Comments on: Elderberry Elixir

By: Jade

Jade — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:09:27 +0000

Great elixir. Will be making some in August when we collect fresh berries! thank you…..

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:40:41 +0000

My experience is that it’s often actually longer than a tincture.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:56:00 +0000

What is the shelf life for an elixir? Does it last just as long as a tincture? Thanks!

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:53:42 +0000

If it tastes okay, you can still use it but it’s going to continue to ferment unless you cook it (careful cooking with alcohol) or add a lot more high proof alcohol. If you found the the proportion you used fermented, then just use a higher proportion of alcohol next time.

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:52:12 +0000

It’s really just an eyeballing kind of thing and depends on how sweet you want it. You can still just cover the dried berries (fill the jar about a quarter or third of the way up with dried berries) with honey and then fill the rest of the way with brandy or other alcohol.

By: Gabriela

Gabriela — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:49:46 +0000

Hi Kiva – This is the first time I try something like this, so I want to make sure I understand. Can you please post the ratios of berries, brandy and honey when using dried berries? Do I still use just enough honey to coat the berries, or is it more? And, does the honey have to be raw honey?

Thanks!

By: Christina

Christina — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:57:36 +0000

Mine are fermented, too. Are you saying it can still be used even if it is fermented? I did not use this recipe, but came on here looking for answers to the ferementation problem. I am in a very dry climate. ??

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:17:29 +0000

Could be your berries are just juicier from a moister climate than mine. Yes, you can add more brandy, but better yet, add some everclear or higher proof alcohol and that will preserve it better and help stop the fermentation.

By: Kelli Nolden

Kelli Nolden — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:33:26 +0000

I did this recepie 2 wks ago. I checked it today and it seems to be fermenting. Did I not add enough brandy? My other 2 qt jars seem to be ok. Can I add more now and still save the quart or is it past the point of saving? I hate to waste my brandy!

By: jennifer

jennifer — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:25:44 +0000

Awesome!! Thank you for your help!

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:38:11 +0000

Sure, it would work fine

By: jennifer

jennifer — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:04:37 +0000

I would love to make this but I only have one cup or so of brandy on hand. Could I just fill a half pint jar with elderberries, cover with honey and then the brandy or would that not work. I know I probably wouldn’t get much but I was thinking just at trial run.

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:37:07 +0000

Yes, and I absolutely love Elderberry vinegar (lasts longer if you use dried berries rather than fresh), especially in oxymels where I combine infused honey and elderberry vinegar together… but of course acetic acid extracts different constituents than alcohol does. To utilize its immune/anti-viral properties you’ll likely need a somewhat larger dose.

As with all medicinal preparations, none is an analogue for another, they’re just different. If you want a convenient prep somewhat comparable to tincture or elixir, I would go for the oxymel but in significantly larger doses.

By: roxanne

roxanne — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:01:58 +0000

Thanks for the info! Have you ever used apple cider vinegar insated of alchohol? Do you think it would work the same way to preserve it?

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:01:38 +0000

The purpose of the vodka is to preserve and extract the medicine.

I don’t usually make much in the way of syrup for two reasons, 1) heating the elderberries destroys some of the bioflavonoids responsive for the anti-viral and immunomodulating properties and 2) I don’t have refrigeration in my cabin and the syrup goes bad, which is a real problem considering how difficult it can be find enough Elderberries to harvest in my area.

I’d rather just use a cold infused elderberry honey than a syrup, although it will still ferment in fairly short order in most cases. But the amount of alcohol actually present in a dose of elixir is less than in a piece of overripe fruit like a banana.