Homemade Elderflower Champagne and Cordial
Elderflower is the archetypal flavour of the British summer; these are my recipes for homemade Elderflower Champagne and cordial.
Both recipes require just 4 ingredients, and are very easy to make, but they do take time and patience. However, you get either "free" booze or the most incredible flowery summer cordial!
Elderflower Champagne
I love nothing more than creating tasty things that I either find or grow in my garden. My elderflower champagne recipe is a triumph as far as that is concerned!
We are fortunate enough to have close on a dozen elder 'trees' in our garden. This time of year is the perfect time to turn them into a lightly fizzy, lightly alcoholic and gloriously refreshing summer's afternoon or evening treat.
This elderflower champagne recipe uses no fancy brewing kit, just stuff you should have lying around the house. Either that, or you can buy it from a supermarket or DIY store for next to no money.
In fact, both of these recipes involve just 4 simple ingredients. There should be enough natural yeast in the elderflower to get the fermentation happening if you are making the champagne.
Wild ingredients hold some special place in my heart. I have no idea where they come from, and they take no effort to look after.
Given the amount of work that goes into our cultivated crops, these things really are Mother Nature's marvels.
I wish I were better at using them, though. There can be no better feeling than heading into your garden or a local park and coming home with some beautiful ingredients to turn into something tasty.
What Does Elderflower Taste Like?
If you have never tried elderflower, you are in for a treat. I have added a simple elderflower cordial recipe too for those of you who want something a little simpler to try out the flavour.
The flavour of elderflower is unique. For me right up there with strawberries as the very essence of early summer flavours.
They are unmistakably floral and remind me in many ways of Floral Gums.
The elderflower bush or tree is simple to identify by the small 3-5mm diameter flowers, bunched in 10-25cm bunches. Don’t be afraid to get your nose in there for a special treat; the sweet floral aroma is heavenly.
I usually make this recipe in massive quantities, but I have scaled it down here, and it works beautifully.
So either make a manageable portion or scale it up and go big.
The light alcohol content of between 1 and 2% will not leave you with a stonking hangover or crawling around the garden on all fours.
Try to harvest and make your Elderflower Champagne recipe in the morning. I always find that the aromas and flavours are greatly intensified if they have not been baked by the summer sun all day!
Elderflower Cordial
This is a rare post that contains two recipes for you. An Elderflower cordial recipe joins the Elderflower champagne recipe.
As you can see from the two recipes below, there is no difference in the ingredients between elderflower cordial and champagne. Only the ratios differ, and of course, the fact that elderflower cordial is not fermented.
Elderflower has a strong association with 'Victorian' Britain. However, it is an ancient idea dating back to Roman times and likely before that.
Elderflower grows throughout Europe, North East Africa and Western. It typically blooms between May and June. So sorry, US readers, you may have to skip this one, but I would love to hear if it is popular out there.
Elderflower Champagne Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 l Water 5¼ quarts
- 18 Large Elderflower Heads
- 700 g Sugar 3½ Cups
- 3 Lemons
Instructions
- Harvest your Elderflower: You are looking for large, clean heads between 15-20cm in diameter and sort through to remove any bugs or other debris
- Heat 2 litres of water to just below boiling point, and pour it into a large sterilised bucket and add the sugar. Stir until the Sugar has dissolved.
- Add 3 litres of cold water.
- Zest and juice the lemons into the bucket.
- Add the Elderflower. Cover with a muslin cloth firmly secured to prevent any creepy crawlies from invading, and leave to sit for 3 days.
- Leave for a further 3 days and then strain through a sterilised muslin cloth and allow to sit for a couple of hours to allow it to settle.
- Siphon off into bottles of your choice, ensuring that you release the pressure of the fermentation every 2-3 days to prevent any exploding bottles.After 2 weeks, your champagne will be ready to drink!
NOTES
Elderflower Cordial Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 kg Sugar 12½ Cups
- 25 Large Elderflower Heads
- 6 Lemons
- 1.5 L Water
Instructions
- Add 1.5 litres of water to a large saucepan with the sugar and heat without boiling until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Bring the syrup to a boil and then take it off the heat.
- Add the juice and zest of the Lemons and the elderflower heads to the liquid and allow to steep for 24 hours.
- Strain the resulting syrup through a sterilised muslin cloth and decant into a bottle or bottles.
How long will the champagne keep for? Thanks.
Hey Geraldine... Kept correctly in a pretty cool dark place it should last right through till the end of summer.
Although I usually run out by mid August.
Enjoy 🙂
Brian
Hi,
I have made up a batch of Elderflower fizz and it was ready to drink today! It’s extremely fizzy and we had a few corks pop off when we bottled it in regular wine bottles so we poured it in to a plastic bottle- much better! I tasted it tonight, it’s drier than I thought it would be, is that right? I suppose champagne and cava are dry..?
In my experience the level of sweetness and dryness varies greatly from batch to batch, using the wild yeasts in the flowers really does add a massive level of unpredictability, which is on of the reasons that I love it.
I always use plastic bottles, they tend to work better for me, although I have had a couple explode when I forgot to release the pressure!
Hi, I've had my elderflower champagne in the fridge for nearly two weeks. They are lying on their side and there is a bit of sediment.... tastes a bit sweet and has a decent fizz (doesn't pop too much)... my question is does this sound ok? Also I need the space in my fridge now. Can I store the finished bottles of elderflower champagne in a cupboard rather than the fridge? Many thanks.
Hi Debbie... I've never stored my elderflower champagne in the fridge other than to chill it before serving. So yes from my point of view free up all the space that you need.
The cooler temperatures of the fridge will likely slow the fermentation which may speed up again when you remove them from the fridge but if it smells good then it all sounds good from your descriptions.
@Brian Jones, Thanks Brian!
You are welcome 🙂
Hi, I hope you can help me. I wish I'd seen your recipe whilst I was doing my research! I've got two batches of Elderflower Champagne (I used a YouTube video from WildFoodUK) made a week or so apart. The first batch is lightly fizzy and smells very sweet, almost like pear drops. And the second batch is VERY fizzy and has a slightly dry smell. It doesn't smell bad. But it doesn't smell sweet and flowery like the first one. My question is what is Elderflower Champagne meant to smell like? And if the first batch is the correct smell, is there any way to save the second batch?
Thank you,
Maddy
Hey Maddy... I am far from an expert I just make the stuff yer in and year out and have had a number of disasters as well as a boatload of success.
I assume that you are not using wild yeast and as such are relying on yeast from the flower itself to cause fermentation? This by its very nature causes huge differences in fermentation times and types. The champagne should smell flowery and sweet and as the fermentation process continues and then it will lose some of the sweet smell as the sugar is converted to alcohol although it should have a floral odour.
It is really difficult to tell but I suspect that your second batch maybe further along in the process than the second and you are not noticing the floral smell due to the profound differences between batches. This could very well be the case due to harvesting the flowers at a different time in their growth cycle or even just at a different time of day. I have had batches start 3 days apart from the same tree where one batch as worked beautifully and the other just sat there and did nothing.
But as with everything food based I would be tempted to err on the side of caution, if that dry smell is musty or "mousey" in any way I would personally dump it.
Sorry I do not have a definitive answer, with stuff like this there are rarely absolutes.
If you do go with that second batch be sure to release pressure in those bottles, the stickiness from an exploded bottle takes forever to get rid of, although the smell is divine!
Good luck
Brian
Hi,how should you store the champagne and how long will it keep in plastic bottles.Do the plastic bottles need to be from carbonated drinks or are any bottles ok?
Thanks
Claire
Hi Claire... I have used regular plastic bottles as well as regular bottles so long as you remember to release the pressure periodically they should be fine. I have no idea about maximum longevity. I've increased this recipe 5 fold and made large batches. That lasted 10 weeks from starting drinking and it was fine, but we ran out then teehee!
Hello there,I was also wondering about the alcohol % as I haven't seen anywhere mentioned.
Thank you
Sabi
Hey Sabi... It varies considerably and I have not measured it but I would put an educated guess on it being between 1.5 and 2.5%.
I am Jenny Spring in eketahuna and have just started making elderflower champagne thanks to your recipe! My daughter lives near Arrowtown and has been making the cordial for a few years. Christmas with Elderflower champagne will be tres magnifique!! It is good to be alive in this great little town!
How cool is that, my little Elderflower recipe being enjoyed all the way down in NZ (yes I did need to Google that) for Christmas 🙂 Many happies to ya!
I've made this with 2 kg sugar - it's convenient as you buy sugar in 2-kg packs and cutting down by half a kilo doesn't seem to make any difference: it's still delicious.
Thanks Michael, glad you like it, it is one of my favourite summer slurps.
Hi, what do you do if after 3 days there is slight mould growth? I’ve added the yeast as also not fermenting. The bucket was new and I used the steriliser prior to use.
It would seem that this is a 'thing' this year, I rely on wild yeasts in this recipe and on occasions it can go wrong... Mother nature is very fickle, there is a remote chance that you can rescue by syphoning off the wine leaving behind the top. Then adding Campden tablets, the amount will be defined by the size of your brew, allow the campden tablets to do their business and then restart the fermentation with champagne yeast.
I'll be updating my post in the coming days with a what to do if it goes wrong section.
Good luck!
Can I freeze the flowers before use? They are blooming now but I have to leave town for 2 weeks...
Hey Renee
Now that is a good question and one I had not considered. I have done a little research and the answer seems to be yes, I found this forum chat about it https://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=52136.0
Good luck and please come back and let me know how it works, I would love to hear about a first hand experience 🙂
I wish I had seen your recipes first! Your recipes are the best I've seen in fact, I have a question since I have 2 gallons of "elder" stuff made up. I strained the flowers and lemons out the end of the 2nd day. It has set on the counter in closed jars for a week. I was hoping to slightly ferment it. There has been a layer develop on the top. Now, I'm afraid that it might not be safe to consume. I have no concerns about contamination, the kitchen is kept clean. Any thoughts would be appreciated. By the way, we just put out 1000 elderberry cuttings this year in phase 1!
I have a layer on top of my Champagne that is about 1/2 thick. I dissolved the sugar in water and poured it over the lemons and elderflowers. I let it set for 2 days and strained out the flowers and lemons. I let this set out for a week. It now has the layer collected at the top. I've opened the lids occasionally to let off any gasses; although I haven't noticed any. Now I am wondering if it is safe to drink. I keep a clean kitchen and so I'm not concerned about contamination. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I wish I had found your recipe before I started!
I wish I had seen your recipes first! Your recipes are the best I've seen in fact, I have a question since I have 2 gallons of "elder" stuff made up. I strained the flowers and lemons out the end of the 2nd day. It has set on the counter in closed jars for a week. I was hoping to slightly ferment it. There has been a layer develop on the top. Now, I'm afraid that it might not be safe to consume. I have no concerns about contamination, the kitchen is kept clean. Any thoughts would be appreciated. By the way, we just put out 1000 elderberry cuttings this year in phase 1!
I have a layer on top of my Champagne that is about 1/2 thick. I dissolved the sugar in water and poured it over the lemons and elderflowers. I let it set for 2 days and strained out the flowers and lemons. I let this set out for a week. It now has the layer collected at the top. I've opened the lids occasionally to let off any gasses; although I haven't noticed any. Now I am wondering if it is safe to drink. I keep a clean kitchen and so I'm not concerned about contamination. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I wish I had found your recipe before I started!
I wish I had seen your recipes first! Your recipes are the best I've seen in fact, I have a question since I have 2 gallons of "elder" stuff made up. I strained the flowers and lemons out the end of the 2nd day. It has set on the counter in closed jars for a week. I was hoping to slightly ferment it. There has been a layer develop on the top. Now, I'm afraid that it might not be safe to consume. I have no concerns about contamination, the kitchen is kept clean. Any thoughts would be appreciated. By the way, we just put out 1000 elderberry cuttings this year in phase 1!
Hi Sherrie, sorry it took me while to respond we had a super busy weekend. I'm afraid I don't have a tonne of first hand advice for you we, we did abandon one of our attempts one year as a crust had formed on top but it was only on a single batch and we have not had it since. I would definitely say that if you are concerned in any way then err on the side of caution and try another batch if you can.
Good luck with the 1000 cuttings that sounds like a mountain of work, we have maybe a dozen in our garden and rarely use all of them 🙂
I have a layer on top of my Champagne that is about 1/2 thick. I dissolved the sugar in water and poured it over the lemons and elderflowers. I let it set for 2 days and strained out the flowers and lemons. I let this set out for a week. It now has the layer collected at the top. I've opened the lids occasionally to let off any gasses; although I haven't noticed any. Now I am wondering if it is safe to drink. I keep a clean kitchen and so I'm not concerned about contamination. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I wish I had found your recipe before I started!
The only elderflower cocktail I've ever had was in an awesome restaurant in Savannah, SC and it was super delicious! Glad you brought back the memory, and maybe I'll attempt my own now!
I hope so, it is super simple to work with and free for us given we have about 20 Elderflower bushes in our garden and who does not like free booze 😀
I have made elderflower on several occasions but sometimes there is no fizz. Why does this happen. (I mix it with good quality sparkling water) and still tastes great. Just wondered what I was doing wrong.
A lack of fizz when making elderflower champagne usually means a lack of fermentation, this can be as a result of lots of things. Whether the yeast has been killed off with excessive heat or even a lack of natural yeast form the flowers themselves.
If your elderflower champagne does not need 'burping' then you can try kick-starting the fermenting process by treating with Campden tablets then adding champagne yeast and depending on how much sugar you added more sugar.
Good luck 🙂
I have tons of elderflower liqueur and syrup in my cabinets but don't think I even knew what the real flowers looked like til now! These look amazing and so refreshing.
Hehe, I love elderflower, you can even use the flowers in salads which a pretty but way too much of a faff for me as you can't wash them so you need to brush the bugs and cobwebs away 😮 Shortly after the flowering season goes away they turn in to tiny dark berries which are the 'elderberry' that you may come across and they have a completely different flavour and make a lovely wine and liqueur.
My grandmother used to make something similar to this, but I'm sure she used to harvest the plants and dry them. She would steep them and made a elderflower tea - she swore it would cure all ailments, but I'm sure that's because her tea was brewed with alcohol and she just couldn't feel her headache anymore after drinking it. 🙂 Looks very pretty!
Haha, I swear by alcohol as a cure all with a hot toddy being the greatest of them all. Not heard of drying elderflower, but I reckon if you harvested the flowers and then dried them then they would make something close to a nice tea.
This is amazing!! I have to find some elderflowers!! Thanks so much for sharing this on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, I've pinned it and am sharing it 🙂
Thanks Danielle, hopefully you can finds some... Both the cordial and the champagne recipes are so stupidly simple it hurts and as far as I am concerned it aint summer with out lashings of both of them 😀
I finally pulled my finger out this year and made my own cordial, next year it has to be fizz! 🙂
The fizz is a real treat... Don't forget to 'burp' the bottles though, we had one explode this year 😮
I was first introduced to elderflowers in Hungary. There's a brand which sells elderflower kefir that I absolutely adore! Have you come across it there? Alas I have never seen elderflowers here in Spain. Might have to come visit to get a glass of this ay!
I have not stumbled across Elderflower Kefir, I'll keep my eyes open next time we head into town... Strange you should mention that though as I am on a rare foray into the world of sweet food this week and should have an elderflower & yoghurt desert hitting the blog either this evening or tomorrow 🙂
This would have made the perfect libation for this past holiday weekend. Fortunately we don't need a holiday for an excuse to try something that looks and sounds this wonderful; thanks for sharing and for the inspiration.
Thanks Dan, hope you enjoy... Aint nothing finer than kicking back in the garden with 'free booze' particularly if it is heady with elderflower and watching the world pass by 🙂
Love the idea of using Elderflower hearts! Looks amazing! Pinned! (definitely need to try it)
You really should, for me the taste of elderflower is my favourite part of summer, the season is pitifully short though... Fortunately I made 30 litres of the champagne 🙂