Elderflower and Lemon Summer Mead

About:
May to mid-June is a wonderful time to go out and pick elderflower flowers. The tree can be easily identified having oval shaped leaves, fissured bark and an umbrella of sweet scented white-yellow flower cover. I best enjoy this more as a fresh and fizzy summer drink rather than very alcoholic. The floral sweetness of the elderflowers melds perfectly with the acidity of the lemon. The honey gives it a nice round and full-bodied taste. The elderflowers are full of lactic acid micro-organisms that will get your mixture bubbling in no time! In addition the honey contains natural yeast that will also aid the fermentation process. The yeast in honey is inactive until you raise the water content above 18%. Of course if you wish to enjoy this drink on the more alcoholic side you can allow it to ferment for 1-2 months. Perfect to enjoy and re-fresh oneself on a hot summers day!

Ingridients:

• Elderflower
• Lemon
• Honey
• Water
  

Method:

I would advise to buy a very large vessel of some kind, ideally 3 liters, to make a large batch. The recipe is quite simple, begin by filling the jar with water and mix in the honey. The quantity of honey is really up to you depending on how sweet you’d like it. For the recipe there is no need to add any commercial yeast but make sure you use unpasteurised honey as it will contain the active wild yeast. Next add a generous quantity of elderflowers and lots of lemon juice. You could also add slices of lemon to the mixture. It is important to stir the mixture twice a day to oxygenate it in order to help the fermentation of wild yeast. Stirring also helps to prevent moulds from growing on the surface. Make sure not to seal the jar but rather cover it with a cloth so as the CO2 can escape preventing pressure build up. After 7-10 days it will be ready and can be refrigerated. I recommend filling a sealable bottle and allowing it to carbonate outside of the fridge for a day and before putting it back in the fridge. It vital that that you don’t forget to refrigerate it otherwise the bottle can potentially explode.