Elderberry

[Julie]

The white grape juice is used instead of concord simply because it is not as strong in flavor as concord, since this is a seconds wine, the elderberry flavor would be able to shine thru better.

 

[gird123]

Seconds wine? Doesn't the first run have white grape too?

 

[gird123]

Ingredients:

18 Pounds Fresh/frozen Elderberries
5 Gallons Water
6 11.5 Oz. Cans Welch’s Frozen White Grape Juice
8.5 Pounds Sugar, approximately sg 1.079
2 Tbls. Yeast Nutrient
2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
2 tbs ground oak
5 Campden Tablets, Crushed

My sg seemed low for how much sugar i put in (1.079). I will check again in the morning.

I now have 10 gallons going and enough to do 5 more in the fridge.

 

[Julie]

Hi gird123,

I know the way the recipe reads you should use white grape in the initial batch but I don't and I have had a lot of compliments on my elderberry wine.

 

[gird123]

I miss read the recipe. I guess it will have lots of body. I will have one with 2# of raisins and one with 6 cans of white grape. My next batch will be straight elderberries.

I checked my sg this morning and it read 1.084. Is that high enough?

 

[Julie]

I miss read the recipe. I guess it will have lots of body. I will have one with 2# of raisins and one with 6 cans of white grape. My next batch will be straight elderberries.

I checked my sg this morning and it read 1.084. Is that high enough?

Yes it is and I don't think you will have too much body, I think it will come out pretty good.

 

[gird123]

I think it will be great. Thanks for all the help.

 

[gird123]

bentonite

Hi,

I racked to secondary and had a little over 6.5 gallons so that is why 8.5# of sugar and 6 cans of grape gave a low sg, i think.

question: I added bentonite to the primary when I racked it left little or no sedimate, so most of the bentonite is in the secondary. Can I wait three months to rack or should I do it sooner. The lees are very compact in the secondary.

What does extended time on bentonite do?

Thank you,

Nate

 

[gird123]

Bottled my first batch of elderberry. The one i started on 09-11-2011. I vacuum degassed about a month ago and clarified, bottle so I could use the carboy to start a beer. It is very young, but has potential. I will try to wait another 6 month before drinking. I pulled a sample of the second one I started and it has a much smoother taste.

I'm excited for more elderberries. I have enough in the freezer to do another batch.

 

[Julie]

Bottled my first batch of elderberry. The one i started on 09-11-2011. I vacuum degassed about a month ago and clarified, bottle so I could use the carboy to start a beer. It is very young, but has potential. I will try to wait another 6 month before drinking. I pulled a sample of the second one I started and it has a much smoother taste.

I'm excited for more elderberries. I have enough in the freezer to do another batch.

At 6 months it is really great, at one year it is awesome.

 

[FTC Wines]

+ 1 to what Julie said. I have a few bottles left from a batch 2 years ago. WOW! Some things DO improve with age. Roy