Dried Elderberry Wine Thoughts?

Winemaking
1

Going to make 1 gal of Dried Elderberry Wine, wanted to run it past you guys as I’m new to it.

8 ounces dried elderberries
3 pounds sugar
7 pints water
1 additive packet (acid blend, yeast nutrient and potassium metabisulfite)
1 packet of Montrachet yeast

Bring water to a boil with sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved and water is clear.

Wash dried elderberries and put them in the nylon straining bag with the glass weight stones. Then place bag in primary fermenter.

Pour hot sugar-water over the elderberries and put the lid and airlock loosely on your primary fermenter.

When cool stir in additive pack and replace the lid and airlock (sealed tightly). Set aside for 12 hours.

After 12 hours, add hydrated yeast and ferment on the berries until s.g. drops to 1.010, stirring and lightly squeezing the bag daily.

Rack onto secondary fermenter, leaving berries behind, attach airlock and ferment to dryness. Rack every 30 days wine is no longer dropping lees (sediment).

Bottle and let age for at least one month.

I dont really see how I’m going to be squeezing the bag daily, maybe have to get a stick or something I can jam into the neck of a 1gal jug, also it seems like a LOT of racking, if you have any suggestions I’d be grateful.

2

Personally, I would drop your elderberries to 6oz and add 1lb of drk raisins. Should put your sugar in the 2lb range.
I wouldn’t heat either. Just place berries & chopped raisins in nylon bag in primary. Stir in campden, water, sugar, acid blend, and nurtrient. Allow to set for 24hrs. Add yeast. Stir daily and press pulp. Rack to secondary when SG has reached 1.025. Rack again when fermentation is complete and as needed for clearing.

Also good with oaking.
RC-212 is a good yeast strain for this wine.

3

Great, thank you for your insight, makes sense.

4

Hi,
I would recommend getting a two gallon plastic pail, which I personally use for my 1 gallon wine batches. I also would recommend letting the wine bottle age six months at least. Elderberry’s have a lot of tannins, and like a good full bodied red need time to mature in the bottle. Also I only rack as needed/time permits If I see a good amount of sediment I rack, and if you rack too often you risk the chance of oxidating your wine.
Derek