Help with Elder flower wine

mikeb185 · May 13, 2016

I recently made a batch of nettle beer and it had a very watery unpleasant taste.

I have now had a go at making some elder flower wine from the river cottage recipe
https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/sparkling-elderflower-wine

But used dried elderflowers and scaled it up to a 10lt batch.

It has been 6 days and all seems to have calmed down.

OG was 1.060 and the reading yesterday was 0.994.

When i tasted it it has the same watery taste as the nettle beer followed by the taste of horrible cheap white wine with no hint of elder flower!!??

will it change if i bottle it?

Thanks

IainM · May 13, 2016

I think you've had a bit of bad luck with recipes. The River Cottage one call for less than half the amount of elderflower than others. For instance, for a 10 litre batch, this link would suggest closer to 50 heads: http://www.farminmypocket.co.uk/featured/elderflower-wine-recipe

You could try steeping some more elderflower in it to boost the flavour. Also, bear in mind that if you are tasting straight out of the fermentation vessel, it really won't be as nice as when its had a bit of time to condition.

mikeb185 · May 13, 2016

IainM said:
I think you've had a bit of bad luck with recipes. The River Cottage one call for less than half the amount of elderflower than others. For instance, for a 10 litre batch, this link would suggest closer to 50 heads: http://www.farminmypocket.co.uk/featured/elderflower-wine-recipe

You could try steeping some more elderflower in it to boost the flavour. Also, bear in mind that if you are tasting straight out of the fermentation vessel, it really won't be as nice as when its had a bit of time to condition.

I used a full 50g sachet of dried elder flowers.

I had read somewhere on here that the rule of thumb is 25g per gallon.

Maybe i am expecting too much too soon lol.

I have 18lts of the fiery ginger beer on the go also, but i am dreading tasting it in case its awful again!

Tau · May 13, 2016

I don't know where you've got the dried elderflowers from or if you've dried them yourself, but there's a possiblity that they wern't elderflowers if bought from an unrupitable outlet.

I also have the feeling that dried elderflowers can loose flavour over the years might have bought an old old batch of dried flowers. Additionally how they were dried and when after picking influences the flavour, on day day of picking should be good, leaving a few days no so.

I find that 25g per gallon a very overpowering flavour, it just ooses from your pores and you end up smelling like the local tom cats favourite scenting post lol.

IainM · May 13, 2016

mikeb185 said:
I used a full 50g sachet of dried elder flowers.

I had read somewhere on here that the rule of thumb is 25g per gallon.

Maybe i am expecting too much too soon lol.

I have 18lts of the fiery ginger beer on the go also, but i am dreading tasting it in case its awful again!

OK, that is quite a lot! I'm surprised that it doesn't taste of elderflower.

mikeb185 · May 13, 2016

Tau said:
I don't know where you've got the dried elderflowers from or if you've dried them yourself, but there's a possiblity that they wern't elderflowers if bought from an unrupitable outlet.

I also have the feeling that dried elderflowers can loose flavour over the years might have bought an old old batch of dried flowers. Additionally how they were dried and when after picking influences the flavour, on day day of picking should be good, leaving a few days no so.

I find that 25g per gallon a very overpowering flavour, it just ooses from your pores and you end up smelling like the local tom cats favourite scenting post lol.

I got them from my local brewing shop
http://www.nogginshomebrew.co.uk/

Thet were made youngs and were well in date so should be ok!?

tonyhibbett · May 14, 2016

I stopped using dried elderflowers because the results were poor. The inclusion of 250g of minced sultanas per gallon makes a much better wine. This year I will use tartaric acid because citric acid (lemon juice) tends to get used up during fermentation, leaving the wine somewhat insipid. Even fresh flowers can give poor results if not carefully selected.

Tau · May 14, 2016

mikeb185 said:
I got them from my local brewing shop
http://www.nogginshomebrew.co.uk/

Thet were made youngs and were well in date so should be ok!?

Put a few in a mug or cup pour boiling water over them and taste. If it is overpowering adjust your amounts for brew. Some people are probably more sensitive to the flavour of elderflower than others, I just might be over sensitive on taste.

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