Winemaking recipe: Elderberry Wine
Whilst it take time to pick and sort the fruit, this for many is the king of fruit wines.
Ingredients:
The following ingredient quantities are based on 1 gallon(s) of wine being made.
Instructions
To make elderberry wine…
- Wash the sprays of berries thoroughly, then strip the berries from their stalks.
- Boil the berries in 1 gallon (4.5 litres) of water, for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the juice from the lemon, chop and deseed the raisins and 'bruise' the ginger.
- Strain the juice from the berries and return the juice to the pan.
- Add the raisins, sugar, lemon juice, citric acid and bruised ginger, then simmer together for 20 minutes.
- When the mixture is cool, transfer it to a pail and add the pectin destroying enzyme; cover the pail.
- After 24 hours, add the yeast and nutrient.
- Stand the pail in a warm place for three weeks, stirring daily.
- At the end of this period, strain the juice into a fermentation vessel and fit an airlock.
- When fermentation is complete, rack into a clean container with one crushed Campden tablet, and close the container with a bung or safety lock.
- Rack every two months until clear before bottling.
- Enjoy your elderberry wine at your leisure!
Winemaking equipment
See our detailed list of wine making equipment (covers basic essentials and more advanced equipment for the experienced homebrewer).