jtreach
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Hi all, I am planning to start brewing my first batch of elderberry wine today. I'd appreciate any comments you all have, particularly on the use of lactic acid, bottled water and Wilko's yeast!
In the past I think the pH of my tap water has ruined my beers so for this wine I have gone out and bought some bottled water from the supermarket (Tesco Ashbeck 5L, Sainsburys Caledonian Still 5L). Also I don't have any acid blend so I was planning on using some lactic acid to adjust the pH of the must.
Recipe is based on the one below:
Elderberry Wine Ingredients
1. Heat the water in a pan on the stove, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Bring to the boil for a minute and then turn off the heat.
2. Take the prepared elderberries and place them in the straining bag inside the sanitised fermenting bucket. Use a potato masher to thoroughly crush the berries. It should be noted they will stain so try not to get any on your clothes. Your straining bag will never be the same colour after making elderberry wine!
3. Pour the boiling water over the crushed elderberries and give them a good stir. Allow to cool for a few hours and then add the yeast nutrient, acid blend and the crushed Campden tablet. Mix thoroughly, cover and fit the airlock and wait for at least 12 hours.
4. After 12 hours add the pectic enzyme mix thoroughly and wait for a further 24 hours.
5. After 24 hours add the yeast onto the surface of the must, there is no need to stir. Cover and fit the airlock and patiently wait for fermentation to begin.
6. Stir the wine daily for the first week of fermentation, after 2 weeks lift out the straining bag and allow the wine to drain from the berries. Avoid squeezing the bag.
7. Leave the wine to settle for a day and then syphon the wine into a demijohn. You may check the gravity now if you have a hydrometer. The wine should be close to, if not fully fermented out.
8. Allow the wine to condition in the demijohn for at least 3 – 4 months, racking when any sediment builds up. After conditioning for at least 3 – 4 months you should sample the wine. You may want to back sweeten the wine if you prefer a sweeter taste if so follow this guide before bottling. If not rack straight to bottles and try to keep hold of them for as long as possible.
In the past I think the pH of my tap water has ruined my beers so for this wine I have gone out and bought some bottled water from the supermarket (Tesco Ashbeck 5L, Sainsburys Caledonian Still 5L). Also I don't have any acid blend so I was planning on using some lactic acid to adjust the pH of the must.
Recipe is based on the one below:
Elderberry Wine Ingredients
- 1.2kg Elderberries (I have 2kg so will scale for this)
- 4.5 litres Water
- 1.1kg Sugar
- 2 tsp Acid Blend (I don't have this so will use lactic acid)
- 1 tsp Yeast Nutrient
- 1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
- 1 Campden Tablet
- 1 sachet of Yeast (I have bought Wilko's Express Wine Yeast Compound)
1. Heat the water in a pan on the stove, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Bring to the boil for a minute and then turn off the heat.
2. Take the prepared elderberries and place them in the straining bag inside the sanitised fermenting bucket. Use a potato masher to thoroughly crush the berries. It should be noted they will stain so try not to get any on your clothes. Your straining bag will never be the same colour after making elderberry wine!
3. Pour the boiling water over the crushed elderberries and give them a good stir. Allow to cool for a few hours and then add the yeast nutrient, acid blend and the crushed Campden tablet. Mix thoroughly, cover and fit the airlock and wait for at least 12 hours.
4. After 12 hours add the pectic enzyme mix thoroughly and wait for a further 24 hours.
5. After 24 hours add the yeast onto the surface of the must, there is no need to stir. Cover and fit the airlock and patiently wait for fermentation to begin.
6. Stir the wine daily for the first week of fermentation, after 2 weeks lift out the straining bag and allow the wine to drain from the berries. Avoid squeezing the bag.
7. Leave the wine to settle for a day and then syphon the wine into a demijohn. You may check the gravity now if you have a hydrometer. The wine should be close to, if not fully fermented out.
8. Allow the wine to condition in the demijohn for at least 3 – 4 months, racking when any sediment builds up. After conditioning for at least 3 – 4 months you should sample the wine. You may want to back sweeten the wine if you prefer a sweeter taste if so follow this guide before bottling. If not rack straight to bottles and try to keep hold of them for as long as possible.
