This is the recipe to make 11.5 litres (2.5 gallons) of Elderberry Wine.
Ingredients:
9 litres of Elderberries.
11.5 litres water
4 kg. sugar
1 large orange
3 small lemons
0.5 kg sultanas
0.5 kg raisins
3 Shredded Wheat (yes, Shredded Wheat, the breakfast cereal)
3 sachets bakers yeast
The Elderberries are cut from the tree in 'hands'. The berries should be cut from the main stems of the hands. The small thin stems should be discarded. The 9 litres measurement is taken after the hands have been trimmed and with the berries gently pressed down in whatever measuring vessel is used.
Instructions
Boil up the prepared elderberries in water. It is not necessary to use the full 11.5 litres of water - a smaller quantity can be used and then topped-up. Boil for about 20 minutes.
While the elderberries are boiling, get together all the other ingredients and slice up the oranges and lemons.
After 20 minutes, strain the liquid from the elderberries into the fermenting vessel. A large strainer (e.g. gravy strainer) is useful for straining the liquid. Top up the liquid in the fermenting vessel to 11.5 litres with hot water.
Stir in the sugar, then add the sultanas, raisins, oranges and lemons and crumble up the shredded wheat and drop it on the top.
When the liquid has cooled, add the yeast and ferment for three weeks, stirring each day for the first three days.
After three weeks, strain the wine into 5 litre (1 gallon) demijohns, cork lightly (or use an airlock). Leave in a cool dark place for one year and then bottle the wine. Filter if necessary.
