Elderberry Wine Recipe
This step-by-step elderberry wine recipe guides you through preparing, fermenting, and aging a delicious homemade wine. You’ll use fresh or dried elderberries, sugar, water, and various additives to create a rich, flavorful wine over several months. The process includes initial and secondary fermentation followed by aging for at least six months. You can also use this recipe to make other fruit wines by swapping elderberries with blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
Equipment
- Large fermenting bucket
- Straining bag
- Airlock and bung
- Siphon tubing
- Wine bottles and corks
- Hydrometer (for measuring sugar levels)
- Acid test kit (for measuring acidity)
- Fine mesh sieve or press bag
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of fresh elderberries (or 1½ pounds of dried elderberries)
- 2½ pounds of sugar
- 1 gallon of water
- 1 tsp of acid blend
- 1 tsp of pectic enzyme
- 1 tsp of yeast nutrient
- 1 Campden tablet (optional, for sterilization)
- 1 packet of wine yeast (recommended: Montrachet)
Instructions
- Begin by thoroughly cleaning the elderberries. Remove any stems and leaves, as these can impart a bitter taste to your wine. For easier de-stemming, consider freezing the clusters first. Place the berries in a large fermenting bucket.
- Boil one gallon of water and pour it over the elderberries in the fermenting bucket. This helps to extract the juice and kill any wild yeast or bacteria. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved. Then add the acid blend, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient. The acid blend helps to balance the acidity of the wine, ensuring it has a pleasant taste and proper fermentation. If you’re using a Campden tablet for sterilization, crush and add it now. Cover the bucket and let it sit for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, add the wine yeast. It’s crucial to follow the instructions on the yeast packet for rehydration and activation. Once the yeast is ready, pour it into the mixture and stir well.
- Seal the fermenting bucket with the airlock and bung. Allow the mixture to ferment for about a week, stirring daily. During this time, the elderberries will release their juice and flavors into the mixture.
- After the initial fermentation period, strain the mixture through a straining bag into another clean fermenting bucket. Squeeze the bag to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the pulp.
- Fit the airlock and bung onto the fermenting bucket. Allow the wine to ferment for another 4-6 weeks, or until fermentation has completely stopped. You’ll know it’s ready when bubbles stop rising through the airlock.
- Carefully siphon the wine into clean wine bottles, leaving any sediment behind. This process, known as racking, helps to clarify the wine.
- Cork the bottles and store them in a cool, dark place. Allow the wine to age for at least 6 months to develop its full flavor. The longer you wait, the better it will taste.
Notes
Prep Time: 2 hours
Initial Fermentation: 1 week
Secondary Fermentation: 4-6 weeks
Aging: 6 months (minimum)