Shilty....harvest the berries....make the jelly....because that's what you do....and giving it away will make you feel better. I too have had my share of losses....but I have discovered that giving something of my self....either my time my talent or special food makes things better....it really does. I just made 19 jars of peach jam....much more than I will use in 5 years....but I give it away and it makes me happy to do so.

I do use pectin in my fruit syrups. This is what I use and the one I give when teaching classes: I use this all the time with great results. Syrups made from blackberries, huckleberries, raspberries, boysenberries, loganberries, sour cherries, and Island Belle grapes as well as mixtures of berries are of good flavor, color, and consistency (thin like maple syrup, medium thick like corn syrup, or slightly jelled). Syrups can be made with or without pectin and lemon juice. Lemon juice may improve color. Use of pectin will vary consistency. To Prepare Fruit Puree: Sort, stem, and wash ripe fruit or thaw frozen unsweetened fruit; crush fruit thoroughly; measure crushed fruit. Add 1 cup boiling water to each 4 cups crushed fruit and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer to soften--about 5 for soft fruits...about 10 minutes for firm fruits like cherries and grapes. Press through sieve. SYRUPS MADE WITH PUREE 4 cups puree 4 cups sugar 1/2 package or less powdered pectin (if desired) 3 or 4 Tbsp lemon juice (if desired) 1. Mix puree, sugar, pectin and lemon juice. 2. Bring to boil and stir for 2 minutes (boil till jelly thermometer reaches 218F). 3. Remove from heat, skim off foam, and pour into 1/2 pint or 1 pint jars to within 1/2 inch of top. 4. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. 5. Remove from canner and cool. 6. Check lids, label, and store in cool, dry place. To Prepare Fruit Juice: Sort, stem and wash ripe fruit or thaw frozen, unsweetened fruit; crush fruit thoroughly. Place crushed fruit in dampened jelly bag and drain. For clearest juice, do not press bag to extract juice. For firm fruits, heat is needed to start flow of juice. Add about 1/2 cup water to each 3 cups crushed fruit. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Place hot fruit in dampened jelly bag; drain. SYRUPS MADE WITH JUICE 4 cups juice 4 cups sugar 1/4 cup lemon juice (if desired) 1/2 package or less powdered pectin (if desired) 1. Mix juice, sugar, lemon juice and pectin. 2. Bring to boil and boil 2 minutes. 3. Remove from heat, skim off foam, and pour into 1/2 pint or 1 pint canning jars to within 1/2 inch of top. 4. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. 5. Remove from canner and let cool. 6. Check lids, labels, and store in cool, dry place.

Its oxidized. Its quite normal after a long storage for that that to happen. I have a couple like that here too. About all you can do next time is add some ascorbic acid to the jelly before its being canned. I do this with apricot preserves as they get quite brown too. Add the ascorbic at the last minute, before filling jars, as heat can weaken its affect. Most people don't notice much of a flavor difference, but you may. Its not spoiled, just goes the way of grapes, like you said- raisins..

You are in a much warmer zone than I am, but in my garden, the red elderberry (Sambucus pubens /aka S. racemosa) blooms decidedly earlier than the American elderberry (S. canadensis), which has dark, purplish-red berries and is used for jam. I grow the former one for the birds. Are you referring to S. caerulea when you say "blue elderberry" or S. canadensis? We don't grow caerulea here.