Christopher Patton

Frozen, certified organic American Elderberry Juice - $36/gal. 

We have over 400 gallons of frozen pressed American elderberry juice packed in 2 gal. jugs and shipped two-day FedEx on a Monday or Tuesday. Great for making syrup, kombucha, mead, beer, or gummies. 

Depending on the press efficiency and quality of berries, processors will usually get 1 gal of juice from 10-12lb. of elderberries. The pH ranges from 4.3-4.8, BRIX is 10-12 with +/- 9% solids. All prices do not include delivery or shipping. Discounts begin with a 10 gallon order. Email info@midwest-elderberry.coop or call 612-418-4624.

Pricing:

• 2 gal. jug w/handling charge: $82 + shipping (certified organic)
• 10 gallons for $328 plus shipping on 10 gallons. 
• 45-50 gal. jug $35/ gal.  (certified organic) - special order
• 400 lb. of frozen certified organic elderberry pomace from juice pressing - call

We are currently testing demand for bulk frozen raw juice packed in 5 gal jugs and 45 gal in a 55 gal drum ranging in price from $40/gal. plus shipping & handling. This juice will be cool pressed from frozen elderberries if there is enough demand and berries can be obtained at prices low enough to meet demand pricing. 

This unprocessed, no water added pressed elderberry juice is sold as an ingredient. We assume further processing by the buyer - usually fermented or heated as described in the Sacred Blossom recipe below, and we encourage prompt use accordingly upon receipt, though packed to help keep it cold. 

Perfect for elderberry jelly and gummies / home winemaking or brewing. [Winemaker comment, “I need to mix it 50% with water, or it’s too thick.] See recipe for making syrup from raw frozen juice below.

Volume Pricing. 

[To place an order, please email info@midwest-elderberry.coop.]

Sacred Blossom Elderberry Syrup Recipe from Juice: 

1 Gallon Raw Elderberry Juice, 4 cups honey, 2 cups extra strong echinacea tea (optional).

Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to boil and add 1 cup of echinacea herbs.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 24 hours.  Strain. (Optional: Use distilled water.)

Boil honey hard for 2 minutes, then add raw elderberry juice and bring it to 180°F.  Remove from heat. Add echinacea tea and honey.  Stir well. 

To preserve reheat to nearly a boil (165-175°F), then seal in jars. Set in a cold area if possible.

5 lb. dried elderberries approximately equals 2 gal. of raw juice
[Every person’s recipe and taste is a bit different. The above is one way. Another person, who had been making it from frozen berries or dehydrated berries, added a little more than 50% water to get it to about the way she was used to. She also increased her honey and herbs and ended up with a taste she liked better than her syrup made with berries.]

Are Raw Native Elderberries Safe? (Applies to Juice, too.)

Elderberry Flower Production and Cyanide Concern
Andrew L. Thomas University of Missouri Division of Plant Sciences, Southwest Research Center Mt. Vernon, MO.  This article gives a photo and graph rundown of a multi-year study investigating the whether native North American Sambucus (nigra) canadensis contains proto-cyanide glycosides in quantities sufficient to warrant specific processing requirements beyond clean harvest. 

Summary of Findings:

• Picrate paper method was successfully used to assess the total cyanogenic potential.
• A control test with two apple varieties showed high levels of cyanide in the seeds.
• No cyanide was detected in commercial (processed) elderberry juice
• Levels of cyanide detected in tissues of fresh berries were very low; lowest in juice & seeds and highest in stems & green berries.
• Levels of CNG’s detected with LC-MS method were very low in all tissues and consistent with picrate results.
• Detected levels pose no threat to American Elderberry consumers. Excluding stems, green berries and leaves in juice preparation is recommended.

[Click here to read the full article.]

This does not seem to be true for European Sambucus nigra elderberries, which have a history of production processes to neutralize the potential issues related to glycosides. That is why those imported ingredients are more processed and may also be part of the reason why native elderberries taste better than the European ones.

While the latest research at the university of Missouri (soon to be published) indicates that fresh/frozen, ripe elderberries do not have significant levels of glycosides, some few people seem to be strongly affected by consuming raw elderberries or elderberry juice, where it upsets their digestive system. Why they have a lower tolerance for elderberry is not clearly understood. Fresh and raw frozen berries that are fermented or heated so that the entire volume reaches 180° F, or more have not been associated with any health related incidents to our knowledge.