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How to Make Elderflower Champagne by Herbal Academy
8 May 2026

How to Make Elderflower Champagne

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We’ve featured a few herbal fermentation articles on the blog, but are you ready for another one? Here at the Herbal Academy, we love herbal fermentation! Not only is making your own ferments full of fun, but it’s also satisfying to the soul to harvest herbs from your surroundings (or purchase if necessary) and turn them into a delicious beverage that is sure to brighten your day. The recipe we’re sharing today captures this season’s scents and delicate flavors in a fun and delightfully easy elderflower champagne! 

herbalist placing elderflowers into a jar to make elderflower champagne

What’s better for a seasonal gathering than a nice glass of bubbly refreshment, particularly one made from the creamy white blossoms of elder (Sambucus nigra, S. canadensis)? The distinct color of elderflowers is one of the identifying features that sets it apart from other plants that may look similar. The flowers are delightfully aromatic with a sweet, almost honey-like aroma. They grow in flat-topped clusters called “umbels” that are similar to an umbrella shape, and typically grow up to 12 inches in diameter. They begin to bloom in late spring or early summer (depending on where you live) and bloom into mid-summer before they make way for the elderberries. 

Elderberries are wildly popular for a good reason, and you want to save enough flowers on the bush to harvest elderberries later on! But don’t forget to harvest some of the flowers in bloom so you can make this delicious champagne.

woman cutting lemon peel into a jar of elderflowers

This recipe requires no heating of water, no added yeast, and no priming of bottles. The resulting wild yeast fermentation yields a sparkling, semi-sweet beverage that is refreshing and restorative on a hot summer day.

Ingredients

8 large heads of elderflower -or- 1⁄2 – 1 cup of dried elderflower (Sambucus nigra, S. canadensis)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 organic lemons
1½ pounds white sugar
1 gallon water

Directions
  • Put the elderflowers into a clean bucket or ceramic crock.
  • Zest the lemons into the crock.
  • Add water, sugar, vinegar, and juice of the 2 lemons. You can also add the juiced halves of the lemon for good measure. 
  • Stir gently until the sugar dissolves. 
  • Cover the container with cheesecloth or a towel to keep out critters and let it sit in a cool, quiet place for 24 hours.
  • Strain and bottle. Ready to drink in 2 to 3 weeks.

pouring sugar into a jar of elderflowers and lemon peel

In Closing,

Who’s now ready to pop some bottles of elderflower champagne?! This homemade champagne will tickle your guests’ tongues and have them talking of this tasty treat for years to come. With its sparkling finish and floral sweetness, it doesn’t take much else besides this champagne to make your gathering feel special. Enjoy in champagne glasses for an extra special touch.

This is one of the many recipes in our The Craft of Herbal Fermentation Course! Seasoned homebrewer, fermented foods enthusiast, or beginner – this course has something to offer everyone. In no time, you will confidently be making your way through herbal beer, herbal mead, herbal kombucha, herbal water kefir, and herbal lacto-fermented foods. 

For more herbal fermentation recipes on the blog, be sure to check out:

This elderflower champagne recipe yields a sparkling, semi-sweet beverage that is refreshing and restorative on a hot summer day.

About Post Author

The Herbal Academy is an online school of herbalism offering affordable herbalist training programs for students at all experience levels. Whether you are looking to explore herbalism as a hobby or personal endeavor or preparing for a career, the Herbal Academy has designed herbalist programs to suit your path and your educational needs! The Academy celebrates the community-centered spirit of herbalism by collaborating with a wide diversity of seasoned clinical herbalists, folk herbalists, and medical professionals to create an herbal school that presents many herbal traditions and points of view.

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