For the sparkling, slightly alcoholic drink you need only a few ingredients and of course elderflowers. It is best to harvest the blossoms shortly after they are in full bloom. The naturally present yeasts on the blossoms process the sugar into alcohol. The resulting gas provides the sparkling effect. During this process, the drink loses some of its sweetness and eventually resembles champagne. In sturdy glass bottles that can withstand the pressure, it can be kept for more than a year. But usually it is drunk up before that. :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ingredients:
3/4l water
2kg sugar
50g tartaric acid
15l water
20 big elderflowers
3 lemons or limes
Preparation:
1. Add the sugar to 3/4l of water and boil until the sugar is dissolved. Allow the sugar solution to cool.
2. Fill 15l of water (preferably spring water) into a large bucket. Add the sugar solution and the tartaric acid. Stir everything together.
3. Place the shaken out (insects) but unwashed flowers on the water surface with the stems facing up.
4. Slice lemons or limes and spread the slices evenly over the flowers.
5. Close the bucket well and put it in a place that is not too hot. Every now and then you can stir, but you don't have to.
6. After 2 days, remove flowers and lemons and filter the liquid through a very fine mesh. Then fill the filtered liquid into bottles or large wine balloons. To avoid too high pressure, open the bottles shortly after every 4rd or 5th day.
7. After about 2 weeks of fermentation, the champagne is ready and can be drunk. Please be careful when opening the bottles! If it is still too sweet, let it ferment longer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Music: Jul by Scott Buckley
/ scottbuckley
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
#elderflower #sparklingwine #cottageliving