Elderberry Question for everyone

[jtstar]

Ok here is the question how many of you boil your elderberries before you use them to make your wine

 

[Julie]

I don't but I pour hot water over them.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

We have used them raw, dried, steamed and boiled, diluted and at 100% juice, all different kinds of recipes and they all turned out good. Each way of making it gives them a slightly different flavor. Steaming gives less tannin and can be drank sooner. Going all juice from raw berries takes a while longer to be ready. Leaving the fruit in the primary for a short time gives a nice fruity wine, longer gives a more robust tannic wine. There are as many ways of making elderberry wine as there are ways to make different grape wines, except noone ever boils their grapes and expects a good bouquet from it. Crackedcork

Ok here is the question how many of you boil your elderberries before you use them to make your wine

 

[BobF]

Never boiled ... Some fermented raw, some steamed juice ... some seconds (per Julie's recipe), some elder P

None of mine have been 'Nigra' - those may be different.