I'm getting all my bits n' pieces ready to make Elderflower champagne and was wondering if anyone has made it before. what bottles did you use!
babytears,
Oct 22, 2:22am
And Thank you :)
pickles7,
Oct 22, 3:08am
Go find your local bottle collection point, and gather up proper campaign type bottles. I wash them sterilise them and put a tissue over the top and a rubber band on that to make sure the hard work is not ruined on storage. I would sterilize them again just before filling them. Buy corks and cork cages at a brewing shop, or Bin inn.
babytears,
Oct 22, 7:16am
Fabulous. thank you! What are cork cages!
harrislucinda,
Oct 23, 4:27am
ijustusedthescrewtopdrinkbottlesOrareyougoing to sellthis
babytears,
Oct 23, 4:48am
No, not for sale. just to have at home. do mean just like plastic fizzy/lemonade bottles!
kuaka,
Oct 23, 6:13am
Cork cages (although I've never heard them called that before) are the wire thingies that go around the champagne corks (usually plastic these days) and hold them in place.You can only sell wines if you have a wine sellers licence (or so I believe, unless it has changed recently).You need proper "champagne" bottles, with a raised centre at the bottom, so that any sediment can settle around the outside edge of the base.
take a look in here , you may find it worthwhile. I wouldn't dream of putting a wine in a plastic bottle, you wine, deserves better.
babytears,
Oct 23, 6:51pm
Fab. thanks for that link! :)
kiwitrish,
Oct 23, 10:00pm
I didn't know that you could get elderflowers in NZ.I haven't had elderflower champagne in over 31 years.God I use to love it.Brings back happy memories of the UK.
kuaka,
Oct 23, 11:20pm
Apparently elderberries grow like weeds in parts of the south island.I bought 3 plants on my return from the UK a couple of years ago, having had my memories of elderberry wine revived, and the plants are really struggling.I paid $18 each for them, so fingers crossed they survive and produce.
harrislucinda,
Oct 24, 1:21am
what $18couldtakesmallplantsoffthesideoftherd
kuaka,
Oct 24, 2:37am
Yes, that's true, but I've never seen any up here to take.
babytears,
Oct 24, 6:34am
Oh my gosh. we have two flourishing trees (huge bushes - or whatever the proper term is). they do indeed grow like weeds down here. on our wee road trip today weeasily spotted at least 50 odd
kuaka,
Oct 24, 7:50am
Maybe when the fruit is ready, you could pick a heap and auction it.I'd bid.
babytears,
Oct 25, 7:20am
Hmmm. really. I might do that :)
barbra1,
Oct 25, 7:37am
elderflower shrubs/trees grow well in Wairarapa. A group of us at work made elderflower wine and opened it 6 weeks later at christmas lunch. each one was lovely and each one tasted different ! going to ry elderberries next time. we had a wide variety of bottles, some screwtop and some with the old fashionned tops with the swing-over wire to hold the topper in.
harrislucinda,
Oct 25, 8:10am
lastyearisentberriesup toatradershemadejam
purplegoanna,
Oct 25, 8:42am
id give anything to find enough flowers to make some wine for xmas, i always seem to find flowers/trees/shrubs that look like it but arent.
babytears,
Oct 26, 6:06pm
Now my partner wants to get a bottle capper and use his old beer bottles. hmmmm. probably taste the same, but wont have the same flair as champagne bottles. I'm having a hard time trying to track down champagne bottles in the Dunedin area. does anyone know where I could find some!
kuaka,
Oct 26, 6:50pm
Go to your local recycling centre or ask at your local pub, club, cafe, restaurant, if they can save you a few.They usually only get chucked out.And your local home brew shop will be able to supply you with corks and the wire cages you will need.Don't expect the corks to be cheap though you can use plastic corks which are cheaper and easier to use than real corks.
babytears,
Oct 26, 7:05pm
Thanks kuaka. geez you're clever. I didn't even think of asking the pub, cafe etc! Will get on to that asap!
kuaka,
Oct 26, 8:10pm
Not necessarily clever, just resourceful!
kuaka,
Oct 27, 12:19am
And there's three things to remember when making wine, that is "cleanliness, cleanliness, cleanliness".Everything must be completely sterile.
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