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Country Wine
Classic Elderflower Wine
A delicate, floral country wine made from fresh elderflower heads gathered at their peak. This is my most-requested recipe — it produces a beautiful pale gold wine with extraordinary fragrance.
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11.6%
ABV
23 L
Batch size
1.090
Target OG
1.002
Target FG
Ingredients
1.5kg elderflower heads (stems removed)
1.5kg white granulated sugar (per 4.5L water)
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
Juice and zest of 2 oranges
1 tsp citric acid
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/4 tsp wine tannin powder
1 Campden tablet (per 4.5L)
1 sachet wine yeast
Method
1. Gather elderflower heads at their peak — dry, warm morning. Shake off insects, remove all green stems.
2. Boil 4.5L water, dissolve sugar. Pour over flowers in a sterilised bucket.
3. Add citrus juice and zest, citric acid, tannin, and crushed Campden tablet.
4. Cover with muslin and leave 24 hours.
5. Strain through muslin into demijohn, add yeast nutrient, then activated yeast.
6. Fit airlock. Ferment at 18–20°C for 4–6 weeks.
7. Rack when clearing. Add 1 Campden tablet.
8. Rack again after 2 months. Fine with isinglass if needed.
9. Bottle when stable and clear. Best drunk within 18 months while fragrance is fresh.
Process
Yeast
EC-1118 (Lalvin)
Target temp
18°C
Nutrient protocol
Rehydrate in GoFerm (25°C), pitch when within 10°C of must. Add Fermaid-O at 1/3 sugar depletion.
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