Elderflower champagne

Elderflower champagne is a wonderful summertime drink, yet for a long time I didn’t make it myself as I wasn't sure I could correctly identify the plant. This post will help you to be able to do that and also give a recipe for this delicious beverage.

The Elder (Sambucus nigra) is a shrub or a small tree so the flowers grow from the tree and not from the ground. This may sound fairly obvious but Cow Bane (Oxypolis rigidior) is a toxic plant which has similar looking flowers growing from the ground, so it's important to make this point.

The mature bark of the tree has a corky appearance. Its serrated, feather-shaped opposing leaves are generally found in groups of five to nine. Leaves organised in groups are known as compound leaves (for more information on describing leaves see the post "7 details to observe on a leaf").

Growing in clusters close to the leaves, the small, star-shaped elderflowers have a distinctive smell and often attract blackfly. They are rich in flavonoids including quercetin and kaempferol [1]. The flowers in the picture on the left are white but they gradually become cream-coloured as they mature. Depending on where you live they will be ready to pick in May or June when the flowers are fully open and have a strong smell.

A quick way of harvesting the flowers is to twist at the base of the cluster. They should be shaken once picked to get rid of insects. Do not wash the flowers as this will remove the scent and the natural yeasts.

Elderflower Champagne recipe

Ingredients:

• Eight large flower heads with stalks removed

• 800g sugar

• 5 litres of unchlorinated water (spring or filtered, or tap water left to stand for a few hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate)

• 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

• 3 organic lemons

1. Dissolve the sugar in 2 litres of hot water in the container you plan to use. Personally, I use large glass jars.

2. When the sugar is completely dissolved, top up the container with 3 litres of cold water and allow to cool.

3. Add the Elderflower florets, the zest and juice of 3 lemons and three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Mix well.

4. Cover the container with a cloth held on by an elastic band.

5. Stir the mixture vigorously at regular intervals during the first 48 hours. Elderflowers are rich in natural wild yeasts which are necessary to break down the sugar and start the fermentation process.

6. Once the flowers float to the top and you small bubbles start to appear, it's time to filter and bottle the mixture. This process can take a few days depending on room temperature and the wild yeasts present in the flowers. Swing-cap glass bottles are ideal for Elderflower champagne. You should leave 5 cms at the top of the bottle.

7. Leave the bottles out on the counter for a day or so before chilling them for a couple of weeks. During this time open the bottles regularly to allow the gas to escape.

Although many English speakers refer to this popular drink as Elderflower champagne, the word "champagne" can legally only be used to describe sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France. In French it is,therefore, known as Elderflower Lemonade.

This delicate floral beverage is perfect for summertime gatherings. Cheers!

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[1] Ferreira-Santos P, Badim H, Salvador ÂC, Silvestre AJD, Santos SAO, Rocha SM, Sousa AM, Pereira MO, Wilson CP, Rocha CMR, Teixeira JA, Botelho CM. Chemical Characterization ofSambucus nigraL. Flowers Aqueous Extract and Its Biological Implications. Biomolecules. 2021 Aug 17;11(8):1222.