Wild Wild Wild elderflower Ale and Champagne

[Frenchie Laurence]

Yesterday i made 2 gallons of Elderflower Ale, with pale malt and wild hops. Will let you know!
Today am making 1.5 gallons of Elderflower Champagne.
Next is 1 gallon of Nettle beer.....going Wild indeed! ion the true sense of the term.

[CyberPaddy66]

Oooh post your pics (if you take any) of your process for nettle beer

[Petrovitch]

I'm joining in too...started a gallon of elderflower wine over the weekend while it was sunny, smells wonderful What recipe did you use for the elderflower champagne? I've got a load of clear champagne/sparkling wine bottles in the garage dying to be used...

[charlie]

5 gals elderflower ale yesterday

4.2 kg mo
200g wheat malt
100g caramalt
100g crystal

85g Styrian Goldings 90 mins

25g Styrian Goldings 20mins
5g Irish Moss 20 mins
20g dried elderflower 20 mins

muntons gold yeast because that's the best that I can get in Lancaster any help Oggy?

probably far too much elderflower but it turned out ok last year, but hazy.
I'm blaming it on the flowers.

No bubbles yet because I only pitched at 4:00 p.m. today.

[Frenchie Laurence]

dried elderflower? do you mean you didnt find a tree in your area?

[charlie]

dried elderflower? do you mean you didnt find a tree in your area?

They're not really out yet this far North and I had them already in stock.
Should be ok to pick in about a week here.

[Frenchie Laurence]

down here, around London, they are well open, but very wet, so wondering whether it will be ok for my elderflower champagne which rely on th enatural yeast that covers the flowers.

[lockwood1956]

I wouldn't rely on the natural yeast (Kloeckera apiculta) they are not really reliable, and can cause problems with fermentations sticking, or becoming infected, far better to inoculate with a reliable strain of yeast, Lalvin D47 would be a good choice, or failing that Lalvin 71B-1122 these yeasts will give you a clean ferment and also enhance the bouquet.

just my humble opinion

[lockwood1956]

OO just an addition, dried Elderflowers may work well in an ale, but they dont work too well in wine (they leave a slightly bitter aftertaste)

better to collect fresh ones and if you wish to keep them for future use, make up an elderflower cordial. This will not give you a bitter taste and will keep in the fridge for months

see here

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/downloads/ ... rdials.pdf

hope this helps
regards
bob

[Oggy' Bar]

muntons gold yeast because that's the best that I can get in Lancaster any help Oggy?

Fraid I don't know of any decent Home-brew suppliers locally except the one in the market. If you want some yeast though. I've got some spare S04, S05 and Nottingham (in dried format) and you are welcome to risk using some of my Wyeast Ringwood, (collected from a previous brew & kept in the fridge) though it is probably getting near the end of its life.

P.M me if I can be of help...I'd be interested in tasting some of that elderflower ale. The elderflowers aren't quite out yet near me.

[Frenchie Laurence]

Interesting about the Yeast, my instinct was to add some but then every recipe i have seen do not use added Yeast. I also thought that perhaps it was to only get a light fizz in a very sweet drink!?!?! like lemonade? but "elderflowery", if that makes sense.

[lockwood1956]

Well
I'm just your bog standard paranoid wine geek....I don't like to take risks with wild yeast....mostly because I'd be totally bummed if a batch got spoilt after I had taken the time to collect all the ingredients.

but hey......

they have made it this way for years, so wadda I know?

regards
Bob

[charlie]

[/quote]

Fraid I don't know of any decent Home-brew suppliers locally except the one in the market. If you want some yeast though. I've got some spare S04, S05 and Nottingham (in dried format) and you are welcome to risk using some of my Wyeast Ringwood, (collected from a previous brew & kept in the fridge) though it is probably getting near the end of its life.

P.M me if I can be of help...I'd be interested in tasting some of that elderflower ale. The elderflowers aren't quite out yet near me.[/quote]

That's the yeast supply I'm stuck with, I keep asking them to get so4 in like Earl used to have when he had the stall but the new owners seem only to be interested in body building.

I was thinking of asking Will at the Lancaster brewery for some hops as he already supplies me with malt and the hops in the market are now £5/100g for Goldings.

I may be really cheeky and ask about yeast as well, i think that he shares his yeast supply with Titanic, and once you know that you start to notice similarities with Titanics' style.

I'll be kegging next Sunday so I'll bottle some and drop some off in the Kellets some time soon.

[Oggy' Bar]

Thanks for that Charlie...I also get my malt from Lancaster Brewery..I think It's Matt I have always dealt with might be Will. but I also haven't asked about yeast or hops. . I think they use hop pellets at least that was what was lying around last time I was there..Not sure I like the idea of pellets..but I'm sure price could influence me. I would have thought they would be willing to give some yeast away..I'll find out soon I'm about on my last 10kg of MO

[Frenchie Laurence]

see Elderflower wine would be a different beverage as i understand, and for which you would definitely add proper yeast.
see one the page aboutthis topic;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3795690