Elderberries going down.

[Arne]

Pulled last years elderberries out of the freezer yesterday. All packed up nice in zip lock baggies. Had 3 bags that I used the bucket knock method for getting the berries off the stems. Dumped them right into the ferment bag. Had 2 bags that I froze before the bucket knock thing. The stems were left on them. It is much easier to have them ready to use when they come out of the freezer. The 2 bags took about a hour and a half to get clean. They are all in the ferment bag and in the primary bucket. Finally thawed out over night. Will crush them some and get things going later today. Am going to try and get a batch of blush off of these also. Gonna have some purple skeeter pee too. Stretch em out a long way. Arne.

 

[BobF]

Pulled last years elderberries out of the freezer yesterday. All packed up nice in zip lock baggies. Had 3 bags that I used the bucket knock method for getting the berries off the stems. Dumped them right into the ferment bag. Had 2 bags that I froze before the bucket knock thing. The stems were left on them. It is much easier to have them ready to use when they come out of the freezer. The 2 bags took about a hour and a half to get clean. They are all in the ferment bag and in the primary bucket. Finally thawed out over night. Will crush them some and get things going later today. Am going to try and get a batch of blush off of these also. Gonna have some purple skeeter pee too. Stretch em out a long way. Arne.

Arne - Sounds great. I did what you're planning with my last batch.

Started primary on first batch. On day 5, I pulled the bag(s) and dropped them into an adjusted Niagara base - took off right away!

Preped an SP base and added the elderberry slurry after transferring the first batch to secondary.

Everything worked out great - good luck on yours!

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Cool Arne, what yeast did you decide to use? Crackedcork

 

[djrockinsteve]

Arne, I have eldeberry juice in my freezer from last year. Didn't have a carboy to ferment in. Now as i'm bottling some of my fruit wines I am able to start it. What yearst are you thinking of using?

I also have several bags of choke cherries in the freezer as well. Thinking about a choc. choke cherry wine. I bought the choc. extract and I think this or next week I dig thru the freezer and start 'em up.

 

[ffemt128]

I think I have 18 lbs of elderberries left in the freezer. I'll have to check and see since I have a few empty carboys and plan on purchasing a few. Elderberry wine is so good.

 

[Arne]

Lol, looks like I started something. Had everything ready to go, berries in the primary, boiling water dumped on them. They were cooling and went to get the pectic enzime. Bad words, only about a spoonful left in the jar. Everything on hold for a couple of days, luckily I have a refrigerator in the basement. Bucket and all in there til the enzime comes in. Do not have a local brew store so am ordering some chemicals. I do not know on the yeast for sure, but have premier curvee, montrechet, and champaine, all red star. Am leaning toward champaine because of more packages of that. Think Ill check out the yeast thread in the stickies. Good luck all, Arne.

 

[BobF]

Lol, looks like I started something. Had everything ready to go, berries in the primary, boiling water dumped on them. They were cooling and went to get the pectic enzime. Bad words, only about a spoonful left in the jar. Everything on hold for a couple of days, luckily I have a refrigerator in the basement. Bucket and all in there til the enzime comes in. Do not have a local brew store so am ordering some chemicals. I do not know on the yeast for sure, but have premier curvee, montrechet, and champaine, all red star. Am leaning toward champaine because of more packages of that. Think Ill check out the yeast thread in the stickies. Good luck all, Arne.

After using both RC212 and K1V1116 for elderberry, I've settled on K1V.

For the most part, the differences between using different yeasts are subtle. Elderberry should be good no matter which yeast you use.

 

[ffemt128]

I've used both D47 and 1122 yeast with good results.

 

[Arne]

DJSteves sticky says of the yeasts I have the champaine will work, but the montrechey is great for dark berry wine. Guess that is what I will go with. Arne.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Pasteur Red is also one of our favorites for elderberries. Crackedcork

 

[Arne]

Called Kirks in Lincoln. My chemicals are on the way. Will get it started when they get here, should be tomorrow or the next day. Will keep ya posted. Arne.

 

[docanddeb]

My Elder Pee is amazing after a year in the bottle!! LOVE it. Elderberry blends well with raspberry too... added a little oak and it's amazing!!

Debbie

 

[BobF]

Elderberry and blackberry is also an excellent combination!

 

[Arne]

The elderberry is in the secondary, the blush is in the secondary and today I'm gonna start the skeeter p. Fire dept soup supper tonite and Kathy was making cherry pies for desert. Decided there was too much juice in the cherries so dumped some off. Wanted to know if I wanted it for wine. Think it is going to go into the batch of s.p. Gonna be elderberry, pie cherry, lemon p. lol. Will let you all know how it comes out. Arne.

 

[docanddeb]

I do that with juice too... no sense wasting good juice!!

How is your triple threat Elderberry doing?

Debbie

 

[mrzazz]

How many lbs per gallon do you all use for the elderberry? Do you usually make straight elderberry or blend with something?

 

[docanddeb]

It's great straight... about 4# per gallon...

I love it for blending also. Just a bit of elderberry adds such a richness. Elder/Rasp and Rasp/Elder are some of our favorites. In different ratios, they are soooo different in flavor!

Debbie

 

[jtstar]

Don't forget Elderberry/Blueberry it is also a great combo

 

[Arne]

I do that with juice too... no sense wasting good juice!!

How is your triple threat Elderberry doing?

Debbie

All three looking good. Sediment is falling out, going to rack it off pretty soon. have not tasted yet, but will shortly and let you know how it is going. Arne.

 

[docanddeb]

We opened a bottle of elderberry from 2009 last night... man, you'd swear it had oak in it...
soooooo good!!

Debbie