Amount of Elderflowers to use

[bearpaw8491]

I gathered about 23 oz (after stripping from stalks) of elderflowers in preparation of making 5 gallons of wine. My schedule was interruped and I froze the flowers. I'm ready to start the wine but a little uncertain of how many ounces of the flowers to use for the 5 gal batch. Any suggestion/opinions welcomed.

Thanks in advance.

 

[DuncB]

My recipe said two litre sized jug fulls.
I found even vacuum sealed frozen umbels went dark but smelled okay.
Recent batch I froze in boiled and cooled water with ascorbic acid and they look the same as when picked.

 

[bearpaw8491]

Thanks DuncB

Yep, mine turned dark also but figured since they were frozen, they couldn't have deteriorated in flavor.

The recipes I find give a volume quantity for the flowers and they all vary considerably from 1 pint/ gal all the way to 1 gal (US) to the gallon and up to 100 flower heads per 5 gallons!
Was hoping for find a recipe in weight since this is my first attempt at elder FLOWER. Have made elder BERRY wine on several occassions and used ~ 15 lbs of berries. The last batch is 6yrs old and just coming into its prime! It was intolerable during the first 3 yrs after bottling.
Thanks for your input

 

[DuncB]

Yes I found that volume aspect very unhelpful. It said loosely pressed in and I didn't weigh them I'm afraid.

Nearly 3 years later and bottled sparkling elderflower still has great aroma. But was drinkable within a month of bottling.

 

[bearpaw8491]

The recipe I was considering called for 1 pint - loosely packed / gal. Not much help - kinda like "how long is a piece of string"
I'll post for others who may have the same question if I can figure it out.
May end up winging it and see how it turns out and make adjustments from there.
Good to know that it was an "early drinker". Will help in evaluation.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi bearpaw8491, I found some recipes that suggest such metrics as 25 heads or "sprays" per gallon, so your thoughts on the other site 2 oz/gallon (cf 1 oz dried florets) may be reasonable. But here is one video where the fellow is talking about a PINT of petals (. This metric is one that I think was pretty standard in the UK for making elderflower wine.

 

[bearpaw8491]

Thanks Bernard, Believe I had come across this vid in my search; lots of good info.
Just came in from cycling and I noticed some late-blooming elders. I may be able to find some others that are not in a nature reserve, harvest a pint of flowers and weigh them.
I'll let you and others know if I'm successful in determining the weight. I'm sure others have this same question.
Thanks for your time spent in research.

John

 

[bernardsmith]

From your note re CJJ Berry. I think he was such a good wine maker. His recipes and protocols are so well-thought out. I have two of his books and are generally the books I go to first when I am using a fruit I have not worked with before.

 

[bearpaw8491]

I was unaware that he had authored other books. The one I have is First Steps in Winemaking. Could you supply other titles please? I'd like to add them to my collections.

Thanks again.

 

[bernardsmith]

Sure, the second book (and I have a copy) is called 130 New Winemaking Recipes (Fox Chapel, first publ 1985, but mine is 2011). But he also wrote Home Brew Beers and Stouts . I don't have a copy and I think it may contain 70 recipes . The 130 New Recipes does not include a recipe for elderflower wine and the recipe it has for dandelion wine is the same as one of the recipes printed in First Steps. However, the 130 Recipes includes a recipe for cab apple wine and there is none in First Steps...

 

[bearpaw8491]

Thanks Bernard
Will add to my "Santa" list.
Again, appreciate your help.

John