Elderberry and Apple Wine
I started this the other night and since then it has been merrily bubbling away in the bucket. There are two gallons on the go (approximately 8 bottles)
Ingredients for one gallon:
3lbs elderberries
4lb apples
1 gallon of water (8 pints)
juice of 4 lemons
Yeast
Yeast Nutrient
Pectolase
3lbs sugar
String the elderberries and put them into large saucepan and crush them (I used a potato masher). Wash and chop the apple and then put in the pan with the elderberries. Bring them to the boil and boil for about 15 minutes then decant to large sterilised bucket. Cool the mixture to lukewarm then add the yeast, yeast nutrient and the pectolase.
Cover the brew and leave it in a warm place to ferment for four or five days stirring every day. Strain the liquid onto a syrup made with the sugar and 1 pint of water. Add lemon juice. Pour into a 1 gallon jar (I have 2) and fit a fermentation lock filled with some sterilising solution. AS the wine clears, rack the wine as required. When ferementation is complete bottle.
Leave the wine for at least a year before opening. Longer if possible (3 years) apparently the older elderberry wine gets the better it is.
I have an idea from the aroma emanating from the brewing bucket that this is going to be a tad pokey.
Will probably get another batch on whilst I am off on holiday (especially if I can't touch it for a year) - will come in handy for next Christmas - talk about pre-planning. I am just hoping that there will be no purple stained floors in the meantime.
Ingredients for one gallon:
3lbs elderberries
4lb apples
1 gallon of water (8 pints)
juice of 4 lemons
Yeast
Yeast Nutrient
Pectolase
3lbs sugar
String the elderberries and put them into large saucepan and crush them (I used a potato masher). Wash and chop the apple and then put in the pan with the elderberries. Bring them to the boil and boil for about 15 minutes then decant to large sterilised bucket. Cool the mixture to lukewarm then add the yeast, yeast nutrient and the pectolase.
Cover the brew and leave it in a warm place to ferment for four or five days stirring every day. Strain the liquid onto a syrup made with the sugar and 1 pint of water. Add lemon juice. Pour into a 1 gallon jar (I have 2) and fit a fermentation lock filled with some sterilising solution. AS the wine clears, rack the wine as required. When ferementation is complete bottle.
Leave the wine for at least a year before opening. Longer if possible (3 years) apparently the older elderberry wine gets the better it is.
I have an idea from the aroma emanating from the brewing bucket that this is going to be a tad pokey.
Will probably get another batch on whilst I am off on holiday (especially if I can't touch it for a year) - will come in handy for next Christmas - talk about pre-planning. I am just hoping that there will be no purple stained floors in the meantime.
yum. My friend was just pondering whether she will get the elderberry plant she's always wanted. I'll have to pass along this recipe!
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