The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Home brewing => Topic started by: Mel on August 12, 2011, 10:22:02 pm
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Evening :)
I have so many elderberries around the paddock and though I am somewhat tee total,I would not mind having a go at making some wine or-what advice do you have Please?!
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CJJ Berry's First Steps in Winemaking
http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Steps-Winemaking-C-J-J-Berry/dp/1854861395 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Steps-Winemaking-C-J-J-Berry/dp/1854861395)
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ditto the above. The best country wine I've ever made was that elderberry one. The only downside is that stripping all the berries off the stalk is a real pain (unless someone knows a magic trick)
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ditto the above. The best country wine I've ever made was that elderberry one. The only downside is that stripping all the berries off the stalk is a real pain (unless someone knows a magic trick)
I do know a magic trick! Use a fork!
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I do use a fork and still find it a pain (mostly in the back). being tall, I find most worktops too low for me and being bent over destalking elderberries is tough on me. :'(
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I do use a fork and still find it a pain (mostly in the back). being tall, I find most worktops too low for me and being bent over destalking elderberries is tough on me. :'(
I can understand that. Would it be any more comfortable sat down forking into a bucket held between your knees?
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I do use a fork and still find it a pain (mostly in the back). being tall, I find most worktops too low for me and being bent over destalking elderberries is tough on me. :'(
I can understand that. Would it be any more comfortable sat down forking into a bucket held between your knees?
Watching something rubbishy and indulgent on the telly......
I find that's the only way I can get through the ironing!! :)
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I cut down the bunches of berries with scissors or secateurs and strip them off later at home. I've got a sort of dustpan with teeth that does the stripping and it collects the berries but I wouldn't do the stripping directly off the tree.
The dustpan gadget came from a local seed merchants and it works with blackcurrants and similar fruit.
Regarding the fruit, I put a cupfull in a bottle of vodka. After a week you have a cordial which is rather like port or a rich red wine. I drain off the cordial and rinse the berries with a little water to recover as much as possible. It still needs diluting but you have the choice of water or something like apple juice added just before drinking.
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I do use a fork and still find it a pain (mostly in the back). being tall, I find most worktops too low for me and being bent over destalking elderberries is tough on me. :'(
I can understand that. Would it be any more comfortable sat down forking into a bucket held between your knees?
this year will be our 1st year in a kitchen big enough to do that (our previous house was a glorified rabbit hutch) so I will doing just that. I like the sound of that gadget norfolk newby has, will keep an eye out for that.
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I always freeze my elderberries, makes stripping them sooo simple and the wine is lovely
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I've just froze 3 boxes full yesterday so that I can use them when I have a bit more time in the house
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Elderberry chutney,if kept for a couple of years is delicious. I will post the recipe if you like.
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Would love the chutney recipe please. And if anyone has any experience of making elderberry syrup would be interested to hear about it. Not quite TT but I seem to have reached the stage where alcohol isn't worth the effort.