I was trying to decide what to do with the 2 gallons of last years steam extracted elderberry juice. Plus I had 4 litres of Red Grape juice that was out of date (but tasted fine).
So I've just mixed it up in a bucket and put a couple of kilo's of honey in with it. I wasn't sure what yeast to use, but found the pack of BDX that Brian kindly gave me at last years grapefest.
Now that's a red wine yeast isn't it, and I'm not sure with out a good search round, whether I've got any RC-212 or not.
I'm figuring that as the elderberry is quite tannic, if it's gonna need extended ageing once fermented etc, then that's not a problem.
Just that it might have some of the qualities of a heavy, tannic french vino (I've just put it in the mead forum as I've used honey for the fermentable sugars).
I've put some crushed campden tablets in it for the moment, just to stabilise it enough to prevent any oxidation of the juice in the short term (I'll have to leave it until at least tomorrow before pitching the yeast, as it's gonna have to sit for 24 hours for the sulphites to dissipate).
It's just measured at 1.070 and I'm thinking whether it might need a bit more honey or not ? As some of you will know, I make mostly traditional meads and not so many fruit based ones, hence the question
Whaddya think ?
So I've just mixed it up in a bucket and put a couple of kilo's of honey in with it. I wasn't sure what yeast to use, but found the pack of BDX that Brian kindly gave me at last years grapefest.
Now that's a red wine yeast isn't it, and I'm not sure with out a good search round, whether I've got any RC-212 or not.
I'm figuring that as the elderberry is quite tannic, if it's gonna need extended ageing once fermented etc, then that's not a problem.
Just that it might have some of the qualities of a heavy, tannic french vino (I've just put it in the mead forum as I've used honey for the fermentable sugars).
I've put some crushed campden tablets in it for the moment, just to stabilise it enough to prevent any oxidation of the juice in the short term (I'll have to leave it until at least tomorrow before pitching the yeast, as it's gonna have to sit for 24 hours for the sulphites to dissipate).
It's just measured at 1.070 and I'm thinking whether it might need a bit more honey or not ? As some of you will know, I make mostly traditional meads and not so many fruit based ones, hence the question
Whaddya think ?
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