# Elderbarries



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

For many years I have made elderberry melomel. A delicious and great bodied beverage. I have always picked them fresh, cleaned them of all the stems, froze them to break down the berries into juice. 

I was recently given 5 bags of them each bag containing in excess of 10 pounds of berries. They were frozen just the way they came off the bush, stems and all. I took a bag out of the freezer and began stripping the berries from the stem. Which was a total disaster, I would up with dark purple hands, a purple sink, it took way longer than the traditional method. 

I was thinking of thawing them in a sieve over a bucket. when thawed I would mash them up real well and let then drain overnight. Then pour about 16 oz of water over them to wash any remaining valuable juice off the pulp and seeds.

I do not want to do a fruit bag ferment because the stems are toxic and I think the pectic enzyme would cause the stems to leach the toxins into the must. 

Is there anyone who has had any experience with frozen on the stem elderberries that can offer some assistance.


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## Dave Burrup (Jul 22, 2008)

Be careful the ruptured cells in the stems from freezing may also leach the toxin into the juice.


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## Retroguy (Jul 16, 2014)

Sounds like a recipe from "Arsenic and Old Lace."

Well, I must go down to the cellar now and continue digging the Panama Canal...


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## Westhill (Jul 26, 2012)

We make elderberry syrup at our house every year, so we pick and sort a lot of berries, just like you. Normally we separate the berries from the stems and then freeze, but one year I saw a recommendation to freeze them on the stems and then kind of pound on the frozen bags to loosen the berries, then make a hole in the corner of the bag and "the berries will roll right out." Nope, they did not. Was a total pain in the rear, all the bits of frozen-broken stems came out too and we had a lot of tedious hand-sorting and wasting berries when we lost patience with it. I think you're stuck with sorting them by hand. I know we are never going to freeze them on the stems again. They are kind of a drag to remove from the stems, but a lot easier fresh than frozen, and the final product is worth it. Good luck!


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

I generally do about 50 pounds a year. I can do about 10 pounds a day when they are fresh on the stems. It is kind of a mindless task but I have never found it that bothersome. I realize that the small stems present a marginal risk, 25 people were sickened when they drank elderberry juice made with stems and leaves. Only one seriously who drank 5 glasses, even he recovered. Anyhow if I get tired of stripping them by hand I think I will just toss them. At my age no sense taking chances. Thanks.


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