Dried Elderberry Wine

• 4 to 5-1/4 ounces dried elderberries
• 2 pounds sugar
• 7-3/4 pts water
• 1 tsp acid blend
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• packet of Montrachet yeast.

Bring water to boil with sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved and water clear. Wash dried elderberries and put in nylon straining bag with several marbles for weight. Tie bag and put in primary. Pour boiling sugar-water over elderberries and cover primary. When cool, stir in crushed Campden, yeast nutrient and acid blend until dissolved. Recover and set aside 12 hours. Add activated yeast and ferment until s.g. drops to 1.010, stirring and squeezing bag daily. Transfer liquid to secondary, fit airlock and ferment to dryness. Rack every 30 days until wine clears and doesn’t drop even a dusting of lees over a 30-day period. Bottle and enjoy. Improves with age. You can add 1 pound chopped raisins or sultanas to elderberries to improve body. [Author’s own recipe]