Saft Flader

[SiSandrine]

OK so it may sound like the lead baddie from a camp production of Star Wars but...

Found this in IKEA tonight. I would have preferred to make my own this year I know but was just too busy back in April/May time. For £2.60 you get 500ml. Ingredients Sugar, Water Elderflower concentrate (22.4%), lemon juice (from concentrate) and citric acid. Mix one part this to 6 parts water.

Seems a good alternative to the real stuff.

Saft Flader.jpg

[godfrey]

have you not considered dried elderflowers ?

I am fortunate to have still 4 litres of home-made elderflower cordial in the fridge
if the kids don't drink it soon, I will make it into 3 or 4 gallons of wine

[fatbloke]

Sounds like any other commercially made elderflower cordial mix to me Simon....

[lockwood1956]

have you not considered dried elderflowers ?

Dried elderflowers can leave a bitter aftertaste, careful with those

regards
bob

[SiSandrine]

Sounds like any other commercially made elderflower cordial mix to me Simon....

Indeed, but informed choice is everything so just thought I would share.

[godfrey]

I made a 5 gallon batch of champagne with dry flowers and unrefined sugar

have not noticed any bitterness,
but the unrefined sugar has left the batch with mild residual sweetness,
that may be masking said bitterness
the batch also has some residual colour
more orange than the batch with fresh flowers more yellow

the one on the left is the dry flowers and unrefined sugar

[lockwood1956]

The sweetness will indeed be masking the bitterness, which appears on the finish (after-taste) and the colour will be from the sugar most likely.

I am sure you are aware of this, but for anyone who isn't....

Unrefined sugar does not normally leave sweetness, unfermentable sugar or unfermented sugar does, and uncontrolled residual sweetness (caused through fermentable sugar) is something to be avoided in sparkly, fermentation could re-start in the bottle and if there is no control over sugar then there are possible issues with over carbonation.

You appear to have left no headspace in the bottle, there is no space for expansion if needed, sparkly needs more headspace than other wines.

hope that helps
regards
Bob

[godfrey]

good job I used top quality bottles of over 850g empty weight

I was planning to disgorge them but I need a rack of some description
as the crown caps can get damaged if I invert them on the cap

I have been just cooling them in the fridge for a few days before opening
to pack the lees and absorbe the CO2

seems to work quite well

the fresh flowers were bottled at 1.010 and the dry flowers at 1.008

next time I will ferment dry then leave to clear and then bottle and prime !

this was my first attempt at any home brew
I now have a bit more expriance
and have learned much from my mistakes
fortunately I have had no bottle explosions so far.

thanks for the tips! :-)

[lockwood1956]

No probs re tips

You might find a beer crate will work for inverting the bottles as they wont reach the bottom (or a pepsi crate)