[jobe05]

I've now got 105 pounds of blackberries in the freezer getting ready for Blackberry wine......... Looking, once again, to you for guidance. The wine, I pretty much have down based on last years batch coming out so well. But this year, I want to make some port with some. Maybe just 1 gallon....... maybe 2.......... ok..., if I have enough for wine and port, 3 gallons..........





Can't start this weekend thou..... Blueberries are next....... Gotta get'em while the gettens good!

[Waldo]

Way to go Jobe Where the hell did you find that Blackbrry patch man?


Lets see now if I calculate this right 105 lbs Blackberries should be enough to make around 15- 18 gallons of fine Blackberry wine


I started me a batch of Blackberry on 7/3. I had 23.5 lbs of berries which I thawed, placed in a strainer bag and added to my primary fermenter. I poured one gallon of boiling water on them and let them steep overnight.





I then dissolved 10 lbs sugar in another gallon of hot water and added that to the primary the next morning. Stirred it up good and let it cool for a bit then I added 5 dissolved campden tablets, 6tsp of acid blend, 5 tsp of yeast nutrient and 2 tsp of yeast energizer. Stirred it all well and let it set until late that evening and then added 1/4 tsp of liquid pectic enzyme. I let it set for 24 hrs, stirring it good about every 8 hrs and then added my starter of Lalvin 71B-1122 at a temperature of 72 degrees and a SG of 1.102. As of this evening she is perking right along.





I had fully intended to make a Blackberry Port with this batch and had even ran over to North Little Rock to get some Malt which the recipe called for and ended up talking myself out of it primiraly because I have no knowledge of Malt and what it does or how to properly process it so instead of chancing ruining a good batch of Blackberry wineI snuffed the Port idea.
































Edited by: Waldo

[paubin]

Most of my recipes are for 1 gal so at 4 lbs per gal I come up with
26.25 gallons of wine. WOW! If you are going to make 3 gals of port
then you want to use port or sherry yeast. You will also want to feed
the wine sugar a little at a time until the yeast cant take it. Your'e
trying to get the finshed alc up as high as possible. 15% is
good, 18% is better. The reason for this is the higher the wine % and
the higher % of the fortifying liquor the less foritying you have to
use, thus keeping as much of the wines original flavor intact as
possible. Terry Garey's book has a great recipe. Let me know if you
need the recipe and I'll post it for you.



Wow, 105 lbs of blackberries, WOW,



Pete

[grapeman]

Jobe, did you pick all those berries yourself? If so you must need a blood transfusion about now! Last weekend I bush hogged an old pasture to keep the brush down and avoided the edge lined with blackberries. One good thing about all the rain this season- bumper crop of blackberries. Looks like about 10 days to 2 weeks until they are ripe. Hope I can fight off the bears to get some. There must be about 250 quarts or so there this year. Never seen them so loaded. Waldo and Jobe, share with us your recipe you use, I can see a batch or two of blackberry wine coming on soon.

[jobe05]

Thanks Apple, waldo and Paul..... auh.. Pete figured you'd have changed your name by now for the boards sake.


Pete, as you described adding sugar during the process for port, is how I made my Blackberry wine last year. I started with 1 gallon, fermented for a week, then added another gallon of must with sugar added to an SG of 1.90, then a week later, added another gallon of the same process, and was delighted with the outcome. Thinking of doing the same this year, but 7 gallons.


Waldo: With your assistance, I will be your guinea pig for 1 gallon..... 2 gallons ofBlackberry port. Study up, give me a shopping list, and next week we'll get started. When complete, I'll send ya a couple bottles for storing and testing to see if you want to make it next year.


Surprisingly enough.... 105 pounds of blackberries is only (average)21,000 berries........... don't ask how me and my son figured that out.


And yes, figure 2 scratches per berry, and 1 thorn hole in your finger, hand or arm for every 10 berries........... I still can't account for the soar right kneee.... But after only getting enough berries last year for 3 gallons, I was bound and determined this year that I was going to get all I could get. We have a huge wild berry patch(s) all over the place were I work, so I just stayed late every day and picked 20 - 25 pounds each day.......... I have to say.... I would do it again! And I just may come Monday night.

[PolishWineP]

105 pounds!? I am green with envy! We are having a terribly dry summer here. I'm keeping the garden watered so I will have my tomatoes, etc. And of course, beets for wine!


Our raspberries are for cr*p. They get a rust every year, and it looks like Sept in the patch in July. We only get a few berries. They are goners. I've already started cutting canes. Pulling them all this fall. (That should be loads of fun!)


You enjoy your fruits and wine making. I look forward to hearing how things are going for you!

[Waldo]

OK Jobe.....I be ready when you are podner. Tell me where ya want to go and I'll get us a road map drawn out

[Waldo]

While I wait on Jobe to decide which direction we are going here are some updated photos on my Blackberry.


Fermentation going strong...Mmmmm love that odor !!





Racked to Carboy at SG1.098

[jobe05]

Looks very good Waldo....... I love working with Blackberries.


Blueberries are now starting to come in so I wanted to gather 40 or 50 pounds for the freezer before I started any of the blackberry. However when we start, I would like to do about 2 gallons of Blackberry Port. I think it will have to age for a long time. Getting a bunch of blue and brown Tall 375ML bottles ready for it. Again, come up with your best recipe when we get started, 1/2 of it will be yours!


Should be ready in about 2 weeks. So maybe next weekend, you can post a shopping list of things I'll need. I should have most everything except perhaps the right yeast.


The other reason I need to wait a couple of weeks is right now I have way to many kits going, Johannisburg Reisling, Barbera Limited edition, cherry, Another reisling kit and a green apple reisling............ My counter is full in the shop. Once I get some of them clear, we can start.


Appreciate your patience.

[OldWino1]

I can smell those berries and the yeasties working good job and have fun. does anybody elses work area look like this and mine also?Edited by: OldWino