Homemade Elderflower Šabesa (Elderflower Champagne)
This homemade elderflower champagne is one of the most refreshing drinks you can make during elderflower season. It is lightly fizzy, citrusy, and so simple to make with just a few ingredients. The natural yeast from fresh elderflowers slowly ferments the sweet lemon water into a sparkling drink that will be all you'll want to drink on hot summer days. If you have never made a naturally fermented drink before, this is a wonderful beginner recipe because it is forgiving.
Šabesa, sometimes called elderflower champagne, is a traditional homemade fermented drink popular across parts of Central and Eastern Europe during late spring and early summer when elderflowers bloom. We often make big batches during elderflower season because the flowers are only available for a short time each year.
If you'd like to make elderflower last a bit longer, you can soak your elderflowers and go into a different direction: make elderflower syrup! I usually make one big batch of syrup to last us a few months, and also a few rounds of elderflower champagne when the elderflowers ae in bloom.
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Quick Look
- Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
- Fermentation Time: 2-4 days
- Total Time: 2-5 days
- Servings: About 4 liters (10-14 glasses)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Baking Method: No bake / natural fermentation
- Best For: Summer drinks, gatherings, refreshing homemade beverage
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- Summarize & Save This Recipe On:
- Quick Look
- Important Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Homemade Elderflower Šabesa (Elderflower Champagne)
- Baking Schedule
- 💭Crucial Success Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- How To Store Homemade Elderflower Šabesa (Elderflower Champagne)
- Other Delicious Recipes
- Homemade Elderflower Šabesa (Elderflower Champagne)
- Notes
- Need Help Tweaking This Recipe?
- Other Central European Recipes You'll Love
- Traditional Ričet (Barley and Bean Stew with Smoked Meat)
- Simple Summer Cake Bars with Berries
- Traditional Red Cabbage Sauerkraut (Rotkraut, Naturally Fermented)
Important Ingredients
- Elderflower heads this is what gives the drink its floral taste and natural yeast for fermentation
- Sugar feeds the fermentation and creates light fizz
- Lemon adds freshness and balances the sweetness with its acidity
- Water the base of the drink
- Vinegar helps guide the fermentation and keeps things stable
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- White sugar can be adjusted depending on how sweet or light you want the drink
- Apple cider vinegar can be swapped with white wine vinegar
- Lemon can be replaced with a mix of lemon and lime for a slightly sharper taste
How to Make Homemade Elderflower Šabesa (Elderflower Champagne)
Step 1: Bring about 1 liter of the water to a simmer, around 80-90°C, and dissolve the sugar in it (Image 1). Pour it into a large container or bucket (I just use my largest pot!), then add the remaining cold water to cool everything down.
You want the mixture to cool to roughly room temperature, below 30°C, before adding the flowers.
Step 2: Shake the elderflowers to remove any insects, but don't wash them. The natural yeast on the flowers helps the fermentation process.
Remove thick stems from the elderflowers. I find that they can have a bit of a bitter taste. Wash the lemon and slice it into thin rounds (Image 2).
Step 3: Add the elderflowers, lemon slices, and vinegar to the cooled sugar water. Stir everything well (Image 3).
Cover the container with a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or thin cloth to keep insects out while still allowing airflow.
Step 4: Leave the šabesa at room temperature for about 2-4 days (Image 4).
The ideal fermentation temperature is around 18-22°C. If your kitchen is warmer than 24-25°C, fermentation may happen much faster and the flavor can become too yeasty or alcoholic, so be sure to end the fermentation earlier!
Stir once or twice a day.
The flowers will become brown after about a day of fermentation, which is normal.
After a day or two, you should start noticing tiny bubbles, the mixture should get foamy when you stir it, and it will start to develop a fresh floral smell.
That means the fermentation is working!
Important: some lemons have a lot of white skin, which will bring some tartness to the final drink. If you don't want to risk that, remove the lemons after only one day, and ferment the elderflowers only for the remainder of the fermentation time!
Step 5: Once the drink tastes fizzy and tangy (that may be after just two days or after four days), strain it through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth (Image 5).
Pour into very clean bottles or my preferred way: mason jars with fermentation lids.
Do not seal the bottles completely airtight at first! Fermentation may continue for a bit, and pressure can build up quickly.
If you want to leave bottled šabesa at room temperature for extra fizz, keep it below about 20-22°C and check the pressure regularly (you don't want it to explode). I don't recommend doing that generally, because it will get very tangy and a bit alcoholic.
Step 6: Once the šabesa reaches the level of fizz you like, transfer it to the refrigerator, ideally around 4°C, to slow the fermentation.
Serve very cold, with some lemon balm or peppermint leaves and lemons for show!
Hint: the biggest secret to good šabesa is harvesting elderflowers on a dry sunny day and avoiding washing them. The natural wild yeast sitting on the flowers is what helps create the fermentation and light fizz. Don't be afraid of bugs! You'll strain it in the end anyway! 😉
Baking Schedule
This is a very relaxed recipe, which makes it perfect for summer.
- Day 1: Make the sugar water and add elderflowers, lemon, and vinegar
- Days 2-4: Stir once or twice daily and monitor fermentation activity
- Once fizzy: Strain and bottle
- After bottling: Refrigerate immediately for a lighter drink, or leave briefly at cool room temperature for slightly more fizz
- Serve cold: Best enjoyed within the first few days
Fermentation speed depends heavily on kitchen temperature. Warmer kitchens ferment faster.
💭Crucial Success Tips
Use very clean containers and bottles. Since this is a wild fermentation, cleanliness helps the good fermentation microbes stay balanced.
Do not fully seal bottles during active fermentation unless you are experienced with pressure fermentation. Natural carbonation can build pressure quickly.
Recipe FAQs
It is best not to wash them because the natural yeast on the flowers helps the fermentation process. Instead, gently shake them outside to remove insects (don't stress if you don't get all of them).
You should see small bubbles, light foam when stirred, and a fresh floral citrus smell. The flavor should taste lightly fizzy and refreshing.
A little, yes. Very short fermentation keeps the alcohol level extremely low, but longer fermentation and warmer temperatures can increase alcohol development slightly.
How To Store Homemade Elderflower Šabesa (Elderflower Champagne)
Store in clean, sealed bottles or jars in the fridge once it reaches your preferred fizz. It keeps well for about 5-7 days. The flavor slowly gets stronger over time, so it's best enjoyed within the first few days. Open carefully, as some pressure may still build up.
Other Delicious Recipes
- Italian Semolina Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Picnic Rolls (Pull-Apart Bread Rolls)
- Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread (The Simplest Version)
- Fast Sourdough Bread Recipe
If you tried this homemade elderflower Šabesa (Elderflower Champagne) or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! Happy Baking!
Homemade Elderflower Šabesa (Elderflower Champagne)
Jump to VideoIngredients
- 15 elderflower heads, large
- 4 liters water
- 300 g sugar
- 1 lemon organic
- 40 ml apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 20 g vinegar If using alcoholic/spirit vinegar, use a little less since the flavor is sharper, closer to 20g.
Instructions
- Bring about 1 liter of the water to a simmer, around 80-90°C, and dissolve the sugar in it. Pour it into a large container or bucket (I just use my largest pot!), then add the remaining cold water to cool everything down. You want the mixture to cool to roughly room temperature, below 30°C, before adding the flowers.
- Shake the elderflowers to remove any insects, but don't wash them. The natural yeast on the flowers helps the fermentation process. Remove thick stems from the elderflowers. I find that they can have a bit of a bitter taste. Wash the lemon and slice it into thin rounds.
- Add the elderflowers, lemon slices, and vinegar to the cooled sugar water. Stir everything well. Cover the container with a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or thin cloth to keep insects out while still allowing airflow.
- Leave the šabesa at room temperature for about 2-4 days. The ideal fermentation temperature is around 18-22°C. If your kitchen is warmer than 24-25°C, fermentation may happen much faster and the flavor can become too yeasty or alcoholic, so be sure to end the fermentation earlier! Stir once or twice a day. The flowers will become brown after about a day of fermentation, which is normal. After a day or two, you should start noticing tiny bubbles, the mixture should get foamy when you stir it, and it will start to develop a fresh floral smell. That means the fermentation is working! Important: some lemons have a lot of white skin, which will bring some tartness to the final drink. If you don't want to risk that, remove the lemons after only one day, and ferment the elderflowers only for the remainder of the fermentation time!
- Once the drink tastes fizzy and tangy (that may be after just two days or after four days), strain it through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Pour into very clean bottles or my preferred way: mason jars with fermentation lids. Do not seal the bottles completely airtight at first! Fermentation may continue for a bit, and pressure can build up quickly. If you want to leave bottled šabesa at room temperature for extra fizz, keep it below about 20-22°C and check the pressure regularly (you don't want it to explode). I don't recommend doing that generally, because it will get very tangy and a bit alcoholic.
- Once the šabesa reaches the level of fizz you like, transfer it to the refrigerator, ideally around 4°C, to slow the fermentation. Serve very cold, with some lemon balm or peppermint leaves and lemons for show!
Video
Notes
Notes
- You can adjust the sugar: use anywhere from 100g-300g. I think 200g is the sweet spot!
- The flavor depends heavily on the elderflowers. Pick fully opened flowers full of pollen on a dry sunny day for the best result.
- A small handful of lemon balm is a great addition if you have it growing in the garden.
- Don't leave the drink fermenting too long at room temperature, or it can start tasting more alcoholic and yeasty instead of fresh and floral.
