first wine from scratch!!!!

[zigzag65]

started elderberry wine!!!!!

 

[Wade E]

Looking good!

 

[grapeman]

Beware Zig, you are in for some green goo with the elderberries. Don't fret, but be prepared for a hard cleanup. When you rack you will need some vegetable oil or olive oil to wipe on the goo so it will clean up OK.


I think the wine is worth the trouble though.

 

[sangwitch]

Congrats!Looking forward tohearing about your progress - especially the green goo. I've heard horror stories about the green goo.


I started an Elderberry last week, but I used Vinter's Harvest - not scratch. I know Joan recently made an elderberry from scratch.

 

[Waldo]

How is elderberry wine? That is one i have not tried...YET!!!


Keep us updated zig.......looking good !!

 

[bmorosco]

How is elderberry wine? That is one i have not tried...YET!!!


Keep us updated zig.......looking good !!

Well that IS a shocker...I thought there was not a wine out there you have not tried or made there WALDO!!

 

[zigzag65]

thanks everyone. will keep an eye out for the green goo and let everyone know if i have that problem or not. i've only drank elderberry once before and really liked it. will update as this progresses.

 

[zigzag65]

fermenting nicely!!!! wow!!! this smells really good. S.G. at 1.040 started at 1.100

 

[sangwitch]

oh wow... that looks so good I could take a swim in there!

 

[zigzag65]

go ahead sang jump in and have a swim. LOL!!!

 

[Dean]

Make sure you keep this wine in the dark as much as possible! Elderberry wine is about the most light sensitive wine I've seen. It will turn from a nice deep red to a gross brown almost overnight if not kept in a dark place, especially away from sunlight (even indirect). As far as I know, it doesn't affect the taste, but we also taste with our eyes right?

 

[sangwitch]

oh wow. thanks Dean. I also have an Elderberry. It's from a can of Vinter's Harvest though... I imagine it has the same effect. So this is something we'll want to bottle in a dark bottle as well then.

 

[grapeman]

Zig, you been sipping that stuff.

The level is down a couple inches from the first picture. I'd say you took the bag of elderberries out, but if you did what are those floating red plastic things?

 

[kutya]

zig, I just racked a batch of elderberry into secondary last week. It really taste great, and smells wonderful.

 

[sangwitch]

Appleman - great eyes! Wasn't it you who noticed something on Joan's label too? wow. So how bout it zig? Did you have a straw in the primary to sample the product??


I tasted my elderberry last night when I racked to glass and I gotta tell you it tasted really good. I wasn't too impressed when I first opened the can of VH and took a whiff, but the smell and taste last night were right on. I guess there's somethign to this elderberry afterall. Now I need to find me some jelly... heard it makes great jelly.

 

[ScubaDon]

What is this aboutthe green goo. Is this something that is Elderberry specific? Anyone know what causes it.

 

[jobe05]

SD:


Not 100% sure about this, but I beleive it's due to the stem actually protruding into the berry itself. They are very long berries, average around here that I have seen are 3/4" to 1 1/2" long berries, some grow to 3" long. The green stem, is what cause the green goo.


I think??????

 

[ScubaDon]

Wow, that is something. Thanks,

 

[Wade E]

My parents neighbor has one of these trees and its huge. Back in the
day when I was going to school this used to be our bus stop under this
tree. When the fruit is ready the road was purple for about 2 months.
Ill have to stop by when the fruit is readt and say HI!

 

[Dean]

SD:
 
Not 100% sure about this, but I beleive it's due to the stem actually protruding into the berry itself.  They are very long berries, average around here that I have seen are 3/4" to 1 1/2" long berries, some grow to 3" long.  The green stem, is what cause the green goo.
 
I think??????

Are you sure those are the type of elderberries that you can make wine from? All the elderberries that I have seen are small like wild blueberry size. Sambucus Niger is the type of elderberry tree they use to make wine with. There are lots of other types of elderberries, but most will make you sick or taste really bad.

Here is an image of the typical wine making elderberry:

and you are very right, the green goo comes from the stems!