Bordeaux or Burgundy yeast for elderberry?

[Scottishnewbie]

Just starting some elderberry and have sachets of both of these available. Being a relative newbie to the art of winemaking, I'm not sure which would be best for an elderberry wine? Anyone help?

And also, do i use the whole sachet (5g) for a demijohn's worth of the wine?

thanks

[Two_Sheds]

elderberry tends to be a pretty strong wine: I use a port (dessert red) yeast

[Two_Sheds]

do i use the whole sachet (5g) for a demijohn's worth of the wine?

It should tell you on the packet, that it makes up to 5 gallons of wine.

I use a quarter pack for each gallon, it's easier to guess than fifths

[Scottishnewbie]

thanks TS. Dont have a dessert yeast though.....so would you go bordeaux or burgundy?

[Two_Sheds]

doesn't matter does it?

Although: I used a normal red wine yeast on two different batches of elderberry, and in both cases the high sugar content killed the yeast. That's why I now use a port yeast

[Scottishnewbie]

and this wine making malarkey is supposed to be easy?!?!?!?!?!

[Nicos]

Nah...the only easy bit is the drinking!!!

[Two_Sheds]

and this wine making malarkey is supposed to be easy?!?!?!?!?!

It's not easy until you've done it a few times. Then it is, honest

The easiest one to start off with is Shirl's Fruit Tea Bag Wine.

[rustylady]

doesn't matter does it?

Although: I used a normal red wine yeast on two different batches of elderberry, and in both cases the high sugar content killed the yeast. That's why I now use a port yeast

One way round that is to add the sugar in stages.

[hamsterhead]

I recommend using a Port yeast. Once the initial fermentation has almost completed and you have racked it off either into another demijohn or bottles, you can get a second run, albiet not so strong as the first one. Add the same amount of sugar to the lees or less if you want a dryer wine, and this time use a Burgundy yeast.

Hope all goes well.

[Skotch]

I am currently fermenting a batch of elderberry (2 demijohns) and have used Burgundy yeast - it appears to be working well, and if fermented to dryness should produce a brew at around 15%. However, one demijohn will be used for making elderberry port, so I don't mind if the resulting brew stops at 12 to 14% and retains a bit of sweetness as it's going to get mixed with some brandy in the end. Hope that helps