Flader, flader, flader!
It's the swedish word for what we in Britain call "elder" - a small native tree which is seen as a weed and pest by many gardeners but makes a frothy white aromatic flower around June & July here that has the ability to make people eulogise about how amazing the heady muscat grape type scent signifies the coming of summer ... while others moan about the smell of cat's pee which in concentrated form it also smells like!
I have to admit that before Gotlandssnus made their iconic green label snus (later called Jakobsson's Flader) - I'd only ever considered this an ingredient in home country winemaking. Elderflower cordial, champagne and wine are all standard fayre in the "back to basics" organic English products that have become trendy of late - and the deep dark purple berries that the flowers turn into during august and september are the staple of the home-winemaking hippie trying to make red wine from local wild produce.
So this year is definitely a good one for the British fan of the elderflower ... the flowers are all out in earnest at their frothy golden finery. I decided this was the year to get back in to winemaking and get a couple of gallons (12 bottles) of elderflower wine on the go.
2 gallons water
4.5 lbs sugar
1lb raisins
3 bananas
2 cans of concentrated grape juice
4tbsps honey
2 pints fresh elderflowers pressed down
2 tsps yeast nutrient
1 tsp grape tannin
1 sachet wine yeast
Boil the 2 gal water and bananas and raisins together for an hour (bananas are used to give good mouth feel/body in the wine)
In a sterilised vessel place the other ingredients and pour over the banana-ey, raisiney juice and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Wait until the mixture has cooled to about body temperature and pitch the yeast in and stir.
Cover the bucket and stir daily with a sterilised spoon. Heavy fermentation should happen for the first few days with lots of froth and bubbles, after it has calmed down (7 days or so) - strain the mixture in to a glass gallon jar (demijohn) and fit an airlock to allow the CO2 to escape without allowing spoiling bacteria in. Ferment for about 30 days until all activity has ceased and then get ready to clear and bottle it.
I can't wait for this to be ready and I will be making a full 5 gallon batch from the berries this year too ... will post the recipe I use this year here when I actually make it.
Elder (Flader) is a great plant - naturally abundant and easy to use.
It's the swedish word for what we in Britain call "elder" - a small native tree which is seen as a weed and pest by many gardeners but makes a frothy white aromatic flower around June & July here that has the ability to make people eulogise about how amazing the heady muscat grape type scent signifies the coming of summer ... while others moan about the smell of cat's pee which in concentrated form it also smells like!
I have to admit that before Gotlandssnus made their iconic green label snus (later called Jakobsson's Flader) - I'd only ever considered this an ingredient in home country winemaking. Elderflower cordial, champagne and wine are all standard fayre in the "back to basics" organic English products that have become trendy of late - and the deep dark purple berries that the flowers turn into during august and september are the staple of the home-winemaking hippie trying to make red wine from local wild produce.
So this year is definitely a good one for the British fan of the elderflower ... the flowers are all out in earnest at their frothy golden finery. I decided this was the year to get back in to winemaking and get a couple of gallons (12 bottles) of elderflower wine on the go.
2 gallons water
4.5 lbs sugar
1lb raisins
3 bananas
2 cans of concentrated grape juice
4tbsps honey
2 pints fresh elderflowers pressed down
2 tsps yeast nutrient
1 tsp grape tannin
1 sachet wine yeast
Boil the 2 gal water and bananas and raisins together for an hour (bananas are used to give good mouth feel/body in the wine)
In a sterilised vessel place the other ingredients and pour over the banana-ey, raisiney juice and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Wait until the mixture has cooled to about body temperature and pitch the yeast in and stir.
Cover the bucket and stir daily with a sterilised spoon. Heavy fermentation should happen for the first few days with lots of froth and bubbles, after it has calmed down (7 days or so) - strain the mixture in to a glass gallon jar (demijohn) and fit an airlock to allow the CO2 to escape without allowing spoiling bacteria in. Ferment for about 30 days until all activity has ceased and then get ready to clear and bottle it.
I can't wait for this to be ready and I will be making a full 5 gallon batch from the berries this year too ... will post the recipe I use this year here when I actually make it.
Elder (Flader) is a great plant - naturally abundant and easy to use.
Comment