Ways to Use Your Concentrate
Besides making syrup, try:
- stirred into sparkling water
- sweeten kombucha
- added to hot herbal tea
- mixed into plain yogurt
- blended into smoothies
- frozen into ice cubes
- splashed into mocktails
- reduced into sauces for roasted meat
- whisked into vinaigrettes
- drizzled over pancakes after mixing with honey
Troubleshooting
Mine doesn’t seem concentrated enough.
Keep simmering, on low, don’t rush it. You’re reducing flavour, not just liquid.
Why didn’t I get much juice?
Fresh berries contain varying amounts of water depending on weather and ripeness. Press gently—but don’t force pulp through the sieve. Pulp can cause it to start to ferment.
Can I reduce it even further?
Absolutely.
Just remember that stronger concentrate means you’ll use less when making syrup.
Can I freeze it?
Yes.
Freeze in jars (leave headspace) or silicone ice cube trays.
Why does mine taste bitter?
Too many stems, over-extracted spices, or cooking at too vigorous a boil can all contribute.
Also, using cast iron can leave a slightly metallic taste behind. But! It may also leave behind some trace minerals.. just sayin’.
Fresh or frozen berries?
Both work well.
Frozen berries often release their juice a little faster because freezing ruptures the cell walls.
How much concentrate does one pound of berries make?
It depends on how much you reduce it, but roughly one pound of fresh elderberries typically yields about 250–400 mL of finished concentrate. Mix it with equal parts honey and you’ve got roughly 500–800 mL of finished syrup — enough for about 33–53 one-tablespoon servings. Not bad for a pound of berries.
Printable Recipe Card
First Ave Farm Stand Elderberry Elixir
Yield: About 750 mL concentrate
Ingredients
4 cups ripe elderberries
8 cups water
4 cinnamon sticks
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, sliced
8–10 whole cloves
Method
Combine all ingredients in a large pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for about an hour.
Strain through a colander, pressing the berries gently.
Strain again through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.
If needed, return the liquid to the pot and simmer until reduced to about 750 mL.
Cool and refrigerate or freeze.
To Make Syrup
Mix well equal parts
elderberry concentrate and local honey
Stir well and refrigerate.
*Researchers have found that compounds in elderberries can reduce certain types of oxidative stress and inflammatory signalling in brain immune cells grown in the laboratory.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4859762/