Blackberries from the back of the freezer.

[Pedro]

Okay, so inspired by the fact that blackberry cordial works okay with frozen stuff - and also inspired by the discovery of kilos of well frozen blackberries in the freezer, I've got a must going. 1.2kg of fruit after (mostly) defrosting them, 1.2kg sugar, dash of pectalose. I gave the fruit a bit of a mash and 4.5 litres of boiling water.

Oh, and then I discovered a load of desert grapes in the fridge, so (recklessly) crushed about 30 and lobbed the juice and crushed remains in too. Tested and the gravity was 1080 ish.

I pitched the yeast with some nutrient today, early, and just having had a look it is bubbling slightly already!

Not sure if the grapes were a good idea - willing to be shouted down on that - was that a bad idea?

 

[Brewtrog]

Sounds good, blackberry wine is one I've wanted to try for a while, I know where I'm getting them from as well (found a massive patch just after the end of the season last year)
The grapes won't do any harm, if anything there's probably not enough there to do much. Many recipes call for fair amounts of raisins or grape conc. so I doubt 30 or so whole grapes will do anything, let alone anything detrimental. Keep us posted.

 

[gnelson]

Freezing the fruit first actually helps release more of the juice, as the ice crystals that form rupture the cell walls. I've always done his for my fruit wines, partly because I wait until this time of year and use up leftover pickings from the freezer, but I do the aame for apples, chop and freeze them for a couple of days before thawing to make the must. My blackberry wine, blackcurrant wine and raspberry wine all come out fine being brewed this way, and are usually really nice.

 

[Pedro]

Freezing the fruit first actually helps release more of the juice, as the ice crystals that form rupture the cell walls. I've always done his for my fruit wines, partly because I wait until this time of year and use up leftover pickings from the freezer

Yes, I suppose it's the same principle as freezing sloes before sticking them into gin/vodka (I know some claim it makes no difference, but I've always done it.) Good point! If this works out okay then I'll make sure to freeze extra this year to get some being done in the "hunger gap".
Can't wait for the foraging season to really commence in earnest!

 

[Pedro]

Freezing the fruit first actually helps release more of the juice, as the ice crystals that form rupture the cell walls. I've always done his for my fruit wines, partly because I wait until this time of year and use up leftover pickings from the freezer

Yes, I suppose it's the same principle as freezing sloes before sticking them into gin/vodka (I know some claim it makes no difference, but I've always done it.) Good point! If this works out okay then I'll make sure to freeze extra this year to get some brewing done in the "hunger gap".
Can't wait for the foraging season to really commence in earnest!