The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Home brewing => Topic started 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 ???
-
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
-
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 ;)
-
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:
-
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?
-
Does anyone know if the Sambucus Nigra Black Lace is safe to use for Pink elderflower Champagne ?