elderflower wine

[bill]

has anyone got a recipe for elderflower wine ? and are dried elderflowers any good, i presume they are not as good as fresh..

billy

[ms67]

masses of info and recipes about elderflower wine here
http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/s...ead.php?t=2264

good to be thinking ahead, i made my first elderflower wine last year and its just stunning - not as in i made the best elderflower wine ever, but the flavour is amazing and i'm looking forward to making more and perhaps even improving on last years wine.

[wisp]

has anyone got a recipe for elderflower wine ? and are dried elderflowers any good, i presume they are not as good as fresh..

billy

I've used dried elder flowers in the past and was more than pleased with the results.

[bill]

thanks for that.. i found my little food for free book and was looking through it and saw the elderflowers..

i may look at the dried flowers then..

billy

[wisp]

Be careful if you do want to collect fresh elder flowers. Crush some in your hand and if they smell like cat urine find another tree. Although all elders look similar, they are not all the same. With experience, you will begin to notice the different shades of white and cream. Hedgerow will be able to tell you more.

Dried elder flowers seem fine, but use a recipe for dried elder flowers and not one for fresh elder flowers. I have put a couple of links below. One is from this forum and the other is from Jack Keller's site - Jack Keller is very highly respected.

Hope this is of help.

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request171.asp

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/s...p?t=867&page=2

[ms67]

you may get lucky - like i did - i find that you'll smell wonderful smells without needing to crush the flowers. Regardless, the bad smell to watch out for is the same.

[lockwood1956]

You will find a gazillion elderflower and elderberry recipes here

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1009

im not keen on dried Elderflowers as they impart a slight bitterness to the finished wine... fresh ones will be available soon, make up some elderflower cordial with them, and use that to add to your wines....much better IMHO than dried.

[wisp]

Now I like the bitterness, perhaps it is a matter of taste.. I'd do a dried one now and then collect some fresh, I'd still be careful of the cat pee ones, and make one of those too. What have you got to lose? Now, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't question Bob's expertise in these matters. You have to make your own mind up and make educated guestimates in some situations. It is true, however, that dried is a wee bit more bitter than fresh. That is not to say that dried is unacceptable.

[kampervan]

you can make a syrup from the flowers when they are in season and then use that to make wine

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

have 4 gal on go at moment 2 sparkling and 2 still smells divine.