Using Elderflowers in Pale Ale

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lee smeaton

lee smeaton

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I have some elderflower left after making some elderflower champagne, not enough for another batch but I thought rather than waste them I would put them in with one of my wilko pale ale kits.

I would appreciate on suggestions regarding the best time to add them. I am thinking of adding at the vert start while the liquid is still hot (prior to cooling for pitching the yeast)

secondly when would I need to remove the flowers, I am thinking of when I transfer to the PV
 
Hi Lee, yes at the start would be best, I do a golden ale with elderflower (AG kit) and really like it and add 14g for 23L, they are in there for 15mins at the end of the boil

Can I suggest a Muslin bag to put them in.
 
Last edited:
James Morton has an elderflower pale ale recipe in his 'Brew' book.
Some hints from there:

“If you want an ‘in your face’ elderflower flavour, wait until after your primary fermentation and add an elderflower ‘tea’ made with dried or fresh elderflower, steeped in boiling water until it hits the level of flavour you like. If you add bare elderflower to cool beer, you’ll infect it with wild yeast. This isn’t a bad thing, necessarily.”

He uses an aroma steep (75-79C) of 1 litre jug of fresh flowers, stalks removed.
 
I think I am going to add it as elderflower tea, I have also changed the beer and am going to add it to a wheat beer kit, I think it would be more suited to that
 
Ritchies Festival Summer Glory has an elderflower addition.
25g of dried elderflowers added at the beginning of fermentation.

Not a bad pint....
 
I got an infection with an elderflower beer but I was a plank and added them at the start of fermentation without a quick boil. I think the tea is a great idea. You can store elderflowers straight in the freezer without drying them and when you want to use them get the straight into whatever it is you're using as if you thaw them they'll go brown; straight from Mary Berry that is. I'd prong off the flowers with a fork unless you want some for elderflower tempura.

I think it would work well in a wheat beer.

I've made a lot of cordial this year and was thinking of using it to prime a few bottles because I know the sugar concentration. It's almost as much as the black fly concentration.
 
I made a load of elderflower cordial a couple of years back, and even though it was boiled for 10 mins I still had some of the bottles start to ferment after a couple of weeks. Was still great to drink!

Just posting this to say mind the wild yeasts, they sure are potent!
 
Well, a few weeks have passed and I am sat watching Rick Stein whilst drinking my Elderflower Wheatbeer, its surprisingly great, just enough elderflower to give it a slightly savoury rather than flowery flavour. its quite strong though ! very pleased with the results seeing as its just a wilkos kit - however I did use a 50/50 mix of brewing sugar and light malt extract
 
Really glad it turned out well for you, nice when it all comes together
I'm making an all grain kit this weekend that has elderflower in it called Golden Cornbine, done it before and an excellent drop if i do say so myself.
Happy Brewing
 
My advice would be to "dry hop" with the elderflowers. If you're worried about infections then hang them in a muslin bag in a sealed container above a strongish solution of metabisulphite for a couple of days.
 

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