Wine Making · Advanced
Elderberry Wine
A full-bodied country wine built around correctly identified, ripe elderberries. Use only edible, properly prepared fruit and a recipe from a trusted source.
Batch size19 L (5 US gal)
Estimated ABV9–13%
Estimated OG / FG1.080–1.095 / 0.998–1.010
Recipe parameters are estimates, not guarantees. Measure gravity and follow yeast, nutrient, sanitation, and safe-packaging instructions for your ingredients and equipment.
Ingredients and batch scaling
- 3–5 kgripe elderberries, destemmed and prepared safely
- water and fermentable sugarAdjust to the measured recipe target.
- 1 packetwine yeastUse a suitable nutrient plan.
- acid additionsOptional; base adjustments on measurements and bench trials.
Method
- Confirm fruit identification and preparation from a reliable food-preservation reference.
- Sanitize equipment; prepare fruit and measure volume, gravity, and acidity.
- Pitch yeast and manage the fruit cap with sanitized equipment.
- Press or remove solids when the recipe specifies; finish fermentation in a topped-up vessel.
- Confirm stable gravity, allow the wine to clear, and package using sound stabilization practice.
Suggested fermentation timeline
- Day 0: prepare fruit and pitch yeast.
- Days 1–7: manage the cap and log temperature.
- Weeks 1–3: press, transfer, and monitor gravity.
- Months 2–6: allow clearing and maturation; bottle only when stable.
Scaled quantities are proportional estimates. Yeast pitch rates, process losses, and equipment efficiency may not scale linearly.