Frozen Elderberries

[admiral]

What is a good wine recipe for frozen elderberries? Use them by themselves or mix with other fruit? Is it something I even want to try? Thanks for your responses.

 

[whino-wino]

How many pounds of elderberries do you have?


Elderberries make an exceptional wine all by themselves. It ages better than most other fruit wines too.

 

[admiral]

About 20 pounds. Suggestions?

 

[whino-wino]

I don't actually use recipes, but I have a chart that indicates what you will need and about how much for about 50 different fruits. Looking at elderberries on the chart I would recommend the following:


6 Gallon Batch:


20 lbs elderberries
6 tsp yeast nutrient
Acid Blend to .60 - .65 tartaric (chart says 6 tsp, but I'd start at 4 and check before adding more)
NO tannin
NO Pectic Enzyme
Bulk Age minimum 6 months on oak chips or cubes.
Water to 6 gallons (of course)
Add sugar and set S.G. to your liking. I'd personally go about 1.085 but if you like it more potent then more power to you. It will probably take close to 20 cups, maybe even a bit more to reach the desired S.G. With this in mind I would add H2O to about 5 1/2 gallons and start adding sugar syrup from there.


Good luck!

 

[admiral]

Thank you!

So, should I put the berries in a bag? Leave in primary until fermentation is complete or rack before that?


Sorry for the questions, but this will be my first fruit wine and I know just enough to be dangerous. Thanks!

 

[grapeman]

The berries difinitely go in a mesh bag, and I would figure on it being disposable so you could use a paint straining bag. Pick out all the little green stmes you can. Some people cook the berries to help reduce the inevitable and dreaded green goo. If you make elderberry wine you will know what I am talking about. It sticks to everything and will not simply rinse off. I'm sure you will have more questions about that later.

 

[admiral]

I had read about the dreaded green gunk. I am getting up the nerve to try this. Does cooking really help?

 

[gaudet]

I think steam juicing them does. But not sure about cooking them. I will be getting some elderberry plants in another month and hope to make some wine with them in the near future.

 

[grapeman]

Most of them are cooked in Europe and they say that reduces any goo sometimes to none at all. I am not sure of the procedure, but you could Google it I am sure.

 

[smurfe]

Look for a member here named Cracked Cork. He/she isan Elderberry expert. Here is a link totheir website on elderberries. Read and enjoy. Scroll down to the Wine link. Tons of great info




http://www.geocities.com/wvmountaineerjack/Elderberries/Elderberries.html

 

[admiral]

Thanks for all your help. I will check out the link.

 

[Cracked Cork]

HE, the girlie in the pictures is Mrs CrackedCork, she does most of the pickin and I do most of the winemaking, but she innoculates most of the batches, some reason when she does it them seem to grow better than when I do it. Mr Jack Keller posted about using vegetable oil on the green goo and then dishwashing soap to wash off the oil, works pretty good, gets if off of primaries and racking canes. I am hesitant on using paint straining bags, they are made in China and even the food that they make for babies is poisoned so who the heck knows whats in the process they use to make paint straining bags.

Crackedcork

Look for a member here named Cracked Cork. He/she isan Elderberry expert. Here is a link totheir website on elderberries. Read and enjoy. Scroll down to the Wine link. Tons of great info




http://www.geocities.com/wvmountaineerjack/Elderberries/Elderberries.html

 

[Cracked Cork]

I made a batch this season, thawed out the berries with pectinase and warm water, the next day I smushed them up with my hands, added some KMeta then later strained it. Looking for less tannins maybe. I always add pectic enzyme, even a little pectin can keep you from clearing right. Used Pasteur Red for this batch and did it ever take off even in our cool basement. Crackedcork

 

[NorthernWinos]

HE, the girlie in the pictures is Mrs CrackedCork, she does most of the pickin and I do most of the winemaking, but she innoculates most of the batches, some reason when she does it them seem to grow better than when I do it. Mr Jack Keller posted about using vegetable oil on the green goo and then dishwashing soap to wash off the oil, works pretty good, gets if off of primaries and racking canes. I am hesitant on using paint straining bags, they are made in China and even the food that they make for babies is poisoned so who the heck knows whats in the process they use to make paint straining bags.</font>

Crackedcork

Now something else to worry about....

I just put some raisins in a paint straining bag and poured hot water over them to soak....

I was so happy with those paint straining bags....