Need some opinions

[Arne]

Gettin ready to start a batch of S.P. with a elderberry slurry. My wife is making pies for the fire dept. soup supper tomorrow. She drained a couple of cups of pie cherry juice off, says do you want this for your wine? I said sure. Now the question has anybody ever mixed sour cherry with elderberry and lemon? If so was the taste good, bad, great horrible, indifferent or whatever. This will only be about 2 cups in a 5 gal batch so should just add a little flavor. I have made lotsa cherry wine, but this is my first try at elderberry. Have not tried it yet, but it smells pretty good. Would like to know if the cherry and elderberry fight, don't want to waste a good batch of P. Course the good ole boys I run around with will drink it and say it is great anyway. Arne.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Go for it. You won't know until you try. With eldeberry and depending upon what kind of cherry it may be very tart. You may opt to using only 2 bottles of lemon juice.

 

[Arne]

Ya, was plannin on backin off on the lemon some. Just hopin the elderberry and pie cherry juice dont fight. Arne.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Are they tart or sweet cherries? Cherries lack acid but I'm sure the elderberry will make up for that.

 

[Julie]

You will be fine, Arne. Elderberries and cherries go together quite well.

 

[Arne]

Gonna give it a try. These are pie cherries, very tart. But if worst comes to worst, I have lottsa sugar to bring it back to sweet. Don't think it can get much tarter than the straight lemon, tho. The cherry wine off of these berries comes out very good. They are what get me started back into wine making. A couple of years ago our little tree was so loaded with the cherries, Kathy got enough to freeze for her pies and such, the neighbors got all they wanted and there was still lots. I got to picking and that started the wine thing. Then I found this site and have learned to make much better wine. Still have trouble with the patience thing tho. When it starts tasting good, the wine levels start dropping. Hard to let em age much. Arne.

 

[Arne]

Tasted the must, the lemon did not overpower the cherry. Course still have another bottle of lemon to put in later. Pitched the slurry, had it stored in the refrigerator for a week or more. Just had it in a quart jar with lid, did not screw the lid on tight. Put the slurry in one of the empty lemon bottles, added a little warm water, a little sugar, little yeast nutrient and let it sit for a half hour or so. Started foaming so pitched it into the must. Only took about 45 min. and had a foam cap started. Been a couple of days, have to check the s.g. this am and probably add the rest of the nutrient and lemon juice. Will keep you informed. Arne.