Elderflower wine

Read our guides on how to clean brewing equipment and home brewing safety tips before you get started. Trim the elderflower florets off the stems with scissors or a wide-toothed comb into a clean bucket.

Add the sultanas, lemon zest and juice to the bucket. Dissolve the sugar and citric acid in 2l boiling water and pour into the bucket. Cover and leave for 8 hours or overnight to steep.

Add the tea and 2.5l cold water, stir, then sprinkle the yeast over. Cover and leave in a moderate (15-20C) spot, out of the sunlight, to ferment until the foam has died down – this usually takes five days, but could be up to 14.

Transfer into a clean bucket or demijohn, leaving the sediment and flower heads behind. Top up to 4.5l with cooled boiled water if desired. Cover tightly (a lid with an airlock is recommended). Leave to ferment, this usually takes six weeks (little trails of bubbles are a visual indicator).

When the liquid stops bubbling and clears a little, transfer to a clean bucket, leaving the sediment behind and adding the campden tablet. Leave to clear, which may take a few months, then decant into sterilised bottles. Store in a cool, dark place. The wine will improve for up to 18 months. The fermentation process should take place out of the sunlight. The temperature should be steady and mild, (roughly between 15-20 degrees) for all of the fermentation.