What are you going to use them for? If juice you can cut across the bunches with scissors. A bit of stem won't hurt. I've never removed the berries individually.

But I'm not sure how you're going to get juice from dried berries?

A quick google says putting them in the freezer makes them pop right off.

If you didn't know the flowers can be used for all sorts of things, some say are better tasting, and that'll help cut down how many berries you have. My 3 bushes are still in bloom so I've been experimenting with different things.

Thank you for the replies.

I've used dried elderberries to make a juice that then becomes a syrup, floraluk. Simmer them in water with other herbs and then strain and add honey.

aziline, this is the first time I've had such a bumper crop of berries. Next year, I'll for sure use some of those flowers if it looks like I'll have a good amount again. I have 5 bushes. Three of one variety and one each of two others.

Normally I like to use them fresh. But, it's been that kind of busy year. I've pulled fresh ones and frozen them too this year. I won't let them dry on the stem ever again. lol. Those little stems crumble and make a mess. It's that crumbly mess that is hard to sift out from the dried berries. I'm probably not making much sense. But, once the berries dried, so did the stems, which sort of crumble.

Anyway....thanks again for the replies.

I see. So it isn't really elderberry juice per se since the original juice has been dehydrated out. It's more of an elderberry tea. I find it very quick to snip across the fresh bunches, cook up with a small amount of water and then strain overnight through a jelly bag. Probably just as quick as drying them. I've made elderberry and elderflower products for years and have never bothered to remove all the small stems.