Just guessing, perhaps freezing and cooking or just cooking might improve the flavor, as it does with some other fruits.

I remember your other posts last year, it is very strange indeed! Maybe let them mature more, not sure at all? I guess it's time to try others. See link!

As far as what's in the soil and all, never heard of anything to help taste. Heck these are really almost wild plants anyway they should do well in poor soil!

Here is a link that might be useful: Botany Shop Garden Center

Mine don't have flavor unless they are cooked with sugar and lemon juice. Even then they taste like cough syrup. This is their last year in the garden - to the burn pile they go.

Yeah, I don't remember them being tasty growing up...and I wouldn't seek them on purpose in the wild to eat, unless starving.

Oh, darn!!! Does my memory deceive me then?!

I made some jelly with native Pacific Blue Elderberries many years ago and it did have a distinctive flavor.

Elderberry is old time cough syrup. But better if you take it as a preventative. We do that stuff in my house, I'm not the one preparing it, I just do as I'm told. Wife took a 2 year class on herbal medicine. I have not been actually sick since she started doing those things. When H1N1 (pig flu) went around, I started showing symptoms, then it cleared up and I never actually got sick. That is not exact scientific proof elderberry syrup prevented it, it is possible God just likes me better then other people. either way, I like not getting sick :)

:I made some jelly with native Pacific Blue Elderberries many years ago and it did have a distinctive flavor.

Those elderberries are a different species. I have a plant too of this one. I have all three edible species. I have bought elderberry jam, it is sold commercially, and it's great!

Elderberries are delicious in Kansas but there are a few things I noticed about them which is in the wild they always grow close to water. Like a willow they love water. Flavor is based on location at least in this area. I actually bought land because I saw elderberries growing on it. When I dug the pond out as expected there was spring water underneath. To that point on a wet year I've noticed they do taste bland or if they are grown in shade and not in the sun they can taste bland because it stays wetter there and the sun does not concentrate the sugars. This is the case with most fruits. Have you ever tasted cantaloupe on a wet year because they are truly awful. We quit harvesting them if it starts raining a lot. Dry hot weather likewise concentrates flavors. My suspicion is your area has been wet and they sure wont taste good that way. Be patient because on a drought year they are incredible. Some areas that get lots of rain every year might be suitable to grow them but the flavor wont be what it is here where the triple digit heat and droughts make them taste incredible.

Well you could use the flowers for tea. I did that this year, and it was excellent. Nice taste! I had two American cultivars and one died. The one flowered this year, and since I didn't have a pollinator, I decided to use the flowers instead of the fruit, if any would even develop?. I have the Euros for fruit, and the western species.

clarkinks: Oh, I wish too much moisture was the reason for the tasteless elderberries here! Here in Albuquerque, NM zone 7 that is never a problem so I doubt too much moisture could be the problem. The roots are in some shade but since they grow to over 8 ft. tall bushes, most of the plant-including the flowers & berries- are in full sun all day. I shall try them ONE more year & if then still tasteless.. out they go! :( Oh, the birds do like them though!)