Softening Elderflower Champagne Bitterness

oconcuc

Hello all.

I am just getting ready to bottle this year's batch of elderflower champagne (my second year running). I followed the same recipe as previous (which worked out very well, though a little cloudier than I had hoped), but I just had a taste of the brew and while the nose is superb, and the initial taste on the front palate is nicely rounded with a slight dry sweetness, the back palate is a bitter than I would have hoped for. I was even more careful this year to remove any stalks from the elderflower heads so as to avoid such an outcome. So I believe that maybe there was an unusual interaction between the commercial champagne yeast I used and the wild yeast in the flowers.

Either way, while I quite like the dryness of the brew, this batch has a specific purpose. I would like it to be sweeter to please a greater number of persons.

The barrel ferment is now finished, so I will now add 7 gr of kitchen sugar per litre for the bottle ferment.

I am hoping 6 weeks in the bottle will mellow the bitterness, but I am not sure. Is there any other type of sugar I could add that would leave a little more residual sweetness to balance off the bitterness, while not perverting the overall flavour? I suppose I am wondering whether I could add dextrose or something?

The bitterness is not unpleasant, but I am certain it will not be to everyone's tastes.

Any thoughts and advice are greatly appreciated.

Regards.

Kid Charlemagne

splenda id reckon

dry oul hoor of a drink, made some myself this year - wouldnt be mad on the flavour.

prob be good in cocktails with something to take the edge off it though.

oconcuc

Kid Charlemagne wrote: »

splenda id reckon

dry oul hoor of a drink, made some myself this year - wouldnt be mad on the flavour.

prob be good in cocktails with something to take the edge off it though.

Yes, it is dry. Drier than last year anyway. I like the flavour and love the smell, but it is the aftertaste that is disappointing.

I have already bottled using honey to ferment (will maybe round off the dryness?), but the cocktail point is good. Friends of mine were at a wedding and described how there was elderflower cordial available to add to the cheap champagne at the reception. So I was thinking of doing up a cane sugar syrup and doing half the batch up in decanters mixed with it. Again I would want to be conservative so as not to drown out the elderflower. But to be honest, I did a bit of tinkering with the pre-primed liquor yesterday, and the sugar brought out the elderflower flavor more.

Cheers.

Kid Charlemagne

yeah, youd have to treat with campden first though or it will eat the sugar and just be a normal e-flwr champagne.

dont think the honey would leave too much sweetness behind (especially in priming quantities) but maybe someone who makes mead could comment.

what might be an idea (ive never tried this so...) could be;

• add sugar to taste
• add campden
• treat in a soda stream machine (the tricky bit if like me you dont have one)
• bottle and give to your mates.

that way it would be palatable and free of the yeasty sediment - which i find tends to mix into (ruin) the previously clear drink very quickly once oxygen kicks the co2 off.

oconcuc

Kid Charlemagne wrote: »

yeah, youd have to treat with campden first though or it will eat the sugar and just be a normal e-flwr champagne.

dont think the honey would leave too much sweetness behind (especially in priming quantities) but maybe someone who makes mead could comment.

what might be an idea (ive never tried this so...) could be;

• add sugar to taste
• add campden
• treat in a soda stream machine (the tricky bit if like me you dont have one)
• bottle and give to your mates.

that way it would be palatable and free of the yeasty sediment - which i find tends to mix into (ruin) the previously clear drink very quickly once oxygen kicks the co2 off.

The whole batch is being used for a wedding reception. So I was thinking of just adding the syrup before service on the day. I agree with your recommendations, but I think that if I decant the primed wine, I can remove some of the sediment once it has been open for 10-15mins.

I had thought about killing off the yeast, sweetening, rebottling and then using forced carbonation. But to be honest, I don't know if I like these people that much .

I know that the honey won't have a major impact on the flavor, but I am aiming for modest changes to the palate of the wine. I'm not looking for honey, I am looking to dull the tartness of it.

Thanks for the input though. Much appreciated.