The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Home brewing => Topic started by: Dans on May 26, 2013, 09:17:32 pm
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Hi all
My friend requested that I try making some elderflower champagne for her wedding which was this weekend. We tried 2 test runs, using Ikea swing tops and champagne bottles and the final batch went down a treat at the wedding.
Our own wedding is in 5 weeks and I'd very much like to do this again for then. Unfortunately we have a large number of people and would rather not do tons and tons of bottles so I wasn't sure if this would work in a pressure barrel served from there?
Has anyone tried this before? I'm guessing it would work in the same way as serving beer from a pressure barrel but can't find any mention of anyone trying this on the interwebs.
Dans
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I've always found that pressure barrels do not live up to their name! I have frequently had the taps burst on me, or the plastic just expand which the manufacturers say is impossible. Difficult if you don't have a fall back position in terms of drink for our wedding! Even with beer, I now have drilled the top and put an airlock in it before bottling. It's probably worth trying thoughh - I know I get fed up with the fuss of bottling! Good luck!
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Can't help with advice... But a little story: the one time I made elderflower champagne (many years ago) I decided to follow a recipe, because it was the first time I was making it, and used screw top bottles as stipulated in that particular recipe! In the middle of one dark night there was this almighty bang in my kitchen - one bottle exploded, shards of glass everywhere, sticky champagne on every surface - oh the joys of homemade wine...
The other two bottles were quickly drunk, and were excellent. ;D
So my only advice would be, don't use screw top bottles. Or at least use plastic ones. ;)
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Off subject, but I would love to know how to make elderflower champagne!
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We have a batch the didn't work so will transfer to the barrel and see how it pours in a couple of weeks. Will let you guys know.
The flip top bottles work well Ina, although when it we knew we would have them in the bottles for a while we released some pressure regularly.
Will post a new post for Elderflower champagne in a new thread Tregwyr, it's dead simple.
Dans
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Batch poured into the barrel half way through didn't work and neither did a batch put straight into the barrel rather than bottles. Both of the barrels developed a slight crack near the cap causing the gas to escape. To be fair these were 30 year old barrels so they may have been weak to start with . If anyone does try it with new barrels let me know!
Dans
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No barrel experience but have used big pop bottles when I've wanted big batches (but I only let them go a couple of weeks)- I have looked at them twice a day though and let out some pressure when they look like they are about to blow! I also have some massive 2 or 3 l?)swing tops from lakeland - they are sider demijohn shape with swigging handle. Other alternative - are you anywhere near a tourist café that serves traditional lemonade etc in swing tops - ours does and used to just throw away the bottles!!! They save them for me now So I have amassed a mahoooosive collection of single serving swing tops! Shame you aren't closer or you could borrow them. Good luck - how exciting!!!!