The fizz that characterises elderflower champagne is a result of bottling before the fermentation process has finished, normally this process is started by capturing wild yeast. This can cause problems: namely, lack of alcohol, exploding bottles and disappointing results.
By using a bit of fermenting know-how you can make a sparking elderflower “champagne” every year that may rival any real champagne (though I am biased since it’s my own recipe).
The first problem to look at is using wild yeast. Some areas can be wild yeast deserts meaning your champagne will never ferment. If you do manage to capture a wild yeast you never know which yeast will get to work on your drinks. Each yeast works differently so you can be in for a lottery of flavours and alcohol strengths. The only way around that is to add your own yeast and champagne yeast is the best option; this has the added bonus of making your elderflower champagne alcoholic.
Elderflower champagne in a glass courtesy of Roy Hunt
My recipe doesn’t resemble a normal elderflower champagne recipe and it is essentially a recipe for elderflower wine which is then re-fermented. This means more reliable results and if you change your mind halfway through at least you are left with some great white wine.
There was a pleasant country belief that if the flowers were put into ale, and a man and woman drank it together, they would be married within a year. – Lesley Gordon, 1985
ALCOHOLIC ELDERFLOWER CHAMPAGNE Grated rind of one lemon 500ml/1 pint of elderflowers 3.5 litres/8 pints of boiling water 1.3kg/3 lbs sugar Juice of one lemon Champagne yeast
Put flowers into fermentation bin and mix with lemon rind. Pour over boiling water and allow to stand for 4 days, stirring occasionally.
After 4 days strain through a fine sieve or muslin cloth. Stir in sugar, lemon juice and yeast. Keep at room temperature to ferment, try not to let it go down to 18°c.
When you are sure all the bubbling has ceased, stir the wine and allow to settle for 3 days Strain in demijohn and allow to ferment fully.
Bring 200ml of water to the boil and add 70g of sugar. Allow to cool then strain the wine into a another demijohn leaving the sediment. Add the 200ml of sugar solution and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.
Siphon into champagne bottles seal with champagne corks and secure them in place with metal cages. The wine should be kept at room temp for the first 10 days. After this time it is moved to a cooler place, such as a cellar. They should initially be stored horizontally and over the next three months they should be gradually moved upside down. This can be done by placing the neck into sand. Chill for 24 hours before serving and do not disturb the bottle before opening.
How much yeast do you put in?
Thanks…
You can buy single packets use one of those and follow the instructions on the pack. Although, the first thing yeast does is multiply so really how much yeast doesn’t matter a huge ammount, good to make a yeast starter though. If you get my book, Booze for free you can find a lot more information in there I wrote it with the novice in mind!
Hello, Andy. Very excited to attempt this recipe this evening – I’ve had it bookmarked for ages! Question about this step:
“When you are sure all the bubbling has ceased, stir the wine and allow to settle for 3 days Strain in demijohn and allow to ferment fully.”
Is there a final gravity we should be shooting for (or another clear indicator)? I’m a bit new at brewing, but I’d like to make sure I know when the mixture has completely fermented.
Many thanks!
Ideally, the S.G. Needs to get to 1000 for wine, with Champagne you could bottle just before that stage and then not worry about adding the extra sugar. What you are hoping for is a still or refermenting wine. I would say though, that this is rather difficult wine to perfect for the beginer and would strongly advise starting with something like the blackberry for a first wine as its difficult to get that one wrong. Get this wrong and you could have glass flying all over the place!