blueberry suggestions

[intoxicating]

I have three one gallon jugs of blueberry wine bulk aging and am having trouble deciding where to go with it. After I started the recipe, I decided it didn't have enough fruit and added dried elderberries. It is now dry, and tastes like a fruity red dinner wine. Much better dry than I expected. I am considering oaking all or part, and sweetening some and bottling part dry. I have enough frozen blueberries to make an F-pac for at least one gallon, but not sure if I want to fool with that either.

I am sorta in the place this spring where I need to neglect the "wine mistress" or addiction if you prefer, I just got a full time job and finally have money to start repairing the stuff that that wore out while I was working part time. I mostly don't have enough functioning brain cells at the end of the day to make another decision.

And I enjoy the mostly happy conversations of forum friends that aren't whining about their aches and pains. (My day job now is in a doctor's office, so DON'T TELL ME ABOUT YOUR OPERATION!!!!)

 

[vcasey]

Oak goes well with blueberries.
That said if you like the wine the way it is - get it ready bottling and well - Bottle! I am the first to say play with your wine and with 3 1-gallon jugs you sure can play. But if you are happy with the wines as they are and time is short - bottle and move on to the next one.
If you are looking for some fairly simple ideas to keep making wine while you are busy with other thinks try a JAO or go buy a gallon of apple juice, Motts works well and is not expensive dump in some yeast, rack it once a month for 3 months or so and enjoy your own apple cider. You can even use some of those blueberries in your cider.
Congratulations on the job!

 

[intoxicating]

I can still make some time to do some wine stuff in the evenings and on weekends. Mostly my brain is tired from making decisions at work all day. I plan to oak two of the blueberry jugs, and bottle one of the oaked ones dry. Other two will probably get back sweetened some.

I actually have some simple ideas to keep me making wine for right now. I have a three gallon better bottle of Mexican Plum port style, and a three gallon of Brandywine, and a three gallon of caramel apple that need to be racked and cleared. The caramel apple is OK, but I was shooting for exceptional. When I catch my second wind, I may fool with that to see what it needs. Plenty of time to bulk age it. And there are the three gallons of blueberry.

I do plan to make a batch of JAO eventually, but it is on the list below an encore batch of lightly spiced mead. Two years ago I made a gallon with just enough cinnamon, clove and nutmeg to add complexity and invite closer attention. I have the honey to do that again to the tune of three gallons.

I have a fourth three gallon carboy that is empty. I have a castel del papa kit, a spiced holiday wine kit, and the honey for the mead. I stubbornly refuse to buy a fifth carboy. I have a bad habit of starting too many things and not being able to finish them. This way I can only make four three-gallon batches at a time. (And six one gallon jugs,

but who's counting?)

I have thought about the cider, but at present I have read too much and I fear I would over-think it. What variety of apples, etc. A good one to add to the to try later list. Thanks for the ideas.