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Elderflower Champagne

 
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DorsetScott



Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 500
Location: Bournemouth
PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 14 12:45 pm    Post subject: Elderflower Champagne Reply with quote
    

After having made edlerflower champagne for a few years using the same recipe I've decided this year to experiment and find out my favourite.
So far I've made 6 different recipes, and before I start searching random internet sites for different recipes I thought I'd try here.

Anyone care to share their recipe? I'll make a small batch to taste test alongside all the others, and will share my favourite recipe when I have decided.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 14 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

grape white grape juice and a half a pound of flowers to the gallon for a couple of days,sieve and up the sg with sugar to give about 12% when fermented out bottle with a tablespoon of sugar for the fizz

i used pet bottles for the last stage for safety as it can be a bit lively

sort of ok and fairly quick

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 14 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Not champagne but strawberry and elderflower is delicious.

Nicky cigreen



Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9702
Location: Devon, uk
PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 14 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

here's mine

madcat



Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester
PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 14 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The rain has ruined all the flowers round here.

DorsetScott



Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 500
Location: Bournemouth
PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 14 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cheers guys, there's another couple to add to the pool of recipes.

And strawberry and elderflower sounds intriguing too. I'm stocking up on flowers at the mo, couple of hundred heads in the freezer, 3 jam jars full of dried ones, reckon I'll be able to make a big batch of my favourite!!!

Hope a final flush comes out for you madcat, can't imagine not having my elderflower goodies. Must admit Elderflower Delight was a favourite last year.

roobarb



Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 139
Location: Carmarthenshire
PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 14 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Does freezing the elderflower heads have any adverse affects to flavour and fizz production? I don't normally add any extra yeast, but if using frozen elderflower heads would I need to add extra? We're off on holiday next week, so I'm not going to be around to watch the brew develop, so want to get some heads in the freezer this week, before they all go over and make it on our return.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 14 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

if anything frozen give out more flavour so long as they are frozen in airtight containers

DorsetScott



Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 500
Location: Bournemouth
PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 14 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

No adverse effects on the flowers although you may well need to add extra yeast when using them. When they defrost they are pretty limp and a slightly browny colour, but taste and appearance of finished brew is identical.

I don't use airtight containers, I just stick them in plastic bags to be honest and haven't had any issues.
It is worth bagging them up in the amounts you'll be using though, it's very hard to seperate out and count heads when they're defrosted. I find bags of 10 (or multiples of if you make bigger brews like me) work pretty well.

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