Elderflower Champagne

[iankbrum]

Thanks for your comments, Crafty John. Do you do anything with the flowers or just add them to the mixture 'as is'? Do you leave them in the mixture for the whole first fermentation time or take them out after a while before first fermentation is finished? How many lemons and how much white wine vinegar do you add? Do you add the lemon juice and what's left of the lemons?

[baccus]

Hi Baccus, Myself and Mrs. Corridor love elderflower champagne. It is a great indicator that summer is nearly here. Its a real strightforward, cheap and gives impressive results. The river cottage recipe is a good shout.

Hmm, There seem to be quite a few different versions of "River cottage elderflower champagne".

Is this the one:

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/c ... gne-recipe

?

Think I'll have a go at that one. Probably need to wait a few weeks yet though.

[boingy]

Is this the one:

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/c ... gne-recipe

Yep, that's the one. I may have already linked to it in this thread though...

[crafty john]

Thanks for your comments, Crafty John. Do you do anything with the flowers or just add them to the mixture 'as is'? Do you leave them in the mixture for the whole first fermentation time or take them out after a while before first fermentation is finished? How many lemons and how much white wine vinegar do you add? Do you add the lemon juice and what's left of the lemons?

Here is my recipe for 4 gallons

60 gram elderflowers just the flowers, remove them from the stalks by gently rubbing in the palm of your hand, the best time for picking is mid morning on a sunny day.
6 Lemons
1 900 gram can of youngs grape juice concentrate
3 kilo dextrose
4 tsp tartaric acid ( In place of vinegar cos it tastes crap with vinegar )
3 tsp yeast nutrient
sachet of champagne yeast

Method
Put flowers in FV and pour over a kettle of boiling water
Grate lemon rind in and squeeze in the juice
Add grape juice concentrate and stir
Add dextrose and stir to dissolve
add 1/2 a kettle of boiling water, stir and top up to 4 gallons
Add tartaric acid, nutrient and yeast and give it a good stir.
ferment to dryness and let it clear then bottle with 65 grams of dextrose per gallon and bottle in champagne bottles.

Hope this helps
cheers John

[iankbrum]

Thanks for your recipe and method, John. If I survive the remaining 9 litre bottles of what I already have, I'll give yours a go Turbo cider on the bubble at the moment and Kriek on it's second week of 6 - 8 in bottles. 2011 could well be a blur.

[avtovaz]

spotted an elderflower tree on the idustrial estate by my mates garage today ...






Lots of nettles there too!

[avtovaz]

just put on my black clothes and balaclava to go and take these heads, now

* 4 litres hot water
* 700g sugar
* Juice and zest of four lemons
* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* About 15 elderflower heads, in full bloom
* A pinch of dried yeast (you may not need this)



the lemons i can use citrus powder cant i?

Not sure if i have white wine vinegar, does that matter???

thanks

[critch]

i get my elderflower from http://www.organicherbtrading.com

very good quality reasonably priced by the kilo

[crafty john]

just put on my black clothes and balaclava to go and take these heads, now

* 4 litres hot water
* 700g sugar
* Juice and zest of four lemons
* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* About 15 elderflower heads, in full bloom
* A pinch of dried yeast (you may not need this)



the lemons i can use citrus powder cant i?

Not sure if i have white wine vinegar, does that matter???

thanks

I personally don't like it with vinegar in I use tartaric acid instead as it's meant for use in wine making and vinegar isn't.

[baccus]

i get my elderflower from http://www.organicherbtrading.com

very good quality reasonably priced by the kilo

Are they cheaper than £0.00/kg?

[baccus]

Well I managed to knock out 12 bottles of this stuff using the Rover Cottage recipe. And I have to say I've never seen anything disappear so quick!

I'll definitely ramp up production for next year!

[Blu3nose]

The blackberries are gonna be out soon an I was wonderin if anyone had any recipes for them like a wine/cider/champagne kinda thing. I was thinkin of pulpin loads of blackberries, addin water to thin it out a bit and then addin glucose to boost the og and see what happens. . Any hints or thoughts anyone has would be appreciated. Thanks