Elderflower Champagne

Name: Elderflower Champagne
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20190 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 7 to 8 large clusters (about 6-inch diameter) elderflowers, or 2 to 3 cups (4 to 6 ounces) dried organic elderflowers; 1 pound honey, or 1 1/2 pounds granulated sugar; 4 cups filtered or unchlorinated boiling water; 12 cups filtered or unchlorinated cold water; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, or juice and rind of 2 large lemons plus 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon wine yeast, or 1 small pinch baking yeast, optional

A naturally fermented sparkling beverage, elderflower "champagne" is created using elderflower clusters.

⭐ 4.4 (278 reviews) Prep: 10 minCook: 20 minTotal: 20190 minYields: 16 servings

Category Tags:

Beverage

Cuisine Tags:

American

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Instructions

Start boiling 4 cups of water.
Shake insects from elderflowers and remove thick stalks; do not wash them.
Dissolve honey or sugar in the boiling water.
Add 12 cups cold water, then stir in vinegar or lemon juice and elderflowers.
Cover and let mixture sit at room temperature for 48 hours, stirring twice daily.
If no fermentation signs after 48 hours, add 1/4 teaspoon wine yeast or a pinch of baking yeast, then wait another 48 hours, stirring occasionally.
Strain the liquid through a fine sieve to remove flowers and any lemon rind.
Transfer into clean plastic or glass screw-top bottles, leaving at least an inch of headspace; secure tops. Do not use flip-top or corked bottles.
Let bottles sit at room temperature for a week, "burping" daily. Move to the refrigerator for another week, "burping" occasionally.
Serve chilled or over ice.