10 replies to this topic

[Luc Volders]

Last Sunday I went out early on my bike.
At half past nine I already had harvested some elderflowers.
At 12 oçlock I was back home with 2 large bags of elderblossom.

I let them sit in the bag.

This is the easiest way to harvest elderflowers.
You can read the complete story here.
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2009/05/vlierbloemen-oogsten-elderflower.html

So the next day I took the bags and started shaking.

I harvested 4 liter pure rich smelling flowers.
Enough for 4o liter wine.

I am making 10 liter with honey and 30 liter with plain table sugar.

You can find me recipe here:
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2009/05/vlierbloesemwijn-2-elderflowerwine-2.html

I hope to have time to go out to harvest again.
I am planning to make another 30 liter but it will be short notice before my holliday.
At least these 2 batches are safe.

For my honey variation just follow my plain recipe and substitute the sugar by honey.

Any of you already harvesting ???

Luc

[Wade's Wines]

They're blooming everywhere in Tennessee. I could pick a literal ton of them at The Elephant Sanctuary. http://www.elephants.com

[surlees]

Haven't picked any, but they're blooming here as well.

[dralarms]

What are elderflowers?

[Juniper Hill]

What are elderflowers?

The flowers on elderberry bushes. The make a very nice codial or light white wine.

[dralarms]

The flowers on elderberry bushes. The make a very nice codial or light white wine.

Thanks,

[saramc]

Is there another flower in bloom right now that looks like them? I will try to stop and take a photo and post it. It is storming here today, so I don't know that I will get to the photos today. But I will be going out for my daily harvest of mulberries and common orange day lily blossoms.

[Starcastle]

I've heard that Devil's Walking stick/Hercules Club looks like Elderberry, but doesn't have the aroma. I've never succeeded in finding good smelling elderberry flowers for wine, but I remain determined. (And I'm running out of mulberries to pick)

[Luc Volders]

Look for the large white screens.
They are the best smelling and make the best wine.

Luc

[Wade's Wines]

The only bloom that I can think of that even resembles elderberry is Queen Ann's Lace, but it's a weed that barely reaches 4' high. Elderberries are clearly a brush plant that grows 6' to 12' high. The flower clusters are about a foot across and one large bush may have a dozen or more clusters that look a little like white parachutes in the sky.

[saramc]

The only bloom that I can think of that even resembles elderberry is Queen Ann's Lace, but it's a weed that barely reaches 4' high. Elderberries are clearly a brush plant that grows 6' to 12' high. The flower clusters are about a foot across and one large bush may have a dozen or more clusters that look a little like white parachutes in the sky.

That is it Wade....Queen Ann's Lace. I took a photo of it and then the name came to mind. The leaf patterns were not even close. Still on the look out for Elderberry around here, might have to take a drive out in the country.