Blackberry Wine

I started 4 gallons of blackberry wine this weekend and after I had most everything mixed I realized I had bought calcium carbonate instead of acid blend. The recipe calls for a pretty good amount of acid, is that something I can add at any point in the process or have I doomed myself to flabby wine? If I order it today i could get it in a couple days.


My SG was a bit killer, I added about 4 cups of sugar and boosted it to 1.11. I added some more water as I figure I'll lose some in rackings anyways.

12 jars(18 oz) seedless BB jam
1 lb sugar
4tsp nutrient
8tsp acid blend
4tsp pectic enzyme
4campden
3/4tsp tannin
Cotes De Blanc

Do you have the "acid test kit" - and can you check the acid level of the must? You might not need 8 tsp of acid blend!
Meanwhile, if you do need to raise the acid and haven't got any acid blend on hand, fresh lemon juice can be substituted. Again though, being able to test the acid level as you make the additions so you don't over/under shoot is good. Terry Garey in her book Joy of Home Winemaking uses fresh (not bottled) lemon juice in her recipes instead of acid blend.


And, if you don't have any fresh lemons, you might be able to get Citric Acid at -- grocery store? pharmacy? craft store? -- Citric Acid is used in making bath fizzie bombs and soaps, and for some canning purposes. I've seen it on the store shelves occassionally. I think fresh lemons would be easier to locate though.

That's a pretty high SG for a fruit wine. Usually I try to keep the SG about 1090 for about 12% alcohol. Anymore and I lose the taste of the fruit. As far as the Acid Blend I have added it later with no problems, mainly in meads but a couple of times in my wines. I'll be curious how this turns out, I've seen a few of these jam wines recently. And if you plan to make another of this type of wine add everything but the sugar, you can adjust that you account for the sugar in the jam.
VPC

Yeah I intended to end up at 1.09 but overshot. U don't have an acid test, and the nearest place to pick one up would be about an hour round trip. Is there a certain mouth feel I could go for to get a rough guess on the acid?

I used 2 tsp per gallon for my blackberry wine and I think its great. Keep in mind I used blackberries not jam.
VPC

You could add it later but I would add it as soon as possible as a properly adjusted must will typically ferment better!

There is a pretty thick cap on it that I just punched down. I did pick up some acid blend today, but passed on the acid test, just seemd expensive at 20 bucks.

This is the one I have - it's a bit fiddly especially with reds but with a bit of patience and practice it works well enough... you can also go by 'taste' - you are looking for a tartness but not a puckery tartness. If you ever had pixie stix (as a kid) you have the idea of the taste of the tartness that acid blend adds to must. You don't want your must to taste like liquid pixie stix though! LOL


<table ="Catalog" id="products" width="100%" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><t><tr><td ="table" width="2%" align="default"><div align="center">400 </td>
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Acid Test Kit


Comes
with 4 oz. standard sodium hydroxide solution, 0.5 oz. acid indicator
solution (phenolphthalein), calibrated syringe, test tube, and complete
instructions</td>
<td width="2%"><div align="right">$8.99</td>
<td width="2%"><div align="right">$8.99 </td></tr></t></table>

I have that kit and the Accuvin, both are a little hard to use on dark wines.

I racked this, again, and had about 3 and a half gallons left after all the lees were removed. However I had about half a bottle of brandy and some rum, and about 5 cups of merlot left over from an racking earlier in the day so I added all that into the last gallon and figure it can't be that bad of a mixture.




My tasting before I added superkleer was pretty sweet and flavorful. I don't think it's going to require any sweetening. My SG was pretty high initially, do you think I just fermented as high as the Cotes could?

Cotes should run to about 12% ABV according to Wade's info, if I remember correctly. Sounds like its going to be a good wine. What was your final gravity? If you took one.

I didn't bother taking one, it had sat for quite awhile so I was pretty sure it was done fermenting. I'm kicking myself now for not checking. I'll be sure and do it before bottling though, so I know.

Remember to check your SG and also to stabilize it with potassium sorbate before bottling. Don't want any yeast re fermentation surprises........

I added Kmeta and sorbate when I racked. Figured better safe than sorry.


I'm kinda looking forward to the redheaded stepchild gallon.

iporter said:

I added Kmeta and sorbate when I racked.  Figured better safe than sorry.
 
I'm kinda looking forward to the redheaded stepchild gallon.

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Good man............

I wonder what that stepchild is gonna taste like too. Enjoy.