1. Home
  2. Winemaking Craft Forum
  3. Elderberry and tannins

Elderberry and tannins

Hi all, I have been lurking around a while and am climbing over the parapet now cos I am going to do a bit more fermentation..

I am planning a wine type drink based around elderberry, apple and honey, all of which i have a ready and local supply of. Apart from the obvious 'dont use too many elderberries', does any one have any ideas on a wine that can be drunk young, to suit the malic acid content, yet is soft on the tannin?

I am thinking along the lines of pressing the fruit without pulp fermentation, to avoid too much extraction from the skins...or, In Perry (pear cider) and cider making to a lesser extent, the fruit may be macerated for several hours between milling and pressing, during which time tannins can be absorbed from the juice back into the pulp, resulting in a softer drink.

Has anyone messed around in this area or have any advice?

denis

Reply to
ddan
Loading thread data ...

thanks Luc, Do you think there are softer tannins in the juice than in the skin, or just more in the skin? I am wondering if I should up the fruit quantity as juice only.. I have checked your blog, which reminded me of the hedgerow wine I used to make, 2 parts elderberry to 1 part other fruit and think I might add other hedgerow fruit to the mix. I have seen recipies that include rice or barley with elderberry (H.E. Bravery), have you tried this? Wondering if the starch in the grain has an effect on the tannin levels? Denis

Reply to
ddan

Luc, A few years ago I made a hedgerow fruit which i pulp fermented for 7 days, that dark elderberry tannin never softened!

I am intending to produce a dry fruity medium bodied wine, so may lower the elderberry content and increase other fruit

Denis

Reply to
ddan

Oh for the patience (or well enough stocked cellar) to leave wines for

6 years!

Today I went for a journey round the local area and found sloes, damsons and greengages a plenty, so a blend it is. As long as I have enough honey I will have a play with a slow maturing elder..

Denis

Reply to
ddan

I have made an elderberry and grape wine using (IIRC - it was about 8 years ago) about a couple of pounds of elder and about 4 or so of grape to make a couple of gallons of wine. It did seem more mellow than the normal elderberry wine and was certainly drinkable after a year.

The best wine I ever made was a straight elderberry wine - but I did leave it to mature for at least 4 years. Actually I forgot about it and discovered it in the back of a cupboard when we had a tidy up. It was gorgeous.

Reply to
malc

I have no idea, these were from a friend's garden and were a touch over ripe. It was a case of make wine now or top up the compost heap.

Reply to
malc

DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.