Last year I wrote a post on how to make elderflower champagne using straight forward white lacy elderflowers. This year I decided to try a version of the same using pink elderflowers from a black elderflower tree (sambucus nigra) growing in my garden.
The black stemmed elderflower is a large bushy shrub, with spiky (pinnate) leaves and flat sprays of pink lacy flowers that flower through from mid June to mid July.
I am pleased to report it worked beautifully and I have a few bottles stashed away in my cellar. If you make some ensure you release the tops of the bottles after about four days. The pressure of the carbon dioxide produced during the fermentation can build up to shatter glass bottles and burst plastic ones.
This is an elegant drink which is beautiful chilled. Make some while you can there are still a few elderflowers about in the hedgerows. The recipe is the same as for the white version.
To make 6 litres of elderflower champagne you will need:
4 litres of hot water
2 litres of cold water
700g granulated sugar
Zest and juice from 4 lemons
15 dry elderflower heads. Give them a shake to remove insects
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
6 one litre plastic screw top used carbonated bottles or 6 strong swing top glass bottles
Method
Place the hot water and sugar into a clean plastic bucket and stir well until the sugar has dissolved. Add the additional 2 litres of cold water together with the lemon juice, lemon peel, vinegar and elderflower heads and stir gently. Cover the bucket with a clean supermarket plastic bag and leave in a cool place for seven days.
By this time you may see bubbles rising to the surface of the liquid which is evidence of fermentation. Strain the liquid through a colander and discard the elderflower heads and lemon zest. Repeat this process but this time strain through muslin to remove any fine debris.
Decant the liquid into sterilised swing top glass bottles or used carbonated water bottles (rinse them in boiling water to sterilise). The elderflower champagne will begin to ferment in the bottles over the next few days. It is important to release a little of the pressure in the bottles every couple of days until fermentation has slowed down.
The elderflower champagne is ready to drink in one week but will keep for up to a year when it is then time to replenish your stocks and make some more.