blackberry wine

[intoxicating]

I am thinking of trying a recipe that makes a dry red wine out of straight blackberry juice with no water. It doesn't say how much fruit, just one gallon of juice.

How many gallons of berries would it take to make a gallon of juice? Sounded like a lot of work, but was considering doing two gallons, and feeding one gallon sugar and back-sweetening to make a port style. Not sure if I am up to that much work at the pick-it-yourself place.

Thoughts on steam juicing versus squashing the fruit and using a strainer bag in the primary?

 

[Wade E]

Im guessing it will take about 11 lbs or more of berries to make a gallon of juice by crushing and it will take up more space un til you extract the skins. With the steamer it will most likely add some water at the same time as the steam converts to water and adds a little so it will be slightly diluted.

 

[gaudet]

If its any indication, I steam juice my blackberries. I recently got 17 quarts (4.25 gallons) from about 38#'s of berries. As said before, the steam will dilute it some, but it does come out pretty dark. I guess the steam did a better job of color extraction as well.

My first blackberry wine was made with the skins and no strainer bag, and I used way too little fruit, but it came out pretty good even though it was weak and thin on the body. I would use a strainer bag if it ever did it that way again. Last years blackberry came out much better juicing the berries. I will say the same for blueberries too.

I used 2 gallons of juice to make a 6 gallon batch ( did 2 batches, one dry, one backsweetened) and I added 1 quart of juice to top it off ( f-pack) a few months before bottling.

I can share my recipe with you if you are interested.

 

[intoxicating]

The recipe I was interested in trying is this:

7 kg blackberries, fresh (15 pounds)
1 kg granulated sugar (4 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
2 campden tablet
1/2 teaspoon pectic enzyme (pectinol)
1 package wine yeast

The local pick it yourself sells by the gallon, rather than the pound. I am trying to figure out how many gallons of berries I need to pick.

 

[Wade E]

Let us know when you figure that out as it will help us to know that.

 

[gaudet]

A one gallon freezer bag stuffed full of the wild blackberries we pick is about 5-6 pounds...... Maybe a little more. You'd just have to weigh them out and see what you get per gallon.

 

[Casper]

For my blackberry port I use 85 # of berries and it give me 23 Liter (no water).I get a bit more after I add the sugar. Also depend how juicy the berries are.


But if you make a wine with pure juice be careful with the acid, with port if the acid is high it can be balance with sweetness and alcohol level.

 

[Wade E]

Damn that must be a good batch!

 

[boozinsusan]

Gaudet, do you freeze the berries first, or steam right after picking and washing?

 

[Waldo]

jUST ABOUT ALL BERRY FRUIT BENEFITS FROM FREEZING FIRST IMHO

 

[gaudet]

Gaudet, do you freeze the berries first, or steam right after picking and washing?

Wife and I wash and freeze the berries. Juice them at my leisure. Usually l let the go a couple weeks or more before juicing.