Best fermentation temperature for blackberry wine?

Hi,

I'm on day one of a blackberry/blueberry fermentation. I'm using Lalvin

71B-1122. My goal is a dry wine with about 13 % alcohol. Fermentation is going strong. Room temperature is at 74 degrees F. Does anybody have any comments on what temperature produces the best results? I was going to use the same precepts as for a regular red wine: 70-80 deg for primary, then lower the temperature as the fermentation subsides, but I don't know if that is applicable to a blackberry wine. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Franco

Reply to
Franco
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Franco ,

That will work fine. Blackberry wine works just like a red grape wine, and can often be mistaken for one. The blueberries might slow down the fermentation a bit, though, as they contain some benzoate. A moderate amount will probably have no noticeable effect on the speed.

What weight of fruit did you use?

Reply to
Mike McGeough
8 lbs of blackberries, 4 lbs of blueberries, almost 2 gallons of water, 4 lbs of sugar. There's about 3 gallons of must. When all is said and done, I will probably end up with a little more than 2 gallons of wine.
Reply to
Franco

Just a few comments on your recipe. I have not made a blackberry/blueberry blend but have often made blackberry or dewberry wine. The amount of fruit you cite will probably make a fairly light bodied wine. I have found that for a medium bodied wine I need 5 to 7 lbs of berries IN a gallon not added to a gallon. You have about 3 lbs of black berries and 1-1/3 lb of blueberries. If you could get them I would suggest adding another 4 to 6 lbs of blackberries. If you were going to do this, it might be good to add them to the secondary. You might get more flavor that way. Incidentally, dry blackberry wine is my favorite of all fruit wines.

Ray

Reply to
Ray Calvert

Franco ,

I second Ray's comments on all counts. To make a really good blackberry wine, you probably need 6-7 lbs of fruit in a gallon of must. And fully ripe fruit at that. You can make blackberry wine at 3-4 lbs in a gallon, and it's OK, but it's not nearly as good. Try it at the higher level & I'll bet you'll be convinced.

Reply to
Mike McGeough

Hi,

I'm on day one of a blackberry/blueberry fermentation. I'm using Lalvin

71B-1122. My goal is a dry wine with about 13 % alcohol. Fermentation is going strong. Room temperature is at 74 degrees F. Does anybody have any comments on what temperature produces the best results? I was going to use the same precepts as for a regular red wine: 70-80 deg for primary, then lower the temperature as the fermentation subsides, but I don't know if that is applicable to a blackberry wine. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Franco

74 degrees sounds about right. I do blueberry between 65 to 80 degrees. The yeast also generates some of its own heat.

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Reply to
Murray Clark

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