Elderflower champagne

There's never nowt as simple as it seems is there.

Cleaned the 'Mash tub' with bleach and water, dried it, put water in the bottom to make sure tap seal wasn't leaking.......great everything was OK!
Added all the ingredients then noticed tub was damp around the base. Great sez I as I rolled up my sleeves and stuck my hand inside contents to secure the inner nut on the tap. Would you credit it, it was cross threaded and leaked worse after tightening!

I had to tip half of liquid out into a large bowl and tilt tub back in the kitchen sink so that I could remove tap and still leave a goodly amount of liquid in it. Luckily tap on barrel was same size and had a decent rubber seal. Fitted that and all seems fine now as I stood it up again and re-added liquid from bowl.

I now have a sticky arm and a very sticky kitchen floor off the sugared water. Added an extra litre to tub because of spillage

Piccie is of old perished seal, looks to be home made cork seal (probably me that made it many years ago, rather than spend 10 pence on a new rubber seal)

I' e drank five bottles of my elder-flower pop now. How's everyone elses doing?

I know its hot today, but 5 bottles of pop!!
Only joking - as usual I waited too long to pick elderflowers. I'd seen a recipe for elderflower and lemon balm cordial which sounded interestng. It'll have to wait until 2022 to find out!

I find if you leave it too long it gets a sulphur smell and has far too much gas.

I still have 10 litres in a barrel so might try a wee snifter of that and see what its like?

Had our first glass last night. From the barrel. Flipping thing keeps leaking from the joint around the tap, when the pressure builds. Good excuse to get on and drink it.

Bumping this as the elderflower is starting down here and you may want to get your brewing kit ready.
There are other threads about making Cordial if you're teetotal.

I did mention to myself this morning that it’s nearly lemon buying time   .
I need 10 for my recipe.

I have a big purple elder tree that is about a week away from bursting into bloom! It better wait until I'm back from my holidays!

I have a big purple elder tree that is about a week away from bursting into bloom! It better wait until I'm back from my holidays!

I have a couple of purple elderflower trees also. I read some where that there are loads of different species of elderflowers and they all have differing tastes.

Which reminds me, I still have a quarter of a barrel of last years stuff which might be ok, don't know. I will have to try it though because I need the barrel for this years harvest!

I did mention to myself this morning that it’s nearly lemon buying time   .
I need 10 for my recipe.

I know you are a bit off the beaten track but I make a special journey to Lidl to buy lemons. I have freshly squeezed  lemon juice first drink every morning (supposed to be good for dissolving kidney stones) so as you can imagine I go through quite a lot! I usually buy two weeks worth at a time as lidl have the juiciest and biggest lemons!