blackberry wine - anyone got a recipe?
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rickthebrew
Landlord.
:thumb: that makes sense moley!!
as for the pulp in the DJ ?? CM- what did you strain the pulp through? Looks like you got a few bits in there !
my blackberry is sat in the DJ (3 gallons) really want to leave it there but need the DJ`s for more brewing!!
as for the pulp in the DJ ?? CM- what did you strain the pulp through? Looks like you got a few bits in there !
my blackberry is sat in the DJ (3 gallons) really want to leave it there but need the DJ`s for more brewing!!
TheCheekyMonkey
Active Member
sorry it should be 1080.
i smashed the blackberrys with my tatty masher and due to space limitations the only thing i can brew in is demijohns, i`m about the pour it out and strain it into a new clean demijohn and then i`ll top up with white grape juice, it will come out no probs once its been stirred (which i have done a few times a day)
i smashed the blackberrys with my tatty masher and due to space limitations the only thing i can brew in is demijohns, i`m about the pour it out and strain it into a new clean demijohn and then i`ll top up with white grape juice, it will come out no probs once its been stirred (which i have done a few times a day)
rickthebrew
Landlord.
it`ll be fine - you should of seen the carrot wine i made when i first started brewing - still it eventually turned out fine and the missus loves it!!:party:
rickthebrew
Landlord.
just bottled up my blackberry wine - would of left it in the dj`s longer but need them for more brewing - really want to get some quicke juice wines and a few gallons of wurzel`s orange on to - not to mention the elderberry and the pear wine!!
got 15 bottles from my 2 and a 1/2 gallons - really fruity and clear deep red! Will leave it a while before getting stuck in!
:thumb:
got 15 bottles from my 2 and a 1/2 gallons - really fruity and clear deep red! Will leave it a while before getting stuck in!
:thumb:
shadow47
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Looks like you've bottled using screw caps and those shrink things (can't remember what they're called had too much to drink).
How long are you going to leave them in the bottles for?
I've just ordered a load of shirt things and have a load of screw cal bottles, ordered a corker as well but have no 'cork bottles'. I'll be corking by good wine and screw capping the crap stuff like that youngs cabernet sauvignon style, frankly it's comparison to a cabernet is laughable hahaha.
How long are you going to leave them in the bottles for?
I've just ordered a load of shirt things and have a load of screw cal bottles, ordered a corker as well but have no 'cork bottles'. I'll be corking by good wine and screw capping the crap stuff like that youngs cabernet sauvignon style, frankly it's comparison to a cabernet is laughable hahaha.
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rickthebrew
Landlord.
i`ve used CLICKY
really easy to use - but some screw top bottles are a bit to wide, used corks before which are great - just make sure you spend on decent ones!! Most corks go fine into screw top bottles - its harder to find cork bottles as many use screw tops -i haven`t ever reused screw tops but it would probably be ok with wines your not gonna store for long? Not normally an issue in our house!!! :drunk: :whistle:
really easy to use - but some screw top bottles are a bit to wide, used corks before which are great - just make sure you spend on decent ones!! Most corks go fine into screw top bottles - its harder to find cork bottles as many use screw tops -i haven`t ever reused screw tops but it would probably be ok with wines your not gonna store for long? Not normally an issue in our house!!! :drunk: :whistle:
Looking good Rick :thumb:
But blimey, you don't hang around!
I've just checked back, you only started that on 17th August and it's already bottled.
What was your method? Was this racked, fined and filtered? How is it finished so quickly?
My own Blackberry & Apple was started 2 days after yours, it's down around .994 from an OG of 1.096 but I just checked it with a view to first racking and it is still fermenting gently with tiny bubbles rolling up the shoulder of the DJ and giving 3 bloops per minute. Because of that I might leave it another week before racking, then my intention would be to leave it down the cellar (cool and dark) probably until around Christmas.
This raises an interesting question: My methods are obviously âold schoolâ whereas Rick has gone for a âBlackberry Nouveauâ. Is Rick being far too hasty or do my methods need a re-think?
It would be very interesting for us to compare wines.
But blimey, you don't hang around!
I've just checked back, you only started that on 17th August and it's already bottled.
What was your method? Was this racked, fined and filtered? How is it finished so quickly?
My own Blackberry & Apple was started 2 days after yours, it's down around .994 from an OG of 1.096 but I just checked it with a view to first racking and it is still fermenting gently with tiny bubbles rolling up the shoulder of the DJ and giving 3 bloops per minute. Because of that I might leave it another week before racking, then my intention would be to leave it down the cellar (cool and dark) probably until around Christmas.
This raises an interesting question: My methods are obviously âold schoolâ whereas Rick has gone for a âBlackberry Nouveauâ. Is Rick being far too hasty or do my methods need a re-think?
It would be very interesting for us to compare wines.
rickthebrew
Landlord.
the method i used was pretty much out of the C J J Berry book - with a couple tweaks,
i do most of my brewing in the kitchen which has been a pretty constant 20 - 22 degrees c over this summer, so far i have only used youngs super wine yeast compound (contains yeast, nutrients and bentonite) also a youngs yeast nutrient.
BLACKBERRY WINE - 2 GALLONS - made around 2 1/2 gallon
4kg Blackberries - they were washed and frozen - defrosted in FV when i had enough
2.4kg Sugar - white granulated
2tsp Pectalose
2tsp Yeast
2tsp Yeast nutrient
Water - up to 2 gallons
METHOD
Wash the blackberries
Place in a fermenting bin and crush
Pour on boiling water and dissolved sugar and allow to cool
Add pectin enzyme and yeast nutrient
24 hours later add wine yeast
Ferment on the pulp for 5 days
then pass/ put in dj and ferment out
Notes
starting gravity :1074
finishing gravity : 0990
colour :red - clear/rose
taste :dry,fruity - big blackberry finish
started on :16/8
racked on :31/8 - 1 campden added per gallon
2nd rack on :
bottled on :18/9
drank on :
approx % :11 - 12% ?
i do most of my brewing in the kitchen which has been a pretty constant 20 - 22 degrees c over this summer, so far i have only used youngs super wine yeast compound (contains yeast, nutrients and bentonite) also a youngs yeast nutrient.
BLACKBERRY WINE - 2 GALLONS - made around 2 1/2 gallon
4kg Blackberries - they were washed and frozen - defrosted in FV when i had enough
2.4kg Sugar - white granulated
2tsp Pectalose
2tsp Yeast
2tsp Yeast nutrient
Water - up to 2 gallons
METHOD
Wash the blackberries
Place in a fermenting bin and crush
Pour on boiling water and dissolved sugar and allow to cool
Add pectin enzyme and yeast nutrient
24 hours later add wine yeast
Ferment on the pulp for 5 days
then pass/ put in dj and ferment out
Notes
starting gravity :1074
finishing gravity : 0990
colour :red - clear/rose
taste :dry,fruity - big blackberry finish
started on :16/8
racked on :31/8 - 1 campden added per gallon
2nd rack on :
bottled on :18/9
drank on :
approx % :11 - 12% ?
rickthebrew
Landlord.
i am guessing that the yeast and nutrient worked quickly in the warm kitchen - also the SG was fairly low so didn`t have to work to hard to ( i didn`t want to strong a wine - like my 17% rhubarb! #) however i`ve made no allowance for any natural sugar in the blackberries - would this make a big difference to the final % or not?
i`ve only been brewing since may - beer kits at first then been really getting into the wine side untill i can start doing AG brewing - and as i`m a bit short on space to do this wine has been the natural progression to experiment with - i have 12 dj`s (my dads old ones and freecycle :party: ) so i really am a novice - but have turned out some suprisingly drinkable stuff - tryed it on family and friends who have liked it so thats good enough for me!!
As for the blackberry moley it fermented out in under two weeks - racked it once - it really didn`t need fining or filtering - as for bottling up i really need the DJ`s to do some quick wines - next time i`ll do the quick ones first so i can mature the blackberry in the DJ!
As for comparing wines - thats a great idea - i`d love to taste other peoples to pick up tips etc, i`m away for the rest of the weekend but will pick this post back up on sunday night!! :
#) however i`ve made no allowance for any natural sugar in the blackberries - would this make a big difference to the final % or not?i`ve only been brewing since may - beer kits at first then been really getting into the wine side untill i can start doing AG brewing - and as i`m a bit short on space to do this wine has been the natural progression to experiment with - i have 12 dj`s (my dads old ones and freecycle :party: ) so i really am a novice - but have turned out some suprisingly drinkable stuff - tryed it on family and friends who have liked it so thats good enough for me!!
As for the blackberry moley it fermented out in under two weeks - racked it once - it really didn`t need fining or filtering - as for bottling up i really need the DJ`s to do some quick wines - next time i`ll do the quick ones first so i can mature the blackberry in the DJ!
As for comparing wines - thats a great idea - i`d love to taste other peoples to pick up tips etc, i`m away for the rest of the weekend but will pick this post back up on sunday night!! :
Well I certainly can't fault that glassful on appearance :thumb:rickthebrew said:
Let's do some sums:
4kg blackberries x 8% sugar content x (let's assume) 80% extraction (because you'd have thrown away a fairly sweet pulp)
4,000 x .08 x .8 = 256g sugar extracted + 2,400g added = 2,656g
2 gallons + the juice from the berries + âbulking upâ from the sugar would account for your 2.5 gallons, 11.25 litres
2,656 / 11.25 = 236g/litre
I reckon that gives you an OG of 1.087, dropping to .990 = 97 drop / 7.36 = 13.2% abv
hav bottled my 8 bottle of blackberry today, and whilst its ok (not a red wine lover!), its nice, but like most wines, it needs age in the bottle for a year or so!!!
Get brewing somw beer to tide you by!!
Get brewing somw beer to tide you by!!
Sorry Grinchy, I can't advise because I simply do not understand how what you are decribing is even possible.
Reading back, you pitched your yeast on August 22nd. When did you start this? How long was it on the pulp before you strained it? When did you rack? Have you used finings? What's the gravity now?
My own Blackberry & Apple Juice was started on 19th Aug, OG 1.056, strained to DJs after 5 days, SG 1.010, more sugar added to SG 1.050 (making net OG 1.096). It's nun's knicker dry now but still fermenting slightly. I haven't racked yet, there's less than a centimetre of sediment, it's good and fruity but I suppose I would have to say it was slightly bitter at the moment. I think I will probably rack it now, but it's not going to be clear for a while yet.
Reading back, you pitched your yeast on August 22nd. When did you start this? How long was it on the pulp before you strained it? When did you rack? Have you used finings? What's the gravity now?
My own Blackberry & Apple Juice was started on 19th Aug, OG 1.056, strained to DJs after 5 days, SG 1.010, more sugar added to SG 1.050 (making net OG 1.096). It's nun's knicker dry now but still fermenting slightly. I haven't racked yet, there's less than a centimetre of sediment, it's good and fruity but I suppose I would have to say it was slightly bitter at the moment. I think I will probably rack it now, but it's not going to be clear for a while yet.
I'm looking to start off a batch of blackberry wine tomorrow. I'm using the recipe that TheCheekyMonkey posted on this thread a couple of weeks ago.
I have just been to Sainsburys to try and get some grape juice and they only do weirdo blends and not even from 100% juice. :nono: I know Tescos does 100% white grape but it's a bit of a trek. So....
Can I substitute the grape juice for apple juice? And if so, would it be about the same amount - i.e. 1 litre?
Thanks.
I have just been to Sainsburys to try and get some grape juice and they only do weirdo blends and not even from 100% juice. :nono: I know Tescos does 100% white grape but it's a bit of a trek. So....
Can I substitute the grape juice for apple juice? And if so, would it be about the same amount - i.e. 1 litre? Thanks.
Sainsbury's do stock an own-brand 100% pure pressed red grape juice, but I've never found a white grape in our branch.
I used apple juice instead of some of the water, blackberry & apple seems like a logical combination. One litre in a gallon should be fine, two might be better.
I used apple juice instead of some of the water, blackberry & apple seems like a logical combination. One litre in a gallon should be fine, two might be better.
Lidl and Aldi are your best bet for juice, especially red grape!!!
This is the recipe i used for the blackberry wine. Which is more like blackberry/apple/grape.....
2.5kg blackberries, washed and demaggoted!
1.5kg of sugar dissolved in 1 gallon of boiling water - poured over the fruit
mashed and blended - left over night
1 campden tablet
2tsp pectolase
no starting gravity as stood on hydrometer!! but moley very good at working these things out - i'm sure you should have a vague idea?!?!?!?
next day - 22/08/09
add 2 tsp yeast nutrient and 2 tsp yeast
2 litres apple juice
Left to ferment for 4-5 days - stirring twice daily
28/08/09
Strained into 2 DJ's - equal measures and topped up to shoulder with white grape juice (all i had at the time), 1 campden tablet added - left to continue to ferment.
21 and 22/09/09
s.g. = 996 and wine beginning to clear - but tasting quite bitter.
Racked and stabilised ( campden and potassium sorbate )
Today still quite bitter so added half a litre of red grape juice to each DJ but had no effect so far! Wine still in DJ's and as i say lovely and clear.
2.5kg blackberries, washed and demaggoted!
1.5kg of sugar dissolved in 1 gallon of boiling water - poured over the fruit
mashed and blended - left over night
1 campden tablet
2tsp pectolase
no starting gravity as stood on hydrometer!! but moley very good at working these things out - i'm sure you should have a vague idea?!?!?!?
next day - 22/08/09
add 2 tsp yeast nutrient and 2 tsp yeast
2 litres apple juice
Left to ferment for 4-5 days - stirring twice daily
28/08/09
Strained into 2 DJ's - equal measures and topped up to shoulder with white grape juice (all i had at the time), 1 campden tablet added - left to continue to ferment.
21 and 22/09/09
s.g. = 996 and wine beginning to clear - but tasting quite bitter.
Racked and stabilised ( campden and potassium sorbate )
Today still quite bitter so added half a litre of red grape juice to each DJ but had no effect so far! Wine still in DJ's and as i say lovely and clear.
rickthebrew
Landlord.
my blackberry wine is not bitter at all - it`s dry (but i prefer dry to sweet)
would love to try some other peoples wines to see how they taste!! :drunk:
maybe we should try some sort of bottle swap / review system?
we could all learn more by improving our brewing techniques!
would love to try some other peoples wines to see how they taste!! :drunk:
maybe we should try some sort of bottle swap / review system?
we could all learn more by improving our brewing techniques!
1.090 max, probably less.grinchy said:
That's giving you 90% extraction on your blackberries (8% sugar), assuming you used a litre of WGJ on the 28th, and I've probably over-guestimated sugar in apple juice at 150g/l, don't have a carton in the house I can read and can't be arsed to google it right now.
