what happens. That's my normal approach.

leebu

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 418
Location: east yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 5:45 pm Post subject:
Okay. will leave for time being, although I might rack again to get rid of larger bits. I have very little in the way of sense of smell so I don't really know if it smells of anything.... or what cat pee smells like, let alone the floral variety. Sticking my nose in and breathing deeply however, I get a vague whiff of alcohol.

Guest

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 9:59 pm Post subject:
I used the old 'Johnson family method'. You first need to extract the elderflower flavour with a syrup (using osmosis); soak the flowers in the sugar syrup for 36 hours. Then use the elderflower syrup to make your wine.

leebu

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 418
Location: east yorkshire

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 05 11:52 am Post subject:
Never heard of that, Guest. Bit late for this batch though. Have just tasted a little and frankly, it was not very nice... but very strong. Tasted almost like a spirit than a wine. Hopefully time will refine it. I've also added some water after the last racking sofingers crossed.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 05 12:45 pm Post subject:

leebu wrote:

Never heard of that, Guest. Bit late for this batch though. Have just tasted a little and frankly, it was not very nice... but very strong. Tasted almost like a spirit than a wine. Hopefully time will refine it. I've also added some water after the last racking sofingers crossed.

Give it time. Elderflower wants a good couple of months to mature, after settling, in thedemi-jon, and it wants a good few more in the bottle. It's a wine that takes patience

snowmoonelk

Joined: 27 Feb 2011
Posts: 3

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 11 7:10 am Post subject:

Hi, i left my elderflowers in water for a couple of weeks instead of just 4 days. there was a lovely crust of mould growing on the top, so I scraped it off and have now boiled the juice for 15 mins to kill any nasties - can I still use it to make wine or should I throw it away and start afresh?

Hmm, I have just smelt the reduced, boiled juice and is is NASTY, so I guess I have answered my own question!

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 11 7:56 am Post subject:
Hi Snowmoonelk, yes you have lost this batch I am afraid. It is soaked only for a couple of days to extract the flavour. Any longer than that you start getting unwanted bacteria growing as its still open to the air.

RuthG

Joined: 01 Jul 2011
Posts: 268
Location: Village near Durham

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 11 1:53 pm Post subject:
I put my elderflowers in a bucket with lemon juice for a day or two, then strained it, added the yeast etc and it has now been sitting in a covered bucket (stirred twice daily) for about 4 days. Going to pop in in DJ today. No mould and no crust. Smells of lemon juice and elderflowers.

mark

Joined: 14 Jul 2005
Posts: 2191
Location: Leeds

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 11 2:16 pm Post subject:

Just a hint to al the elderflower winemakers out there..
USE LESS FLOWERS they are strong! - so use a little bit and and don't leave them in the must for long..
lots of recipes use too much and leave them in must too long!

I love elderflower as a light dry wine - I make it lower alcohol and then it is a delicious sumer quaff.

You can make it a bit a stronger but balance it up with some fruit flavours or grape juice and make it higher alcohol with a bit more sweetness if you do.

Balance is everything!.

Mark

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 11 8:23 am Post subject:
Well said Mark lol. I make mine with saltanas/raisins for body and its the best wine I have ever made, once popped, you cant stop!

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 11 2:49 pm Post subject:

mark wrote:

Agree about using fewer flowers, and not steeping for too long.
I like to make a dry, lighter alcohol 'methode champenoise' elderflower wine.

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