Recent content by Newbie Mel

Thank you for your response. The finished gravity on both florals was slightly above 1.000. I will try adding a bit of acid and see if that helps. Thanks!

I made two floral wines, honeysuckle and elderflower. Neither fermented dry and I taste a lot of residual sugar. At least that’s what it seems to me, sickenly sweet to the point I can’t drink it. I personally don’t like sweet wine. On the other hand I have some dragon blood in bulk that I added...

I ended up with 6 lbs and I’ll do a gallon batch too. Probably have 50 more pounds out there, but too hard to get to and I’m done being scratched up. For those who don’t understand why some of us do gallon batches, this is my justification 😂

I quit picking. Obviously mine are not thornless.

How do you make your syrup? Like a simple syrup with the elderflower added? This sounds like a nice way to start and if I have enough flower I would like to try. I froze about 10 ish umbrels about a week ago and now I am out of town for another week and not sure if there will be more when I...

I have not tasted yet, the flower is just beginning to form. I will be away from home the first two weeks of June so I might miss it. I too have redbud going. I left the blooms in while in primary. It’s in bulk now and I’m undecided on the taste. I’m not good at tasting flowers, I just don’t...

I am thinking about trying elderflower soon. I read that less is more with elderflower. I what I am hearing you say is not to leave the flowers in the primary for more than 48 hours, is that correct? Any other tips for a beginner?

Here’s something interesting, to me. The second batch got darker in secondary, now looks close to first batch in color. Still clearing and haven’t tasted tested, maybe coming up soon.

There are still a lot around here, but experiencing same cold snap. I can’t get over how many trees I see around here now, just not on my property. Kroger had some for $25 so I got three to plant, hoping they will multiply. Don’t know how many years before they bloom. Found one in corner of...

Update on my experiment using both early buds vs full blossoms. First, disclaimers. I don’t make near as much wine as others on this site and I will forever be a beginner. No conclusions here, just observations. These were started a week apart. The darker one is the buds, starting to open up...

I don’t have forsythia in my yard, that I have I have found, yet. See it in many places around. Hope you find a good one 😊. Spring is just beginning, many more opportunities ahead.

I am experimenting, collected these today, mostly still in bud. Next week will collect more when open.

I have been waiting a year to try this after seeing @BigDaveK original post. I first noticed the red buds about a week ago and I’m hoping I don’t miss the optimal harvest time. Going out to hiking trails today to check out. Just a couple trees in my property and they are out of my reach. I did...

I bottled some blackberry wine a little over a month ago. I back sweetened after adding sorbate and immediately bottled. It had bulk aged for 4 months. I did not degass. Last night out of curiosity I opened one of my beer bottles of the extra to take a taste. It has a fizz to it, but I liked it...