The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Home brewing => Topic started by: Beewyched on July 06, 2013, 09:17:44 pm

Title: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
Post by: Beewyched on July 06, 2013, 09:17:44 pm
What with all the discussions around home brewing recently, just realised our Elderflower tree had succumbed to the Devonelite treatment  ::) - so no flowers or berries for wine making  :(
 
However, our Black Elder has managed to survive & is full of lovely pink blossoms  :thinking:  does anyone know if it's ok to use these in place of the standard elderflower for home brewing or are we likely to make ourselves ill  :unwell:  I can't seem to find any info about it - just wondered if there was a reason the Labradors had left it alone  ???
Title: Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
Post by: Dans on July 06, 2013, 11:18:19 pm
Not tried myself but a search turned up this which mentions brewing:

http://www.paghat.com/elderblackbeauty.html (http://www.paghat.com/elderblackbeauty.html)

Do remember that the greenery on Elder can be poisonous, you only want berries or flowers.

Dans

Title: Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
Post by: Beewyched on July 07, 2013, 07:29:26 am
Thanks Dans  :wave:
I think we'll give it a go & make a small amount, then try the berries later in the year for wine (if the cordial's ok).  We'll go & forage some of the wild stuff too, just in case - the dogs will like a run up the cwm today as it's nice & cool there on a  :sunshine:   hot day like today  ;D
I may find some elder saplings down there that might like a new home too  ;)
Title: Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
Post by: Rosemary on July 07, 2013, 09:12:21 am
Good question! Our black elder is in flower too, so we thought we'd try using some today, as well as foraging some white elder from the golf course.

Interesting link - I think ours will be coppiced this winter  :innocent:
Title: Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
Post by: Beewyched on July 07, 2013, 10:55:54 pm
Didn't get time to forage today - outlaws visiting tomorrow, so had to do some cleaning  :o
Lucky really, as we have had to order the citric acid as not even the Boots in town keeps it in stock  ::)
Wow - wasn't  it  :sunshine: :sunshine: :sunshine:  today?
Title: Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
Post by: sokel on July 30, 2013, 04:15:29 pm
Does anyone know if the Sambucus Nigra Black Lace is safe to use for Pink elderflower Champagne ?