Comments on: Make Elderflower Champagne – A Taste of Spring – Elderflower Fizz

By: Pauline

Pauline — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:53:35 +0000

Tuesday of this week removed bottle full of Elderflower champagne from my kitchen cupboard . Attempted to let some of the gas escape ….bottle exploded in my hand causing great pain extensive cuts to my hand and arm possible broken finger days on still cant use it
I for one will not be making any more Elderflower champagne

By: Struan

Struan — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:16:33 +0000

Just got home from hols to check on my first batch of elderflower champagne only to find the remains of an exploded plastic tango bottle in the garage . I am so glad that I moved it out of the kitchen - utter carnage! Found this site while trying to find some bottles online that would be up to the challenge! http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2654/3753977261_7d1716c976_b_d.jpg

By: rog

rog — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:47:36 +0000

Have just bottled my second attemp at the elderflower. sampled a bit of it & tastes vinegary….will that go after has been bottled or was my white wine vinegar a bit off?????
thanks for help

By: Ollie

Ollie — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:14:59 +0000

Re: number of heads used, you say 6 for 10 litres, HFW says 15 for 6 litres. This is a big difference and personally I would be tempted to put even more in than HFW recommends. Has anyone tried both and say how the two compared?

By: Liz

Liz — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:27:39 +0000

How do I know it has fermented properly?? Is it supposed to be fizzy when you bottle it up?!

By: Pasty Muncher

Pasty Muncher — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:53:42 +0000

Vixx – it is unlikely to be mould in the bad sense – just a residue from the natural fermentation process – pour carefully and skim off and I’m sure the champers will be tip top

By: Vixx

Vixx — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:29:39 +0000

Quite a few people have mentioned mould on the top when fermenting in the bucket. Is it ok to drink or do I have to throw it away and start again?

By: bobby

bobby — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:41:48 +0000

I made it last year – here are my top tips

- pick elderflowers on a sunny day in the morning when they are most fragrant
- use organic vinegar if possible as others contain perservatives that may inhibit fermentation, i found some cider vinegar in morrisons that i use.
- use boiling water to disolve the suger but then let the mixture cool before adding the elderflowers as you don’t want to kill the wild yeast in the flowers.
- steep for 24 hours then bottle
- use 2ltr or 1ltr plastic bottles that previously contained fizzy drinks – these can withstand a lot of pressure and you can tell by looking at them if they are at risk of blowing up. None of mine did and I didn’t release the pressure at all.
- it’s best to leave for 4-6 weeks after bottling before drinking
- don’t worry about strange floating sediment in the bottles, you are brewing with a wild yeast so this is to be expected, you can strain this out when pouring using a tea strainer
- I left a bottle for about 10 months and it was fine in fact tasted a bit drier and less sweet.

By: TomHomebrewer

TomHomebrewer — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:12:18 +0000

How should the mixture look after a few days?

By: sewstermum

sewstermum — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:18:11 +0000

I’m very confused as to whether to bottle and drink, sooner or later. All the web recipes have differing advice on timing, and almost all conflict with the advice given in wine making books.
I have steeped the flowers for a week and racked off into a demijohn with cotton wool in the top for two days now. It is very yellow and cloudy and fizzy. The web recipes say bottle and drink, in which case I would be drinking a still fermenting brew. Wouldn’t that give you a tummyache? BUT the wine books say ferment till it has finished bubbling, then rack off twice leaving three weeks between, in order to clear the brew, then they say bottle it with a measured sugar amount to let it ferment again in the bottle but preventing burst bottles because it is a measured dose.
Which is right? I’ve never done it before.