Blackberry Wine Question

George - You will here this reply from lots on this news group. Try Jack Keller's site for making fruit wines.

Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas

I'm assuming you didn't come here to gloat. Do you have any _idea_ what blackberries sell for here in Los Angeles? They come in these itty bitty plastic boxes. A few ounces is several dollars, so I'd guess that translates to ~$15 - $20 per pound. That's $30K minimum per ton! To put that into perspective, really nice Rutherford, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon can be bought for about 20% of that, or less.

A few:

First off, _don't_ cook the fruit. Let the heat of fermentation do that. OTOH, _freezing_ the fruit prior to fermentation would be fine. This is handy for buying yourself time to deal with all that fruit.

Second, you need a hydrometer (with jar) and access, at least, to a pH meter.

If the fruit is nice and clean, don't add any sulfite to the fermenter. Wait until after the wine is pressed.

The least water (cold, purified) you need to add to the must is the best amount. You'll also need to add sugar. (If you have access to a supply of honey, that makes an excellent substitute for the sugar.) You might not need to add acid, but if you do - use tartaric. The pH should be 3.5 ± 0.2.

If the pH is too low, add potassium carbonate. If it is too high, add tartaric acid. Be sure to do a trial on a representative sample of the must _before_ committing the entire lot to a large dose.

Measure the sugar level at the beginning with a hydrometer. Dump in some sugar and/or honey. Stir well. Re-measure the S.G. Aim for 1.100 S.G. minimum to 1.120 maximum. That'll keep you at table wine levels of alcohol.

I'd recommend either adding some toasted French oak chips to the fermenter or aging the wine in a barrel - preferably French - but American oak might be interesting too. Of all the fruit wines, I'd say blackberry is the one most likely to be improved by oak aging.

I _highly_ recommend using a cultured yeast strain to kick off the fermentation. Waiting around for it to happen spontaneously is an invitation to spoilage organisms to chow down hearty on your fruit! Don't let that happen. Pre-empt those lowlife parasites with a huge inoculum of something like Pasteur Red or EC-1118. You'll get a nice, smooth, _clean_ fermentation that will be over within a week. I usually put at least an ounce of freeze-dried yeast into each barrel of wine. BTW, **Important** Add yeast nutrient at the beginning of fermentation! This is especially necessary in nutrient poor musts to prevent H2S and "sticking" problems. Follow the manufacturer's directions re dosage.

Stir the fermenting must several times a day, at least. Do this for a week, or until the fermentation really dies down. Keep the fermenter tightly covered after the vigorous fermentation slows. Spritzing the surface of the wine with sulfite solution in a spray bottle just before closing up the fermenter is useful once the wine has stopped "gassing".

Once fermentation slows to a near stop, be sure to stir the bottom of the fermenter to help prevent H2S formation.

Press hard, let the wine settle for a couple of hours and rack it off the heavy goop. Fine lees are OK at this point, but it's a good idea to get the wine away from the vegetable sludge that made it through the press. Save the lees separately and decant it after it has settled a few months. If it smells and tastes OK you can add it to the main batch or use it for topping the barrel.

Tom S

Thank you for your comments. I wish I had made wine while my parents were still alive. They had good luck with theirs. Now I am going to see what gives. I have read that blackberries grow wild in all states. This year they seem to just hang on the bushes here (I have an old farm).

George -- Tom's recommendations are all great, but if you are a neophyte, which I gather that you are, just follow one of Jack's recipes. I make due berry wine (almost the same but milder) and it is my favorite country wine. You are a fortunate man. But if you can arrange it do use a hydrometer to set the sugar right so you do not make rocket fuel. The acid and pH will be pretty much okay if you just follow the recipe.

Ray

Here is my recipe that wins at the fall fair most years..

SIMMER the berries in a large pot. ( this will take several passes) using a small amount of water in the bottom... do not let the temp go above 170F this will cook them and not render the sugar. simmer for about 24 hrs...

I use my beer sparging pail to filter them 2 food grade pails one iside the other.. the inside one with holes in the bottom and the bottom one with a tap and spiggot near the bottom... in the top one goes a large gauze bag with a draw string.

The juice is poured off into the masher, a large food grade 40L garbage pail..

Add 10 camden tablets and let sit for one day. Use a thermometer and a hanging heat lamp on a chain to regulate temp of juice to 22C

When temp is settled ... Add 3 tbsp of yeast neutrient, 2 tbsp of pectin enzyme, 3 tbsp of acid blend. and approx 3 k of white sugar to bring the SG to about 1100.

Use 1 pkt of Lalvin EC1118 yeast and cover. Stir every day using a broom handle or a plonker. A plonker is a plywood disk the size of the bottom of the masher with 3/4 in holes in it, attached to the bottom of a broom handle. Operate it like a plunger to mash the wine.

check the SG every day and when it is between 1040 and 1010 rack (using a racking cane and siphone hose) to a 20L (5gal) carboy . cap with a trap.

let it sit for a month and rack again to another carboy leaving the final lees behind and let sit for 6 months. check the trap for water security every once in a while. Oxygen can destroy the flavour.

At 6 months add 4 tsp of Potassium Sorbate.

check the flavour ... if too dry add some white corn syrup to taste.

bottle and store on its side keeping the corks damp for a year... enjoy,...

cheers Marv Saltspring Island BC where it is hot as ever today and the blackberies are out early this year.

Thanks for the suggestion. My problem now is that the freezer is full.....

Then maybe you should use them fresh. ;o)

Ray

Tom:

Would this change in any way: 1) if the grapes are pressed earlier, and 2) if MLF is already in progress? In particular, is there any danger in the ML stopping because of extended air contact due to the settling and racking?

Thx,

Pp

No. The air contact is minimal at that time if you're careful, and the wine is saturated with CO2 which tends to protect it from picking up oxygen. Be sure not to add any sulfite to an active fermentation though. Wait until it's finished, _then_ sulfite and maintain topped-up.

Tom S