Elderberry Wine

1.36 kg (3 lb) Elderberries. Picked on a bright sunny morning.
1.586 kg (3½ lb) of Sugar. Granulated.
4.546 litres (1 gallon) boiling water.
30 gms (1 oz ) of dried yeast. Burgundy  or Port Wine yeast for this one.

Remove berries from stalks. You can use a table fork for this but I prefer to gently remove them by hand. Place the berries into your plastic bucket and crush them. Pour boiling water over the pulp and juice and allow to cool to 21° C. Add yeast, cover and allow to stand for 3 days stirring daily. After 3 days strain through muslin onto the sugar.  When sugar has fully dissolved pour the liquid into a brown demijohn, plug the neck with a bung and airlock. Ferment to a finish.  The fermentation process has finished when there is no activity in the demijohn and a sediment has formed at the bottom of the liquid.
When fermentation is complete, syphon off and filter into dark coloured bottles using your wine filter. I have found it easier to filter the wine into another demijohn and then pour into the bottles using a funnel.
Keep for at least 6 months before using.



Next Recipe
Return to Recipe List
Return to Equipment Page
Return to Home Page
Favourite Links