Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) has long been used as food, drink and medicine, while it’s often added as colorants and tannins to grape wines.
An elderberry wine produced correctly will add color without altering its flavor profile.
INGREDIENTS
Elderberry wine base is composed of juice concentrates, corn syrup, citric acid and natural flavors blended to produce fermentable fruit wine at 18.9 Brix. This kit includes all of these components except yeast – all you need for 5-gallon of wine is fermentable corn syrup fermented by apple, cherry and elderberry juice concentrates with water, citric acid and natural flavors; campden tablets may also be required as wine conditioners to sweeten it to perfection!
2oz of dried Elderberries – Sambucus nigra – will enhance both color and flavor in your wine. Native to Britain, these small dark colored berries make an excellent ingredient in port style wines and meads; elderflowers can also be used to produce an elderflower wine similar to muscatel; this variety may have many skin care benefits including softening wrinkles, diminishing freckles and diminishing sunburns.
Fermfast Dualfine Clearing Aid – 65 g – combines Kieselol and Chitosan to quickly and efficiently clear wine before backsweetening or bottling. Potassium Sorbate (2 oz) prevents yeast reproduction while simultaneously counteracting off flavors by helping prevent reproduction of off flavors.
PROCESSING
Elderberry Fruit Wine Base (128oz.). A convenient combination of juice concentrates, corn syrup, citric acid and natural flavor designed to produce five gallons of high-quality fruit wine at 10% ABV with just four gallons of water added, pitch yeast and ferment! No adjustments or additional acid additions necessary!
An elderberry wine requires a 7 to 9 gallon fermenter with plenty of head space for active fermentation, accommodating your 5 gallon kit and providing enough space. A carboy handle or carrier may be beneficial in safely moving full carboys around. An auto siphon makes moving wine from carboy to bottling container easier while replacing hoses periodically is recommended as they become difficult to keep clean and have extra airlocks, bungs, corkers etc available just in case!
Potassium Sorbate is an invaluable addition to have on hand when back sweetening and bottling beverages, as it prevents yeast reproduction during back sweetening and bottling processes. Sulfites should also be added alongside Potassium Sorbate to avoid off flavors in your beverage.
STORAGE
Elderberries can be used to produce syrups, herbal tinctures and gummies for medicinal use as well as being added into baked goods such as pies. Elderberries have antiviral and immune-enhancing properties as well as helping treat respiratory conditions like coughs and colds.
Elderberry syrup is a proven natural solution for seasonal allergies, colds and flu. Storing homemade syrup in your refrigerator will help to ease symptoms while strengthening immunity. Keep a bottle handy to use regularly for maximum efficacy.
Storing elderberry syrup properly is crucial to its quality and benefits, which can be achieved using glass jars fitted with tight-fitting lids to seal out moisture and air, while being stored in a dark environment to further limit sunlight exposure that could degrade it over time.
If you’re creating your own syrup at home, labeling its container with its date of preparation can help track how long it has been stored. Glass containers offer additional benefits because they won’t react with the syrup and preserve its clarity and flavor.
Freezing homemade syrup is another effective and straightforward method of storage that extends its shelf life. To freeze elderberries, simply rinse and pat them dry before spreading in an even layer on a baking sheet in the freezer until frozen solid. After freezing solidifies, simply transfer to airtight freezer bags or containers until further use.
Alternately, you can freeze elderberries whole. This will preserve their antioxidant properties while also avoiding flavor loss during the freezing process. Once frozen, simply transfer to an airtight container and store for up to one year in your freezer.
Vintners Best Elderberry Fruit Wine Base is an easy and convenient product designed to produce five gallons of delicious fruit wine. Made up of juice concentrates, corn syrup, malic acid, and natural flavoring extracts, this fermentation base measures 18.9 Brix. Once blended and pasteurized it may be stored at ambient temperatures – one package is enough to clear an entire 5-gallon batch! Sulfites may also be added for additional protection from oxidation.
USE
Elderberries have long been used as a natural health tonic and remedy. Hippocrates referred to them as the physician’s plant! Their sweet, delicious berries pair perfectly with other fruits such as melons and citrus; their flowers add an aromatic flair to herbal tea blends; while elderberry flowers make delicious additions for herbal tea blends. Elderberries can also be used in food products like syrups, preserves, baked goods and beverages; elderberry wine is especially enjoyable with rich red wines like cabernet sauvignon and syrah; dark beers or meads!
Elderberries and elderflowers offer numerous health advantages that have been scientifically studied, including relieving symptoms associated with respiratory ailments and helping reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Furthermore, studies have revealed that elderberries can even lower risks associated with cardiovascular disease.
Elderberry flower extracts are popular ingredients used in teas and liqueurs to add an ethereal meadow blossom note, antiviral tinctures and supplements for the immune system, health food stores sell elderberries dried or fresh from harvesting from bushes; when harvested it’s important to do your research and avoid picking poisonous branches/leaves which should also be cooked before consumption. Elderberries can be purchased at most health food stores as well as harvested fresh from them while harvesting from them may also yield edible harvesting techniques used when harvesting elderberries from bush; dried or fresh elderberries can then be purchased before being processed into any consumable goods that make something edible before consumption! Elderberries can easily harvested from bush which allows harvesting while fresh harvested elderberries can then be cooked prior to creating anything edible with them before being put into something edible by way of cooking any poisonous branches or leaves before picking poisonous elderberries that could potentially result in any future edible food products being produced from them! When harvesting elderberries from bush then these must first be cooked prior to any consumable products being produced from them! – Elderberries should always be cooked prior to creating anything consumable!
Home winemakers looking to produce elderberry wine will benefit from purchasing pre-packaged or bulk elderberries from either a winemaking shop nearby, or online. Dried elderberries can also be used if fresh ones don’t grow locally or they haven’t reached maturity during harvest season – they make for more cost-effective wines!
When making wine from elderberries, it is crucial to use high quality yeast strains. As fermentation can be lengthy and laborious, using a 7.9 gallon fermenter with a grommeted lid provides plenty of headspace for active fermentation of your elderberry wine.
