Elderflower Champagne

[crh75]

Hi,
I have started to make an elderflower champagne. The original SG was 1.110 (quite high I know!). It has now fermented to 0.992. I have 2 gallons that I intend to put into 500ml bottles. Could somebody tel me how much to sweeten it to before bottling to make it fizzy. Either what SG to aim for or number tsp of sugar will be fine.

Many many thanks
Chris

[lockwood1956]

When you say 500ml bottles....you don't mean beer bottles do you

DO NOT under any circumstances put sparkling wine into beer bottles, they are not designed for that much pressure and will blow up

[lockwood1956]

Sparkling wine produces around 90 psi and beer bottles or pet bottles just cant take that kind of pressure. you can prime at beer levels but then you wouldn't get the proper sparkle.

the wine competition at Yorkshire Federation will only accept sparkling wine in the heavyweight sparkly bottles (there are two weights, and the lower weight is not regarded as safe)

[crh75]

No plastic.

[lockwood1956]

I'd still be careful, sparkly wine can be dangerous stuff, Champagne makers were always recognisable because they had either fingers or eyes missing.

once primed, don't store it in the house.

I would also not prime too much .... max 1 tsp sugar per bottle (this is beer levels)

[crh75]

Thanks. If I can get a few proper heavy champagne bottles what would you sweeten it to?

[lockwood1956]

If you can get proper champagne bottles then 11g of sugar per 750ml bottle is the right dosage......



try your local wedding venues, ask them to save the bottles for you.


fill them with water and weigh them, they should weigh 1.6kg

[Rich]

Or weigh them empty.. I keep the ones that are over 850g, several are 900g.

You can either measure your residual sugar and add a predetermined amount, or go for the 'raise it up to 1.000sg which is a bit more slack handed.. I've a narrow range hydrometer for that now. I also keep the charged sparkly in the garage. If primming and leaving indoors for a warm enviroment put the bottles inside a fermenting bucket to catch any surprises.

You 'may' have trouble getting the yeast to make it sparkle with a starting sg of 1.110 as it'll be quite alcoholic already. I try to start my sparkly off at 1.065 to 1.070 ish. Also makes for an earlier drinker and a softer taste. (also saves on some sugar, being a tight git, I did live in Yorkshire for a while!)

[crh75]

Thanks for the advise. I will certainly be able to find a few champagne bottle in the next few days. I may well leave some of it as wine as it tastes quite delicious at the moment even with the slightly harsh alcohol taste. In 6mth - 1yr I'm sure it will be great with or without bubbles.