Elder trees

Helmet

Quick question, does anyone know what time of year elder trees flower?

looksee

Around mid May I think, it could vary a bit depending on where you are.
http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/elder.htm Interesting website here which suggests June, but I think it is earlier than that, but I live on the south coast.

Helmet

Great stuff, thanks.
I'm up on the Northeast coast, hoping to make elderflower Champagne when the times right!

anotherfinemess

May here (W Cork)

dardevle

....


with the way the weather was last year, they did'nt fully open until the first week of June when we got that nice warm spell..(up in the northwest):)




.....

Degsy

Helmet wrote: »

Great stuff, thanks.
I'm up on the Northeast coast, hoping to make elderflower Champagne when the times right!

I make it most years..its usually mid-may or thereabouts..pick the flowers when they're open and white..you'll know because the whole countryside will be full of them.
On a side note when making the champagne,adding abit of beer yeast to the mixture and leaving it for two weeks instead of one will give you a more potent and generally better drink..the wild yeast in the flowers alone may not be enough to ferment properly.
Good luck!!

Helmet

Degsy wrote: »

I make it most years..its usually mid-may or thereabouts..pick the flowers when they're open and white..you'll know because the whole countryside will be full of them.
On a side note when making the champagne,adding abit of beer yeast to the mixture and leaving it for two weeks instead of one will give you a more potent and generally better drink..the wild yeast in the flowers alone may not be enough to ferment properly.
Good luck!!

Great stuff Degsy, thanks.

When you say "a bit" of brewers yeast, how much do you reckon? I'm hoping to make about 10 litres.

dardevle

..... while the countryside may be white with elderflowers, try and source the flowers off the beaten path, that is to say away from the hedgerows on the roadside that can be affected by carbon monoxide..... also if you pick the flowers at just the right time of year then yeast may not be required( if you give it a couple of days to see if fermentation is taking place) if not then add a pinch of yeast, maybe 2 for 10 liters.... and make sure to decant it into strong bottles , like swing top grolsch bottles or screw top soda bottles because it can get up quite a head of steam!...