Elderberry Wine (& Mead)
Elderberry wine is the perfect way to use elderberries, and their flavor comes through beautifully in this homemade beverage. Use honey to make elderberry mead instead.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs fresh elderberries about 10 cups fresh stemmed fruit (or 5 cups dried fruit)
- 2 1/2 pounds sugar or 3 lbs honey
- 1 1/2 tsp acid blend
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
- 1 packet wine yeast see notes
- Water to fill
Instructions
- Sanitize all equipment before beginning.
- Stem the elderberries (if fresh) and juice them by placing them in a stockpot. Add water to just barely cover and simmer for a few minutes, mashing with a potato masher to help them release their juices. (If using dried elderberries, simmer 5 cups dried elderberries in about 10 to 12 cups water for about 15 minutes.)
- Strain through a jelly bag or double layer of cheesecloth. Discard solids and retain juice.
- Pour the juice back into a clean pot and add sugar (for wine) or honey (for mead). Slowly warm while stirring to encourage the sugar to dissolve. When fully dissolved, remove from heat and cool completely.
- Add remaining ingredients (except yeast) and stir to incorporate. Pour cooled mixture into a fermentation vessel and add water until nearly full, leaving space to the yeast.
- Dissolve the yeast in a small amount of water (1/4 to 1/2 cup) and allow it to rehydrate for 10 minutes. When rehydrated, add it to the fermentation vessel with the rest of the ingredients.
- Seal the fermentation vessel with a water lock and allow the mixture to ferment in primary for 7 to 10 days, until fermentation slows.
- When fermentation slows, use a siphon to rack the mixture into a clean fermentation vessel, leaving the sediment behind. Add clean, chlorine-free water to fill.
- Re-seal the vessel with an airlock and ferment in secondary for at least 4 weeks, preferably much longer and up to 6 months. Honey meads need longer in secondary.
- Bottle the mead in wine bottles with corks, and bottle age for at least a few weeks (preferably several months or years) before drinking.
Notes
Good yeast choices for elderberry wine include:
- Lavin D47 ~ Adds strong floral and fruity characteristics to wines, and would complement the complexity of elderberry wine nicely. Only a moderately vigorous fermenter, so it may start slowly. Alcohol tolerance to 15%, ideal temperature range 59 to 86 F.
- Montrachet or Premier Classique ~ A strong fermenter known for producing full-bodied red wines. It preserves the natural tannin content of the fruit and leaves the wine with intense color. Alcohol tolerance is relatively low (only 13%), so a good choice if you'd like more residual sweetness. Ideal fermentation temperatures 59 to 86 F.
- Cote des Blancs (Geisenheim Epernay) ~ Brings out the fruit character and sweetness of both red and white wines. A slow fermenter with low foaming, it'll take longer to finish but help to maintain volatile esters and subtle flavors. Low alcohol tolerance, especially when fermented at low temperatures, which means more residual sugars. Alcohol tolerance to 12-14%, ideal temperature range 64 to 86 F.
- Red Star Premier Cuvee or Lavin EC-1118 ~ Generally known as champagne yeasts, these are strong fermenters with a neutral taste. They'll get the job done efficiently, but without adding much flavor (good or bad). If you choose this yeast, I'd suggest adding an extra 1/4 pound of sugar to the batch so it doesn't come out too dry. It has a high alcohol tolerance, usually around 15% but up to 18% in ideal conditions, so without extra sugar you'll have a very dry wine. Ideal temperature range 59 to 86 F.