Elderberry Wine

Recipe file created August 31, 2005.
There are two types of Elderberries: Red Stemmed with small berries, and Green Stemmed with large berries. Use them in separate batches and compare the results.
Note that there is no sugar added to Recipe 2.

Ingredients

Age all wines one year or more.

Recipe 1

  • 4 1/2 cups Elderberries
  • 12 cups water
  • 5 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 3 campden tablet
  • 1 teaspoon pectic enzyme
  • 1 teaspoon yeast nutrients
  • 1 package wine yeast

Recipe 2

  • 4 1/2 cups Elderberries
  • 12 cups water
  • 10 cups raisins
  • 3 campden tablet
  • 1 teaspoon pectic enzyme
  • 1 teaspoon yeast nutrients
  • 1 package wine yeast

Recipe 1

Wash Berries. Remove stalks. Crush and place in primary fermentor. Dissolve campden tablets in 2 cups hot water. Add to primary fermentor. Stir in lemon juice and pectic enzyme. Leave overnight.

Add 10 cups water and yeast. Let sit 3 days, stirring daily. Make sure fruit stays submerged.

On day 4, strain out the fruit. Add sugar and nutrients. Put into secondary fermentor and attach airlock. Finish as for dry wine or sweet wine below.

Recipe 2

Chop raisins. Put into primary fermentor with 10 cups cold water. Dissolve campden tablets in 2 cups hot water. Add to primary fermentor. Let sit overnight.

On day 2, add yeast. Stir vigorously each day for 2 weeks.

On day 15, Wash elderberries and remove stems. Put berries into an oven-proof container (not metal). Put it in oven at 250'F for 15 minutes, or until juice runs. Strain the juice from the skins.

Strain the raisins from the wine. Add the cooled elderberry juice (should be at least 2 1/4 cups juice).

Add pectic enzyme. Stir.

Siphon into secondary fermentor and attach airlock. Finish as for dry wine or sweet wine below.

Finishing

For a dry wine, Rack in three weeks and return to secondary fermentor. Rack again in three months, and every three months until 1 year old. Bottle.

For a sweet wine, rack at three weeks. Add 1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1 cup wine. Stir gently, and place back into secondary fermentor. Repeat process every six weeks until fermentation does not restart with the addition of sugar. Rack every three months until one year old. Bottle.

Variations

A

Substitute 1/2 pound dried elderberries for the fresh ones. Soak them in hot water 30 minutes before making the wine.

B

Add:

C

Add:
2 cups chopped plums with the berries.

NOTE:

Recipe 1 is ready to drink in about 3 months, and only continues to improve for about 2 years. Recipe 2 is best if you can refrain from drinking it for a year from the date it was started.

-- Rox

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