Elderflower?

[rtrent2002]

I'm about to start a moscato kit for my wife as she enjoys a light, sweet and fruity wine. The kit contains an elderflower packet. What flavor will this add? I don't won't to mess up what should be a simple wine for my wife or add something she won't like.

Thoughts?

 

[bernardsmith]

Can't speak to how elderflower tastes with moscato grapes but I make elderflower wine every year and it is a delicious wine... a little peppery but the taste can knock your socks off.

 

[canuckbrew]

Can't speak to how elderflower tastes with moscato grapes but I make elderflower wine every year and it is a delicious wine... a little peppery but the taste can knock your socks off.

Mind sharing your recipe?

 

[bernardsmith]

Sure - About 1 oz of dried flowers boiled in gallon of water with about 2.25 lbs of sugar and 2 lemons, squeezed plus their peel. The boiled tea allowed to cool to room temperature. Flowers allowed to steep 3 days, then strained after which I pitch yeast, 1/4 t nutrients and 1/4 t tannin.
Rack after about 2 weeks when the gravity has dropped to about 1.005. Allow to age 2-3 months then taste. Possibly back sweeten and/or bottle as is.

 

[Mr impatient]

I have been given some ederflower wine from the estate of a friends dad that died some time ago, it was bottled in 2001, when he gave it to me it was cloudy which I took for the journey in his car, they have been stood for two weeks now and look like they have a pectin haze so I am a little doubtfull of decanting them into clean bottles yet, is there supposed to be a little cloudiness or is it supposed to go crystal clear?

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi Mr impatient - and welcome. I would say that it depends on how you make it. My elderflower wine is bright clear after a few weeks. But some people make folk versions of elderwine and bottle it before the wine has finished fermenting because they are looking for a sparkling and sweet wine. But they have very little idea about what they are doing and often complain of bottle bombs (that tells you a great deal about their lack of knowledge)... Bottom line: the more you know, the more you can control the process and the more you can control the process the more control you have over the final product. The less you know, the more everything is chance and luck...

 

[bleme]

I have a ton of wild Elderberry trees around here. Any idea how fresh flowers would translate weight-wise?

 

[bernardsmith]

Never made this with fresh flowers but I think about 1 quart of flowers (lightly packed) per gallon is what many recipes call for (although CJJ Berry) calls for 3/4 of a pint)