• Pick fresh elderflower bracts when the flowers are mostly beginning to open, and before they begin to turn brown around the edges. It's best to gather them early in the morning if you can, just after the dew dries. The second best time is immediately before you'll be making your liqueur, as they're very perishable.
• Pick over the flowers, checking carefully for insects. Carefully rake just the flower tips into a bowl or wide-mouthed jar. Minimize including the attached flower stems, and make sure there are no elder leaves in the mixture, as they are toxic. Also check carefully for stowaway insects, as these flowers are popular with pollinators.
• If you used a bowl, transfer and gently pack the flowers into clean half gallon or several quart mason jars (or other glass jars with tightly sealing lids).
• Top the jars up with alcohol to cover, label the jars, and place in a cool dark cupboard or other place. Occasionally gently shake or invert the jars (more often at first to make sure everything is mixed and all the flowers are under the alcohol- top up if needed).
• Age the infusion for several weeks or up to a month before straining. It may taste a bit harsh, but that will mellow with the addition of simple syrup and possibly lemon or citric acid.
• Strain the liqueur through a fine mesh strainer or chinoise, and additionally through cheesecloth, coffee filter, or filter paper if you want a very sparkling liqueur without any sediment (this may remove some color and takes a lot of patience). If you are adding fresh lemon juice, you may want to strain it a second time or strain the lemon juice carefully before adding it to the liqueur.
• Sweeten the liqueur to taste with simple syrup (instructions below)... about one cup of simple syrup per three cups of strained infusion to make a quart. Add about a tablespoon of lemon juice, then adjust to taste if you'd like more lemon flavor or it needs more acidity to balance the drink.
• Bottle in an attractive bottle, and enjoy in cocktails, in sparkling wine or champagne, or fruit punch. Makes a nice tall drink with soda water on ice as well. It's also tasty in baked desserts, custards, and sorbets!

Simple Syrup

• Make a strong simple syrup (2:1 ratio sugar to water) with granulated white sugar.
• Add a cup of water to two cups of sugar in a small saucepan, and bring the syrup just up to a boil for just a minute or two to dissolve the sugar. Don't boil it longer than needed to dissolve the sugar or you risk making caramel. Stir carefully until the sugar is dissolved.
• Let the syrup cool to lukewarm before adding it to the strained liqueur (one half cup at a time, to taste). Don't add hot syrup to your liqueur or you may evaporate off some of the alcohol.
• Store any leftover simple syrup in a boiled glass jar or sanitized container in the fridge to use in cocktails, beverages, or pastry. Discard if it becomes cloudy.