I used to have good success with elderflower champagne. The last two years though, have been a write off. The first time everything went gloopy (like egg white) and tasted pretty off. Last year the brew went mouldy in the fermentation bucket after just a couple of days.
Given everything was properly sterilized I am thinking that the only source of contamination is the flowers.
Has anyone tried boiling the flowers? Or is this unnecessary and I've just been unlucky?
We are think of adding a campden tablet to the mix and leaving for 24 hours before adding some wine/champagne yeast.
I would be worried that boiling might change the flavour, however, for cordial recipes you generally adding boiling water to no ill effect...
Do you have a particular favorite recipe to share?
Being a bit of a homebrewer brewer I gave it a shot 2 years ago- bloody 'orrible it was- and quite dangerous in those cheap Ikea swingtop bottles! It did however get me shitfaced at a friends BBQ and produced one hell of a hangover. I didn't bother boiling the flowers, not sure what that tells you!
Will have to give it another go.
Chers,
Jamie
Don't you typically use the yeast from the flowers to make the champagne? That's what we've always done.
Ours has always been bloody lovely by the by.
I think my problem was to leave too much stalk on the flowers, it had a certain 'earthy' note to it. I also added a packet of champagne yeast 'just to make sure'!
Cheers,
Jamie
Just used [url= http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/elderflower-champagne-recipe ]River Cottage[/url] recipe.
Further reading suggests champagne yeast can make it too dry (as opposed to sweat). Also read that pulling the flowers off with a fork reduces the amount of stalk that goes in.
No flowers here yet though so still some time to find the perfect recipe!