First Shot!

This is my first batch of Elderberry Wine.
Can you see how red-black it is?

You can not see the sun through it at all!!!

04/12/2011

One of the things I never did get into any detail about was the first runs of elderberry wine. Back on February 23^rd I got the call to go pick up 8oz of dehydrated elderberries. I got this home and it was one of those times that things didn't quite go right but it did set the way I did the second batch. I put all the berries in a pan full of water. I got things boiling for a while, maybe 30 min, and I got the call to go get a piece for our washing machine that we had ordered. I moved the hot elderberry liquid to the back of the stove to steep. When I got back with the piece the berry tea has been working for an hour. I poured everything into the primary fermenter and added one gallon of water. This is on top of the half gallon that I had as berry juice. I added 4.5 cups of sugar and let her ferment for a week.

After 7 days I gave the liquid a first racking keeping all the berries in the primary fermenter. I added another gallon of water since the liquid that was left was blood red. That starts the second gallon on what is more diluted elderberry juice. I added 4.5 cups of sugar and let that go for a week.

After 7 days I gave the first batch a second racking and I racked the batch in the primary fermenter. Things were bubbling along and after a week I gave the second batch a second racking.

Now on about the 31^st I gave both gallons a racking. The fermentation process is slowing. I took both batches and timed the bubbles that the airlock gave off. The batch that was started on 02/23/2011 I get a full bubble every 4 min. On the batch that was started 03/03/2011 I get a full bubble every two min.

The flavor is different between the two. This is what got me to doing a full two gallon shot this last time. The second gallon is weaker in the elderberry flavor. If you hold a flash light up to the second batch you can see the light penetrate the liquid an inch or so. On the first gallon the light does not penetrate it at all. So I have elderberry wine and light elderberry wine.

I am not sure how much longer the fermentation process will last. I am really wanting to get this first batch bottled and at least one bottle chilled and one on my wine shelf. I don't think the alcohol content will be all that much and both batches will have to stand on the elderberry flavor be it good or bad.

There we go. A little catch up on something I didn't go into because sometimes life happens and you don't have any time to update a blog, that at the time, was not being read by anyone outside family. Now I kinda need to keep things rolling a little bit here since I am being read by people as far as the middle east and Asia. More coming soon!!!

Keep it bubbling!

Chuck