
Ingredients
- 10-15 Elderflower heads
- 1 & 1/2 lbs Sugar
- 2 Limes, quartered (or 1 Lemon quartered)
- 2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Citric Acid
- 3 Pints boiling water
- Champagne/Sparkling Wine Yeast – a pinch of
Some call it Elderflower Champagne. I call it a Fizz. A beer-strength, Lime-tinged Floral Summery Fizz at that. One that can redecorate your house in the twinkling of an eye, so make sure you’re careful & always chill before opening.
How to
*This makes 3 Champagne/Prosecco/Cava bottles – double the recipe for a gallon*
Every self-respecting foraging/homebrewing wannabe has a fizzy, alcoholic Elderflower-based recipe they like to use & use & use. They usually call it Elderflower Champagne, but mine is going to be called a ‘Fizz’ – to differentiate it from the full-strength Champagne-style wines I like to make. Sue me.
Pick your Elderflowers as close to Noon on a warm, sunny day. Yes, i know what 2015 has been like, just go with it, OK?
Strip as much stalk as you can from the flowers, and place the flowers in a sterilised bucket.
Throw in the Lime (you can also use Lemon – just use the one though) quarters, Acid, Cider Vinegar & Sugar.
Pour on the boiling water.
Leave to cool then add the pinch of Champagne Yeast.
Ferment for 5-6 days & taste to ensure it is still sweet.
If so, bottle in Champagne bottles with cages & allow to ferment for a further 14 days before opening.
NB: Elderflower Fizz is very volatile. I have private videos of me opening a bottle, it decorating the kitchen, and what remains being squeezed out of my t-shirt into a glass to work out if it was a good batch or not. DO NOT bottle in old plastic Coke bottles as they will not hold the amount of pressure that will build up, and you will spend a large amount of time cleaning up – apparently.
Before opening, always refrigerate!