Elderflowers

[fenman]

I'm looking to make 5g of Elderflower wine in the next few weeks.
The problem i have is, next week we are on hols in the caravan, how long will the flowers keep for when picked & stored in the fridge?
Or has anybody got a better idea?

fenman

[rjb222]

I can purchase dried elder flowers from one of my wholesalers. I you have a dehydrator this may be a solution for you.I am not sure if freezing would be a good option with something as delicate as flowers.

[lockwood1956]

Make cordial from them, this can then be used in your winemaking....they wont stay fresh in the fridge.......

they WILL freeze, but im not keen on it....


dried elderflowers impart a bitter taste

regards
Bob

[lockwood1956]

See here for my mate Luc volders cordial recipe, i've used it and its great (scroll down for the English version)

http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2008/02/vlierbloesemwijn-elderflower-wine.html

[Rich]

Are the elderflowers out in force down with you Fenman?

They are only just starting to show here in Yorkshire. Time and work prevent me this year from taking part in the elderflower picking

Rich

Edit: And, Bob's idea of the Cordial is a good plan, I've used elderflower cordial before (made by my Aunt!). Turned out very nic.

[fenman]

The flowers are just starting like yours but being away in the caravan from next Sunday to Sunday, which i think will be the flowers peak condition i was going to pick on the Saturday put in the fridge overnight to make on Sunday when back at home. I don't think the flowers will be ready before we go but over when we get back.
The caravan will not be the best place to make the Cordail then drive 200 miles. Back to the drawing board!

fenman

[lockwood1956]

They are at their peak when you gently shake the florets and the petals fall off....


some bushes are good for flowers (sweet smelling) but not good for berries and vice versa


so if you get a bit of a cat pee smell from the flowers, go back later in the year for berries, if you have very fragrant flowers, the berries wont be so good....


keep notes as to what you have around you...

[fenman]

The sounds like some insider information to me
Thanks for that as i did notice when picking the Berry's last season that some bushes were full & some not so much.

fenman

[ms67]

i've also been wondering about how to store elderflowers as most recipes on this forum suggest adding them after primary fermentation is done and i havent started fermenting yet, but i already have the flowers. i decided to just go ahead and use heaps of flowers at primary stage ..... but here's a thought ...

honey has been used to dress open wounds in the past. it creates a great barrier and is so sweet that it is a preservative as moulds etc can only get a foothold and survive on the surface (if at all). not to mention the antibiotics that may be in there. so here's an option to try if nobidy has a surefire winner .... trim all your flowers in your caravan (what else are you gonna do when its chucking it down on your hols!) and then gently pack them into a big jar (or ten) and fill with honey. Use the honey and flowers to make your wine - mead even! perhaps the honey will "capture" more of their wonderful aroma than simply brewing with them would do?

[lockwood1956]

hmmmmm

interesting, it would be like a cold infusion....i might just try this......

[ms67]

thanks for the thumbs up potential of this idea its great encouragement and way better than i was used to in the last one!

there may of course be a problem that i have overlooked, but in the hands of an expert home-brewer i reckon the idea could find a good home for a trial, especially if there is an easily identifiable fault that can be corrected .... please let us know how it goes .... and remember where you heard it first

i reckon i would still take the step of adding campden some hours before the yeast. while i think about it perhaps even adding campden to the honey/flower mix would be a smart belt and braces technique