How long does elderflower champagne keep for?

[Stanleythecat]

It doesn't usually get much of a chance, but how long will it stay preserved?


Leo

 

[alanwh]

Much depends on the alcohol content, whether you have used Campden tab and how close to a sterile bottling procedure you have managed to get.

Personally my batches I create with Grape juice and elderflower concentrate are good young, I have at 12.5% that I sulphite (Campden Tab) I reckon will be past their best in 9 months, but I haven't got anywhere near that yet. Though I do have best intentions of chucking one of my latest batch in the attic to see what its like after a couple of years.

I suspect batches that are created from scratch with natural ingredients will need to be in the bottle a good while longer before they come good.

 

[Stanleythecat]

Thanks Alan

Do you use concentrated grape juice?

Leo

 

[alanwh]

3L Morrisons best grape juice with juice of a lemon in 5L and as much elderflower cordial to your taste

 

[Bluekez]

I have an elderflower champagne made from scratch, using wild yeast, that has just started to clear............. that is 5 months, 4 of them bottled in pop bottles. Anyone have an idea how long I can keep this for? I have no idea of the alcohol content though as I cannot find my notes. It's currently at 1000 think it started at 1054, but an not too sure.

 

[Jonny69]

I don't think I'm going to be that bothered if I don't open mine until next summer. It'll keep for years if it's in the cool and dark :thumb:

 

[Bluekez]

Tried my first bottle yesterday as it is now crystal clear, was very very nice, no idea of the alcohol level, but did trip 3 times going to bed after 1/2 litre of the stuff. Put the rest away for xmas and next spring.

 

[Moley]

It'll keep for years if it's in the cool and dark :thumb:

I've still got a few bottles from 2009 (my first year when I resumed wine making) and it's still perfectly ok. Mine's around 12% abv, and fizzy wines should keep longer than still ones because they are loaded with carbon dioxide and the plastic stoppers aren't breathing any oxygen into the bottle. Corks in still wines do, ever so slightly.