Elder Flowers

[Gaztops]

I am very new to picking fresh produce and after a bit of reaserch, elder flowers can be used to flavour wine before the berries sprout..Flowers are now appearing on the bush/tree, is it still too early.

But, don't pick the ones that smell of cat pee

Thanks Gary

[lockwood1956]

As long as you don't cut the blossoms from the tree they will still produce berries.

Look at colin Tweeds juice extraction talk for the method of removing petals (he shakes florets into a paper bag, so they need to be ready to fall)

regards
Bob

[Neil Ward]

Apparently if you put the flower heads in a plastic bag for 24 hours, the flowers will just shake off.
The last time I picked some though there were aphids on the stems, so 24 hours later they had crawled all over the flower heads too!
I'd recommend picking the bugs off as you pick them, or you'll spend hours picking them off later like we did!

[mcblades]

I would have thought the aphids would have provided a bit of protein to the brew. See steve's worm wine thread

[Cellar_Rat]

If you shake the flowers off, just before they fall off, you get berries a bit later is too. So you can have twice as much wine red and white! books would be killed by fermentation, I would not ferment an infestation, but the odd one or two is not a problem.

You would be amazed what ends up in commercial fermenters.

[lockwood1956]

There are (published) acceptable levels of MOG (material other than grapes)

[oliver90owner]

There are (published) acceptable levels of MOG (material other than grapes)

Nothing there that would not come out with the enzymes around (or some added) and the wings and other chitinous parts should sediment on clearing... probably mostly a good yeast nutrient!

[Cellar_Rat]

I am not sure I would want to use a enzyme in my wine that can dissolve secateurs blades or rubber gloves

[SiSandrine]

I am not sure I would want to use a enzyme in my wine that can dissolve secateurs blades or rubber gloves

That had me laughing out loud.

[Cellar_Rat]

nice.... both of which I hasten to add I have found in ffreshly harvested wine grapes. s

[SleepyDave]

As long as you don't cut the blossoms from the tree they will still produce berries.
Bob

The quality of the fruit remaining on the bush will probably be improved by a bit of judicious thinning of the blossom, like grapes and most other fruits.

[Gaztops]

I'd never heard of an Elder Tree/ Bush, Thingy. I'm now more confident in what I pick thanks to you guys.

Gary