Elderberries

[Ernest T Bass]

The road ditches where I live are full of elderberries that are beginning to bloom, some in full bloom. I plan on gathering a lot of em for wine makeing this winter. Do I have to do anything other than de-stem em and freeze em? I plan on freezing em in 1 pound zip lock bags. I made some goose berry last fall and it was way too strong, it would float a spoon. I'm gonna try different amounts of elderberries per gallon this year. My goose berry never cleared, will elderberry clear?

Thanks

Semper Fi

 

[Jolly_Roger]

I made some elderberry last year that hasn't cleared yet... So I dont know, but I'll drink mine anyway if its any good! lol

 

[ffemt128]

Never had a problem with clearing. I usually took mine to bottle within 4 months. There are several recipes here, most will say to keep around 4-5 lbs per gallon. I steamed my berries last year and had no problem with the dreaded green goo.

 

[Ernest T Bass]

As you know, I new to this wine making thing, what and how is steaming?

Semper Fi

 

[ffemt128]

As you know, I new to this wine making thing, what and how is steaming?

Semper Fi

I, and others on the forum, have steam juicers. They work well for a variety of fruit wines. I used mine for both elderberry and strawberry. Both have yielded about 1 gallon per 10 lbs of fruit. All the juice, little to no pulp. They can be had reasonably in expensive from AMAZON.

This is the one I have.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KB9KCW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

A good site for elderberry information and recipes is here

http://www.oatmealjack.com/Elderberries/Elderberries.html

 

[Ernest T Bass]

When I collect my elderberries is there any thing that I should do to them before freezing? I plan to shake them inside a 5 gallon bucket to get the ripe berries, then remove the stems and any berries that are not ripe. Should I spray them with k-meta before freezing or do anything special to them.

Thanks

Semper Fi

 

[jtstar]

After you destem them put them in a sink of cold water and the ripe berries will sink to the bottom of the sink anything that floats get rid of you don't want them they are not ripe. Julie has a excellant recipe for elderberry wine and one for elderberry blush that is excellant also no you do not need to spray them with Julies recipe you will not need a steam juicer.

 

[Julie]

Normally I use 3 #'s per gallon but my last batch and used 4 #'s per gallon, this batch is much better.

jtstar, your next batch, bump up the berreis to 4 #'s per gallon, I think you will like this a lot.

 

[oliveking]

I never picked elderberries yet I would like to know how many pounds of berries you get off of a average bush. I have found about five bushes and I was wondering if I should keep looking. Thanks

 

[BobF]

Keep looking. Keep picking. Freeze them all. Be greedy.

You never know, there may not be a good crop next year.

Pounds per 'bush'? Varies too much to give a number like that.

Keep looking. Keep picking. Freeze them all. Be greedy.

 

[ffemt128]

Keep looking. Keep picking. Freeze them all. Be greedy.

You never know, there may not be a good crop next year.

Pounds per 'bush'? Varies too much to give a number like that.

Keep looking. Keep picking. Freeze them all. Be greedy.

Ditto what Bob said. It all varies. The one bush I found last year I got almost 40 lbs from. THe other 3 bushes I only got about 35 combined. The trick is to go out every week and get them before the bird do. I think the 3 other bushes the birds got alot. I have about 10-12 bushes scoped out that I'll be picking from this year and I'm hoping for 100 lbs.

 

[docanddeb]

It's amazing how many wild bushes you'll find while driving around... once you know what to look for when they are flowering! We saw them all the way to South Dakota!! We also like it mixed with raspberry! Syrup is good too. I favor no more than 6# per gallon. It makes good seconds and skeeter pee after that! Elderberry Mead is nice too. It takes to oak well and Elderberry Port is also excellent. It has tannins but no acid to speak of. Before bottling, adding just citric acid can really improve it as well! Maybe that's why the skeeter pee is soooo good!

Debbie

 

[ffemt128]

After my trip around yesterday it will be at least 2-3 weeks I'm guessing. All bushes are full of berries, no flowers left. The funny thing, 5 miles down the road, the bushes were still in bloom.

 

[docanddeb]

I have a few along my back fence. Depending on how much sun they get, they are in different stages too!!
Our picking target date is Labor Day Weekend. We have discovered that a 1 time picking is sufficient. The birds don't seem to want the ones we pick. So that is not a concern. I'm anxious to try that new spot I found though. The bushes are shorter. The 1 bush that we pick that is shorter and down the road from the others are much larger berries. I'm hoping that is the case with these new ones I have located.

Debbie

 

[jtstar]

bushes around here are still in full bloom also

 

[BobF]

Ditto what Bob said. It all varies. The one bush I found last year I got almost 40 lbs from. THe other 3 bushes I only got about 35 combined. The trick is to go out every week and get them before the bird do. I think the 3 other bushes the birds got alot. I have about 10-12 bushes scoped out that I'll be picking from this year and I'm hoping for 100 lbs.

You must have some MONSTER 'bushes' - no way I get 10#/bush picking non-cultivated elders.

I'm hoping my cultivated Elders get to the point of 10# each. That would be AWESOME!

 

[docanddeb]

Some of the wild ones I pick are 15ft tall. We have to bend them down to pick them.

Debbie

 

[ffemt128]

You must have some MONSTER 'bushes' - no way I get 10#/bush picking non-cultivated elders.

I'm hoping my cultivated Elders get to the point of 10# each. That would be AWESOME!

Th -e large bush I located last year is about 8-10 tall and about 15 ft in diameter. It's very full now with lots of clusters all around.