Steam extracted juice......

[Zebedee]

steam juicing is best for red fruits (I believe)

I just collect my juice in 1ltr kilner jars, pop the lid on and stand in cold water to rapid cool...then it keeps until ready to use

[fatbloke]

So, according to the instructions for mine, it says that if you store the juice in sterilised bottles/jars it should keep almost indefinitely (not so sure about that claim...... but it would kill off just about all the nasties i.e. heat etc, like an autoclave...).

I got mine on ebay, it was less than £20 including shipping.

As for how it's used, well you don't have to completely destalk elderberries, just take the main, big stalks off, rinse (the floating ones aren't ripe), fill the water section, assemble the other bits and put the fruit in the top..... place lid on.

When the fruits all sagged down and looks pretty flat you've probably got most/all of the juice. I just open the clip on the pipe and run the juice into whatever containers I've got prepared.

As for the mixed fruit melomel, I got the best part of 4 litres of juice, so I'm intending to make a gallon batch of it, but with 1 litre of the juice (using K1V-1116), then it'll be back sweetened with the rest of the juice (well probably all, maybe a little less, depends on the taste I get).

@ shirthegirl43

Raspberries are powerful little swines. If you do make a batch with all raspberry juice I bet you'll end up having to sweeten it up to knock back the acid........

Or maybe make a mixed one, with maybe apple and raspberry.

Either way, if you can steam extract them, it's easy enough to make raspberry jelly if you run out of ideas/suggestions for different variations......

I'm not quite sure how I'm gonna handle the pure black currant juice yet, but it's in 1 medium kilner jar and 3 x 1lb honey jars, all of which fit in the fridge just nicely so I've got time to think on how I'll progress that one......

regards

JtFB

p.s. And yes Jo, I'll post again when it's all underway.....

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks JtFB. I will wait for some apples to go with the rasps, or invest in some white grape juice to make a rose. I have made rasp jelly and it was yummy!