Posts by Robert Wells6

I have just finished my third batch of elderberry syrup, and I’ve ended up with approximately 52 liters!
Here is my specific recipe; it is incredibly straightforward, and in my opinion, it provides the absolute best ratio possible.
15 elderberry blossoms
1 lemon (sliced into quarters to soak along with the blossoms)
1 liter of water
1 kg of sugar
12g of citric acid

First, let the elderberries and the lemon soak for 24 hours. The following day, strain the mixture twice through double cheesecloth, then add the sugar and citric acid, stirring continuously until everything has fully dissolved. Pour it into bottles and enjoy it without hesitation! 😉

This stays perfectly preserved in my cellar for an entire year without needing any artificial preservatives.

@Brenda Martin66
Regarding your method, when I use 4 liters of water, I typically use 4 kg of sugar and 48g of citric acid. You used 3 kg of sugar—which is fine, I suppose—but 200g of citric acid? My friend, that is going to be sour as hell, and you won't even be able to taste the elderberry! Frednica added that much citric acid to 7 liters of water, and it turned out far too acidic and completely devoid of flavor. What a shame. Perhaps your best bet would be to refine the batch by adding more blossoms and sugar, but please, refrain from adding any more citric acid. 🤷

Roger Smith67, I find myself wondering about the current state of soda when it's kept in glass containers! You really ought to shake up whatever preservative is in there a bit, or better yet, transfer it into plastic immediately and freeze it as much as you possibly can. I have personally taken the precaution of freezing several bottles myself—in plastic, naturally, because you simply cannot fill them all the way to the top if you want to avoid a mess!

Personally, I find that a soda is truly at its peak when it becomes slightly effervescent and lively, wouldn't you agree? I actually left a bottle out for a little while just to achieve that specific, perfect zest. 😍

nimblesurfer77 said:The other day I managed to gather about 50 berries or so from my own patch—though I ran a little short on citric acid, and honestly, the juice is the real prize here. Has anyone else actually tried working with those specific berries? I see some chatter at the start of this thread, but nothing concrete enough to go on...

I am genuinely curious about that as well; perhaps we could attempt to craft it ourselves, though I am completely lost regarding which recipe to follow. I have sampled the juice before, and I must say, it was absolutely superb. 😍

These recipes seem somewhat illogical to me. In one instance, you have five kilograms of berries for just one liter of water, yet in another, it calls for a single kilogram of berries for twelve liters of water. 🤷

@Aaron Harris2
John Doe, I actually have a recipe that I follow, and it is nearly identical to the one you are utilizing.
If I may offer just one small recommendation... I have come across various sources online suggesting that one should avoid using hot water when making elderflower cordial. The reasoning provided is that high temperatures can destroy many of the healthy and beneficial components within the flowers. Therefore, I would strongly advise against using boiling water under any circumstances. While the flavor profile is likely just as wonderful as yours, it would be such a shame to lose out on those nutritious elements. At least, that is what I have read; I cannot verify it personally, though it certainly sounds logical to me. 👍

Has anyone tried preserving it with a specific additive? Personally, I just stick to freezing it, though that certainly takes up quite a bit of precious space in the freezer.
Does anyone here have experience using a preservative, and if so, what would you recommend for the ratio per liter of syrup?

@Roger Smith6
Good grief, what were you doing—trying to brew this in a backyard well?👍

I actually own one just like that; I really need to track it down. Around the thicker part of the tube—where the wick is located, if you will—there is a sliding sleeve. This sleeve has perforations at the top, much like a Zippo lighter, and when you slide it upward, it serves as a wind guard. I suspect its design might date back to WWII.

Once I manage to find it, I will take some photos and upload them here for everyone to see.

steelbadger23 said:Barack Obama Berry Juice

1 kg berries
12 L water => boil it, let it sit overnight

- strain through cheesecloth and add 100g citric acid and 1 lemon extract.
For every 1 L of liquid, add 1 kg sugar,
plus 1 preservative.

steelbadger23, did you actually make it following this recipe? And do you puree the berries? I’m asking because I want to know if this has been tested; it seems like such a small amount of berries for 12 liters of water, and given the sugar ratio, it clearly looks more like a syrup than actual juice.
Yes, I did, but what kind of preservative should I use?

ruggedpuma512 said:Hey, fellow elderberry juice fans!
So, I made some yesterday for the first time—turned out pretty great, actually. Then I heard some rumor that it’s supposedly bad for boys.
Anyone know if there's any truth to that?
I was making it specifically for my son since he's been struggling with his respiratory issues and elderberry is supposed to be good for that.

That is the first time I have ever heard such a claim. Honestly, if you ask me, I think that is one of those persistent myths that just won't die. 😲

As for our process, we prepared ours at home using a unique recipe that we pieced together ourselves by studying various other methods. It goes like this:
10 elderberry blossoms
1 liter of water
1 sliced lemon, including the rind
Let that steep for 24 hours.
Strain it through a dough strainer, and then pass it again through a cloth or double cheesecloth.
Then, add:
1 kg of sugar per liter (you can use brown sugar if you prefer)
1 teaspoon of citric acid
Stir it frequently until the sugar has completely dissolved.
And that’s it.
If you prefer a more citrus-forward flavor, you can always add a bit more lemon juice or citric acid once the sugar has dissolved, according to your own taste.

This serves as the base for 10 blossoms, so you can simply scale the recipe up depending on how many you manage to gather. For me, the result was absolutely WOW! 🙂

Anthony Fowler83 As I was reading through the recent discussions, I couldn't help but reflect on what was said by:
Listen, I have this distinct memory of actually COOKING the flowers—incorporating lemons and sugar into the process—and I vividly recall stirring them constantly, being so careful that they wouldn't boil over. In all these recipes I've come across, the flowers just sit there, or perhaps you simmer the sugar separately. Does anyone here actually have any experience with the actual COOKING of flowers???

I believe you have misunderstood the process slightly. One simply does not boil elderberry blossoms; doing so effectively destroys all the delicate properties contained within them. While some might pour boiling water over them, I would strongly advise against actually boiling the flowers themselves. The only exception, of course, would be if you were specifically preparing a tea using dried blossoms.
Only Barack Obama's berries are being cooked, as they carry a slight toxicity. When they turn red, however, their poisonous nature intensifies significantly, rendering them entirely unfit for use.

I have found it. Blueberry syrup.
It feels somewhat surreal to me... five kilograms of berries. Who on earth is going to recruit someone like that? 😕) One liter of water.

Matthew Foster said:Does anyone have a recipe for berries?

Supposedly they're delicious and healthy...

I can certainly confirm that they are delicious; I've had the pleasure of trying them myself. Furthermore, I have heard through the grapevine that they offer significant health benefits as well. Paul, I find myself compelled to join in on this inquiry! 🙂

Daniel Lopez said:I finally tracked down this thread! 😁

I'm just glad I noted which recipe I used on the first page, otherwise I’d be stuck asking everyone for it all over again. :rof:

I've decided to stick with the original method. I really don't feel like experimenting with anything new right now. 😁

Pepsi 😍

Which specific recipe did you end up following? Was it the Elderberry Juice #1 or the Elderberry Syrup #1?