Elderberry Blueberry

What's everyone's thoughts on an Elderberry-Blueberry blend. I have ample supply of elderberries still and I also have about 12 lnb of blueberries. I was considering giving this a try this fall so that it would be ready for early summer / late spring. I would mix the berries and steam juice then concoct my recipe from there. Open to ideas on amounts of each berry to blend and recipe ideas.

Thanks

I am going to try something similar to this but in reverse of what I am about to tell you.

I would suggest making 3-5 gallon batch of elderberry like normal and using the blueberries to make a f-pak with. I did just this for my blackberry and it was awesome.

The reverse of that is what I am going to do because of the amount of berries that I have. I am going to make a 3 gallon batch of blueberry and use 6 lbs of elderberries to make a f-pak and backsweeten.

Thats my suggestion if you are looking to mix it up some.

pwrose said:

I am going to try something similar to this but in reverse of what I am about to tell you.

I would suggest making 3-5 gallon batch of elderberry like normal and using the blueberries to make a f-pak with. I did just this for my blackberry and it was awesome.

The reverse of that is what I am going to do because of the amount of berries that I have. I am going to make a 3 gallon batch of blueberry and use 6 lbs of elderberries to make a f-pak and backsweeten.

Thats my suggestion if you are looking to mix it up some.

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And yet another twist in the scenario. I like this idea also.

I would be afraid that the elderberries would really over power the flavor of the blues.

Start with just a little bit of the elderberries, just like you would do if you were sweetening to taste. If you dont use all of them then freeze the syrup for another day.

Doug, I would suggest you steam 20 pounds of your elderberries to get 2 gallons of juice and crush up all your blueberries into the juice and add sugar and some nutrients and ferment a few days on the blueberry pulp but not throw out the elderberry pulp after you steam them. The blueberries would add acid and flavor and the elderberries would add flavor and color. We have not done the blueberry elderberry mix yet but its on the list. Elderberry and blackberries and elderberry and black raspberry and elderberry and red raspberry and anything else we have added elderberries to really seems to work out well with the steamed elderberry juice.

Crackedcork

ffemt128 said:

What's everyone's thoughts on an Elderberry-Blueberry blend. I have ample supply of elderberries still and I also have about 12 lnb of blueberries. I was considering giving this a try this fall so that it would be ready for early summer / late spring. I would mix the berries and steam juice then concoct my recipe from there. Open to ideas on amounts of each berry to blend and recipe ideas.

Thanks

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CrackedCork said:

Doug, I would suggest you steam 20 pounds of your elderberries to get 2 gallons of juice and crush up all your blueberries into the juice and add sugar and some nutrients and ferment a few days on the blueberry pulp but not throw out the elderberry pulp after you steam them. The blueberries would add acid and flavor and the elderberries would add flavor and color. We have not done the blueberry elderberry mix yet but its on the list. Elderberry and blackberries and elderberry and black raspberry and elderberry and red raspberry and anything else we have added elderberries to really seems to work out well with the steamed elderberry juice.

Crackedcork

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That would be interesting and likely a good blend. What would be the reasoning for not throwing out the elderberry pulp after steaming the berries. I likely won't start this til end of November but it is definately something on my list.

What would be the point of steaming them if you throw the pulp back in? You would save yourself a lot of trouble just fermenting on the skins and seeds for a few days in a fermentation bag. But if you steam the elderberries you get their fruity flavor and color and a BIG reduction in tannins. Adding in the crushed blueberries on their own pulp gives up their acid and flavor and add some body to the steamed elderberry juice. If you didnt steam the elderberries I would suggest using only 2lb/gallon plus all your blueberries in a 3 gallon batch, but the taste will be much different than if you used steamed juice but not the elderberry pulp.

Crackedcork

ffemt128 said:

That would be interesting and likely a good blend. What would be the reasoning for not throwing out the elderberry pulp after steaming the berries. I likely won't start this til end of November but it is definately something on my list.

Click to expand...

CrackedCork said:

What would be the point of steaming them if you throw the pulp back in? You would save yourself a lot of trouble just fermenting on the skins and seeds for a few days in a fermentation bag. But if you steam the elderberries you get their fruity flavor and color and a BIG reduction in tannins. Adding in the crushed blueberries on their own pulp gives up their acid and flavor and add some body to the steamed elderberry juice. If you didnt steam the elderberries I would suggest using only 2lb/gallon plus all your blueberries in a 3 gallon batch, but the taste will be much different than if you used steamed juice but not the elderberry pulp.

Crackedcork

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Ok, I understand. I do toss the pulp after steaming and I thought you were stating NOT to throw out the pulp after steaming. What size batch were you considering this being for given the 20 lbs of Elderberries? Just curious. I'm figuring total fruit would end up close to 30+lbs. I was thinking this would be for a 5 gallon batch are you thinking 3?

Thanks.

20 pounds of elderberries steamed yields about 2 gallon of juice. Depending on what you are trying to make you can use that in either a 3 or 5 gallon batch with your blueberries. I like a lot of fruit so I would crush all your blueberries and ferment them on their skins in the 2 gallons of elderberry juice, maybe even drain the hot juice over top of the crushed blueberries as its coming out. I dont really think in pounds of fruit when steaming, but more like in how many gallons it yields, especially with elderberries as you cant compare the effects of 20 pounds of fresh fruts tannins to what you get when you steam.

Now it might be perfectly ok to steam your blueberries too but since I havent done that and only done blueberry on the pulp I cant say about steaming them as to what its going to taste like afterwards but its another option and since some of the acid does come thru it might be a way to get your acid from the berries and the flavor.

Crackedcork

Thanks Cracked. I think when this project gets underway I'll bag and crush the blueberries then do as you stated and pour the hot elderberry juice over them. I think this may work for a 5 gallon batch. I did a 6 gallon batch of straight elderberry from 21 lbs of steamed berries and it has plenty of flavor (IMHO). Maybe for additional body I'll add a couple lbs of raisins.

You guys got me to do some work to. I stopped in at the local home brew store to stock up and there was a gallon of blueberry from Vitners sitting there waiting for a good home so I adopted it. I think a 3 gallon batch with 2 gallons of steamed elderberry juice will be just the right matchup plus a little oak and ELDME maybe to bulk up the body.

Crackedcork

CrackedCork said:

You guys got me to do some work to. I stopped in at the local home brew store to stock up and there was a gallon of blueberry from Vitners sitting there waiting for a good home so I adopted it. I think a 3 gallon batch with 2 gallons of steamed elderberry juice will be just the right matchup plus a little oak and ELDME maybe to bulk up the body.

Crackedcork

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Sounds good. I was told tonight I may have more elderberries comming from my son's Sgt. He said he would pick from his fathers property and freeze for me and my son will pick up in the next couple weeks. I'll just have to knock off stems and float out the bad ones. If this comes through I may be doing my Elderberry Blackberry sooner than I thought.

I would love to see your Elderberry farm sometime. Looking at your site, it looks wonderful.

elder berries

can some one please tell me where I can pick or buy elder berries in or near asheville NC? Thank You

Julie