Elderflower champagne is made by combining elderberry flowers, lemons, sugar, cider vinegar, and water. It can be made at home and takes about two weeks to mature. Elderflowers are also used for teas and have medicinal properties.
Elderflower champagne is a sparkling lemonade-like drink that is mildly alcoholic and is made by combining the white flower heads found on the elderberry tree, or Sambucus nigra, with lemons and sugar, cider vinegar, and water. There are some variations in the recipes, some of which involve the use of dry yeast, yet despite these different ingredients, champagne is always easy to make, even at home. Once made and bottled, sparkling wine generally takes about two weeks to mature and ferment, and continues to become more alcoholic the longer it is stored. It can usually last up to a couple of months when stored in a cool, dry place and is best served cold, straight from the fridge.
Depending on how much you want to produce, making a decent amount of elderflower champagne requires the use of large quantities of ingredients, so it’s best to use a bucket or large pot where everything can be easily combined. To produce around 10 liters of elderberry champagne, four large heads of elderberry must be freshly picked from an elderberry tree and then cleaned for any bugs or insects. Once cleaned, the flower heads can then be combined with two lemons, 2.2 lbs. (1 kg) of sugar and 4 tablespoons (60 mL) of white wine vinegar, in about 10 liters of cold water. The bucket must then be covered with a lid or cloth and left to rest for about 24 to 36 hours, after which it will be ready to be stored in sterilized bottles for about two weeks. There are variations in recipes that sometimes use yeast; however, the flowers of the elderberry tree have natural yeast, making it the essential ingredient for fermentation.
The elderberry tree is found in different parts of the world, including North Africa, Asia and Europe, and, for many centuries, its flowers and berries have been used for both consumption and medicinal purposes. In addition to making elderflower champagne, elderflowers are commonly used to make cordials and teas, and as they are a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C, they are widely consumed during the winter months to boost the immune system and prevent colds and influence. Elderberry is also used to detoxify and cleanse the body and, since Egyptian times, has been a great remedy for skin blemishes and improving complexions, making it a popular ingredient found in many skin cosmetics.
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