Elderberry Wine (Dried Elders)

[SPAF]

Just racked to secondary the following recipe with corresponding notes. Any constructive comments for next time are welcomed:

5-gallons
14SEP2013
Ingredients:
2Lbs. Elderberries, dried
10 Lbs. Sugar
5 Gal. Water
2.5 Tsp. Pectinase
4 Tsp. Acid Blend
3 Tablets K-MetaBiSulf (Campden)
5 Tsp. yeast nutrient (DAP) (staggered in 1/3 additions throughout primary ferment)

Must Data
SG (adj): 1.096 = 12.5% PA
pH: 3.5

Soak must 24 hours for pectinase reactions.

Primary Ferment
1st 1/3 yeast nutrient addition.
Make yeast starter: Red Star Montrachet and must/water mixture.
Ferment to dry. (Predicted 12.5% ABV)
Add 2nd 1/3 yeast nutrient on day 3, and final 3rd yeast nutrient addition on day 5.

Day 3: SG 1.041
pH: 3.5
Temp (°F): 81

Day 4:
SG: 1.021
Temp: 73°F (cooled using evaporation system)

Day 6:
SG: 0.995
Temp: 72.9°F
ABV: 13.2%

Day 8:
SG: 0.992

Day 9: 22September2013
SG 0.992

Rack to Carboy (5-gallons)
1 tablet K-MetaBiSulf (Campden)
1.5 oz. American Oak cubes; Medium toast

 

[SPAF]

1-month notes--

Initial tasting yesterday of both the melomel and the straight wine (5-gallon each):

Elderberry essence really comes out with an awesome, dark hue. Smells pretty young still, as it should, but can tell it'll turn out great in 6 months. Taste of the mead was a bit rough; again rightfully so for being so immature. Definitely can pick up the slight oakiness that's coming through from the medium toast cubes. The wine has a pretty clean flavor, cleaner than any other wine I've made at this 1-month point. Not enough oak yet though, so at least another month on the cubes.

I had my wine-snob wanna-be brother taste test both as well, and he was blown away by the flavor profiles that this little fruit makes. He's definitely converted.

Next update in 30 days.

 

[seth8530]

Could you post some pictures? Pictures are cool.

 

[Julie]

I am not sure how much 2# of dried elderberries would equal to fresh berries but I normally use 4# per gallon so I am not sure if you have enough berries. Did you taste it yet?

 

[SPAF]

Julie, you use 4Lbs fresh? 2Lbs dried worked great. Ya I tasted it. I could see adding more but honestly the quantity I used made a very good-bodied wine.

 

[Julie]

Julie, you use 4Lbs fresh? 2Lbs dried worked great. Ya I tasted it. I could see adding more but honestly the quantity I used made a very good-bodied wine.

Well that's all that counts!. I didn't find anything wrong with what you have done so far and I would love for you to post how that oak worked in your elderberry. I am very interested in that.

 

[jswordy]

Dried elderberry is one I've wanted to try. Dunno if I'd like the taste, though, some people do and some don't, I hear. Sounds great.

 

[SPAF]

Julie, I'll do a write up next month specifically about the elderberry's ability to blend with oaking, once I'm able to get a bit more extracted out.

Last poster, the closest taste to a 'normal' euro-style grape wine I would associate this elderberry wine to would be a Pinot noir. In fact, my independent taster (brother) was the one who tagged it with that comparison. I completely agree with his opinion once I heard him say it.

 

[SPAF]

Could you post some pictures? Pictures are cool.

Pictures as requested.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Nice! My elderberries are at the 4 week mark an I'll be doing my 1st racking this week. I have one of the batches on 100% dark chocolate can't wait to sample it. Haven't got my hands on any oak yet would have like to try it on one of the batches. What kind of oak did you use?

 

[seth8530]

Wow, that is quite a bit darker than I would of imagined it would of been.

 

[SPAF]

Wow! Cocoa, now that's thinking outside the box. I like it... I racked mine off the yeast cake at about 2 weeks I think. I don't know it's
In my notes. Today is 1 month on American oak medium toast cubes. I added more oak today. I had some American oak chips that I toasted myself in the oven to about a light-medium toast. 1) my house smells freaking amazing right now, and 2) I'll keep both the wine and the melomel in oak for another month before bottling a few days before Thanksgiving. In total, there will be 3.5 ounces of oak in each 5-gallon carboy at the end of bulk aging; 1.5 oz. for 1 month and 3.5 oz. for 1 month (original 1.5 oz + additional 2 oz.). The reason I'm only doing a total of 2 months bulk aging is that I'm concerned with oxidation in the mead carboy. There's only 4.5 gallons in there so there's a little headspace.

 

[ckvchestnut]

That sounds wonderful! Wel I wanted to rack off the lees earlier but the recipe I was following stated to just rack off lees into bottle at 6 weeks. Then I decided on the chocolate so decided to bulk age in the carboys since I don't have the headspace issue. In fact I had to draw some off after adding the chocolate.

Now I do remember about using the American oak medium toast. I have huge white oak trees on my property and am now wondering if I could toast some of that and try that?

Seth: this is my first experience with the elderberry wine and mine is from fresh berries from my property and you wouldn't believe the intensity of the colour these give in such a short amount of time. I tried to do a blush as a 2nd run on my elderberries that had fermented to .990 in my first wine, but didn't press them first and only kept the fruit in the 2nd must for 2-3 days to allow the ferment to start. My 'blush' is exactly the colour of the dragon blood!

 

[SPAF]

The dried elderberries have awesome color extraction. regarding American oak, I live in the Lowcountry, SC, and we have an abundance of oak growing on just about everyone's property. I'm telling you the flavors of American oak are more intense than French oak, which seems to me to fit perfectly with he intense flavor of elderberry. It's all about the balancing act with wine.

 

[ckvchestnut]

The dried elderberries have awesome color extraction. regarding American oak, I live in the Lowcountry, SC, and we have an abundance of oak growing on just about everyone's property. I'm telling you the flavors of American oak are more intense than French oak, which seems to me to fit perfectly with he intense flavor of elderberry. It's all about the balancing act with wine.

Thanks! I looked up the white oak and it's the same species so I have an option to try! I appreciate your feedback!

 

[ckvchestnut]

I just took a small taste of my big red elderberry and my blended batch (blended 3 gals of the big red and 3 gals of my red blush batch) wow wow wee wow! The big red has that mocha ish flavour I think coming from the chocolate I have it on. It's only been in the secondary for just over a month though but it does seem like it's missing something. What it has now is the deep dark flavour but would the toasted oak add perhaps a sense of spiciness to the mouthfeel of this? The blended batch tastes like a delightful fruity Beaujolais of sorts! It almost seems ready to drink which gets me excited to think that it will turn out really well. It's not really acidic tasting either like a lot of young wines! I'm going to save aside some elderberries next year and dry them to add to other wines as I think they will add a nice element to others such as my concord.

Sorry for another question but at what temp did u toast your oak and for how long? Until it's a medium brown colour?

 

[SPAF]

I'd advise an oak addition if you want an extra layer. Take a look at what flavor profiles the different oak varieties will bring to the table. And then look at what each toast level brings. I chose an American for the more rough-n-ready boldness. I then chose medium toast for some slight vanillins from the caramelized layer below the char, yet still retaining some of the rounded tannic qualities of fresh wood.

 

[SPAF]

Oh and my first addition of medium toast cubes were pre-toasted for me.

The second addition of raw chips I toasted myself on the broiler. Each oven is different but I broiled on low heat so I could monitor the charring easier. Oh and open all your doors and windows and shut off your fire alarms haha.

 

[ckvchestnut]

I'd advise an oak addition if you want an extra layer. Take a look at what flavor profiles the different oak varieties will bring to the table. And then look at what each toast level brings. I chose an American for the more rough-n-ready boldness. I then chose medium toast for some slight vanillins from the caramelized layer below the char, yet still retaining some of the rounded tannic qualities of fresh wood.

That sounds like a good choice. I too would be looking for a slight vanilla flavour. This a topic that I clearly know nothing about and more research is in order... So much to learn! I think I do need to add this as a layer as the chocolate has brought it to a much bolder deeper flavour than what it was prior. I'm also thinking of cinnamon and clove.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Oh and my first addition of medium toast cubes were pre-toasted for me. The second addition of raw chips I toasted myself on the broiler. Each oven is different but I broiled on low heat so I could monitor the charring easier. Oh and open all your doors and windows and shut off your fire alarms haha.

Ok thanks for the tips lol! I may just try it!