Elderberry Wine

This recipe was given to me by friend's granddad. I have never used it but he swore by the results. Might be good to research sanitising and other wine-making methods. I'm going to try it out this Autumn.

Ingredients:
5lb Elderberries
3lb granulated sugar
1 Gallon cold water
6 Cloves
Campden Tablet
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
Pectic Enzyme
G.P. Wine Yeast
Yeast Nutrient

Equipment:
Preserving pan - large bucket with lid - long wooden spoon - Demijohn - Airlock and rubber stopper - Wine bottles and corks.

Method:
1. Wash and clean the berries well.
2. Put in a preserving pan with a gallon of cold water and boil until fruit is tender.
3. Strain off liquid into a plastic bucket and add 3lb of sugar, 6 cloves and the ground ginger and stir well until the sugar is dissolved. When the liquid has cooled ass a crushed Campden tablet and pectic enzyme. Cover and leave in a warm room for 24 hours and then add the yeast and nutrient.
4. Cover bucket and leave in a warm place for 10 days, stirring daily. Then strain into a demijohn. Fit with an airlock and keep in a warm place while the mixture ferments to a dryness. The wine can then stacked and bottled

Ready in six months but better if left longer.

The Homebrew Company

Last week on the Ray Darcy show there was a report on alcohol consumption in Ireland. it seems it has gone down in traditional consumption. However like the way allotments and vegetable growing has seen an upsurge in interest, so too has homebrewing.

I have been interested in Homebrewing for awhile. I bought all the equipment for making elderberry wine some years ago. I just never got round to it. So listening to the section on the Ray Darcy show inspired me to get a Kit from the The Homebrew Company.

I ordered it at lunchtime on Tuesday the 15th of June and it was delivered the next day before 10.00am. Now that is great service. Also 7€ delivery countryside.

I also sent them an email about their Kriek Brewferm kits which are currently out of stock. I received a reply promptly informing when they would be back in stock and telling me they would email me when it arrives.

Great prompt service that I would use again.

Elderflowers - I may have missed the boat

What the difference a week makes... Last week I had my pick of flower heads and this week the elder flowers have turned into the early signs of the berries to come. Little hard green berries have appeared where the forthy white flowers were last week.

I will have a look in some shadier cooler places where the flowers may have come out later. Lesson learned though.. :(

Elderflower Sparkle Update

Bottle 1
Opened by my mother after 3 days. She said it was flat and overly sweet. However she found the flavour and aroma of Elderflower to be really interesting and very pleasant.


Bottle 2
Opened the first bottle of Elderflower Sparkler about 5 days after bottling. I had read some alarmist story about screw-top bottles bursting all over someone's hot press so I decided to try one out. It had a light level of bubbles but again it had a very sweet taste. Too much for me.


Bottle 3
Opened last night 1 week after bottling. Beautiful amount of bubbles - fizzed beautifully on the tongue. A little less sweet but still cloying in the after-taste.

I will leave the last bottle for a few weeks. I am going to make another batch up and use less sugar.

Elderflower Sparkle Drink

Ingredients:

5-6 Elderflower Heads, in bloom

600gs of Granulated Sugar

4 Litres of Water

2 lemons, juice and zest

2 tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar

Equipment:

Large Bowl - Jug - Funnel - Sieve - Muslin

Method:

1. In one large bowl place all the ingredients and leave covered over night.

2. Strain through sieve and muslin and place in sanitised bottles.

3. Leave for 3 days, open and enjoy.
Makes about 5 wine bottles full.

Tip 1: If you can't get you hands on muslin, line a sieve with two sheets of unscented kitchen roll and change for each bottle.

Tip 2: Don't fill the bottles to the top, leave some space at the top for the collecting gas.

Check out Elderflower Sparkle Update to find out how the drinking went