Elderflower Champagne

• sugar↗1.8kg kg
• elderflower blossoms18 головок
• lemons↗8

  zest and juice

• dry champagne yeast↗5g пакетик g
• 12‑liter fermentation vessels

  (ideally with airlock)

• cheesecloth

  sterilized

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Read our guides on how to clean fermentation equipment and safety tips for home brewing before you start. Fully dissolve the sugar in 4 L of freshly boiled water in a fermentation bucket. Add 6 L of cold water.

2. 2

   Shake any insects off the elderflower blossoms, then pick the florets from the heads with a fork. Let the sugar water cool to 20 °C and add lemon zest and juice, the flowers and the yeast. Cover and let ferment out of direct sunlight for six days. If your bucket lacks an airlock, carefully place a lid on top of the bucket.

3. 3

   Strain through boiled or sterilized cheesecloth into a second sterilized bucket, leaving the sediment behind. Let sit for a few hours so any remaining pollen or sediment settles.

4. 4

   Transfer to sterilized wine or sparkling‑water bottles and seal. Leave for five days in a cool dark place. Check carbonation by gently opening the caps to release excess CO₂. If fermentation is very active, store in the fridge. Reducing the sugar to 1.6 kg keeps alcohol under 8 % ABV; at 2 kg it reaches about 10 %. Champagne yeast tolerates at least 15 % alcohol.