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Not YET Daw. Trying to figure out an irrigation system for a my elders before spring starts, they drank a lot of water last year 
CrackedCork
CrackedCork
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Weird really but I have trouble taming the Elderberries here.....they grow like weeds, and If I dont't keep on top of them they spread like Triffids.
We dont need to water things much here in the UK
not sure I see the 5 gall batch being drinkable before 3 galls batch, or have I missed something?
Elderberry is drinkable after 6 months (ish)
very nice after 1 year
different wine altogether after two years, and it gets better and better, try to save some from every batch, for long term aging.
I have tasted some failrly old (at least 10 years) Elderberry and it was just awesome.Last edited by lockwood1956; 04-03-2007, 11:32 PM.N.G.W.B.J.
Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
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Hey Lockwood, I would have thought 5 lb to a gallon vs 3 lb to a gallon would make it take longer to be good? We havent made one over 3 lb per gallon yet, havent had enough berries, but one day I hope to do a 100% juice, hoping it will be drinkable by my retirement party CrackedCOrk
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AHHH!
5lb per gallon Vs 3lb per gallon...not 5gall Vs 3 Gall
now I get it
N.G.W.B.J.
Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
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Let's party
AKA Brunehilda - Last of the Valkaries
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That's what we pay per gallon!REBEL MODERATOR
...lay down the boogie and play that funky music 'til ya die...'til ya die !"Comment
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I think I would make 5 gallons with some red grape concentrate added, and I ain't talking concord here. It will be a tad thin otherwise, and the winegrape concentrate will help it be drinkable earlier. I am not fond of young elderberry wine made only from elderberries. I like it much better with other fruit added such as blackberry or grape. Otherwise, it just takes too long to come of age.
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...lay down the boogie and play that funky music 'til ya die...'til ya die !"Comment
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Are you using groundwater or do you have a surface water body source or are you using city treated water?Originally posted by Crackedcork View PostNot YET Daw. Trying to figure out an irrigation system for a my elders before spring starts, they drank a lot of water last year CrackedCork
think I would make 5 gallons with some red grape concentrate added, and I ain't talking concord here. It will be a tad thin otherwise, and the winegrape concentrate will help it be drinkable earlier. I am not fond of young elderberry wine made only from elderberries. I like it much better with other fruit added such as blackberry or grape. Otherwise, it just takes too long to come of age.
I also use my elderberry as a blend addition in most of the berry wines. I also find them very tart and not able to eat by hand off the tree (shrub)
Weird really but I have trouble taming the Elderberries here.....they grow like weeds, and If I dont keep on top of them they spread like Triffids.
I have to prune heavily in my urban garden my two elderberries would soon block the sun from the rest of the vegetable garden.
DAWComment
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Even in the small tree form, elderberries can be 'topped' as in the main trunk can be sheared off, allowing the tree or bush to spread and produce better. Thinning out inside branches will help tremendously also.
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...lay down the boogie and play that funky music 'til ya die...'til ya die !"Comment
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I feel like I have to try a batch straight up. 16 pounds is a lot. Maybe a 3 gallon elder and 3 gallons mixed. Raspberries or crabapples. I have extra of these but don't think they'd make a good fit.Originally posted by Hippie View PostI think I would make 5 gallons with some red grape concentrate added, and I ain't talking concord here. It will be a tad thin otherwise, and the winegrape concentrate will help it be drinkable earlier. I am not fond of young elderberry wine made only from elderberries. I like it much better with other fruit added such as blackberry or grape. Otherwise, it just takes too long to come of age.
Blackberry, blueberry, & Marionberry with elderberry - what do you think? They got frozen packages of 3 berry blend at the Costco.Comment
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DAW, We are good old well water. Looking at howtodo sites and seems pretty easy. CrackedcorkComment
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I am not familiar with the Marionberry but I have done Boysenberry and the boysenberry is one of my favourite berry wines. I have also blended raspberries, blackberries,mulberries, elderberries and boysenberries and this blend makes a great wine. The citric of the elderberries and raspberries blended with the malic of the blackberries and boysenberries and the mulberries makes a wine of great color exceptional aroma and very berry taste. It worked for me this past fermentation season. Make sure that you balance things off with the addition of tartaric acid ie: measure the PH and acid levels and make sure they are what you are looking for before you start the fermentation process. Cheers hope it works out for you. DAWOriginally posted by jojo View PostComment
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Cork - By your response it sounds like you are not concerned with the groundwater quality and that it is suitable for both human and your agriculture purposes. I would guess that you are looking at some kind of trickle irrigation system or a cysteine storage system to assist in any concerns that you may have for the quantity that you well is able to produce. The irrigation system is definitely that good ole farm experience can manage very easily. If it is a problem that the well does not produce enough water then that is another situation. Hope it is only the set of the irrigation method that is what you are looking at. Well production yields are something else that could possibly be assisted with some kind of a cysteine to collect and store the water when the well is not being used or another possibility could be collecting the rain water run off from your farmyard building sites. Only suggestion - sorry a little rambling here. Good luck - all the best with you farm site watering solutions. DAWOriginally posted by Crackedcork View PostComment
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I missed commenting on Blueberries. Hippie and I really like blueberries they make an excellent wine. When making blueberry I always blend them with a malic fruit like apricots or sweet or sour cherries approximately 10% of these either dried or fresh. I use 5-6 pounds of blueberries per gallon of wine. Works for me.. DAWOriginally posted by jojo View PostComment
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Elderberry picking is Ok if you use secateurs and take of the whole hand, then when you get home destalk them over a bucket using a fork.Originally posted by lockwood1956 View PostComment
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