Elderflower/Elderberry Ultimate Guide

Step 1

Pick your elderflowers in the morning before it gets too hotGive each flower head a good shake to get rid of any creepy crawlies, although you will strain them out later.Snip the tiny flower heads off the thick stalks, leaving only the thin stalks attached to the flowers. The thick stalks are toxic.Place in the mason jar, along with the cut up lemon and pour the vodka in until it completely covers the lemon and the flowers. (This should prevent the flowers from turning brown but don’t worry as an odd few will only result in a darker liqueur and it won’t ruin the taste).Place in a cool, dark place for two to four weeks.Make a sugar syrup by gently heating the sugar with the water until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool before using.Strain the elderflower, lemon and vodka liquid through a muslin cloth or cheese cloth into a bowl.Add half the sugar syrup and taste for sweetness before adding the remaining syrup if required. I use all of the syrup and I find it isn’t overly sweet.Pour into clean sterilized bottles and leave for for two months in a cool dark place to mature.Keeps for years but will darken with age.

Step 2

Lisa says: September 1, 2022 at 7:21 PM Nice post! We have two large elderberries adjacent to our cottage in Quebec. I’ve made excellent no-sugar jam from the berries, although I will say harvesting and prepping is a bit tedious.Delicious, though. Reply Pingback: Elderflower/Elderberry Ultimate Guide – ManagedGarden.com