Blueberry Wine

[ClydeWigg3]

My recipe calls for adding the grape juice at bottling, but wouldn't that produce a grape flavored wine? Why wouldn't I add it when I rack it to a carboy so that it can ferment with the blueberry juice?

 

[roadwarriorsvt]

Many people have stated that they have found that by adding water to top off, it just dilutes the flavor. Top off with a similar wine or follow the recipe and use the grape concentrate. Have faith in your recipe if it came from a credible source.

 

[Tom]

I don't think I could get another pound of berries in the bag and still tie it, it's full. My plan is to top with water in the carboy, or a combo of water and grape juice concentrate to bring it up to 5 gallons. I know I don't have 5 gallons now.

I also doubt you will have much more than 4 gal. I would not add water.When I make blueberry I split it in 1/2 in TWO fermenting buckets. Proceed as with what you have after removing the fruit. You will also find alot of pulp and will need many rackings. Dont rack till you have a FIRM sediment and leave that behind.I'm betting you will have at least 3 qts of pulp.
Figure 6 months min to bottle.
Use superKleer for clearing.

 

[ClydeWigg3]

The berries are in a bag, so I'm hoping not to find any pulp.

 

[ClydeWigg3]

Just so everybody knows where I'm at here, I pulled the bag and let it drip for an hour. After pulling the 20 pounds of blueberries, I was just a tad, and I mean a tad, shy of 5 gallons even. I may add a half a can of grape juice concentrate at bottling time (the recipe calls for more but i don't need it). The initial gravity reading was 1.090. Today (5th day) it was 1.064. I put the bag back in the bucket and sealed it back up for a few more days. The odor has mostly cleared up.

 

[Tom]

The berries are in a bag, so I'm hoping not to find any pulp.

Oh you will...

 

[UglyBhamGuy]

Watching this intently.
Any pics forthcoming?

 

[ClydeWigg3]

What kind of pictures do you want to see? The fruit in the bag, the juice? I'll take a few tonight when I stir. It's all still in a bucket right now, won't be in a carboy for a few more days.

 

[ffemt128]

The berries are in a bag, so I'm hoping not to find any pulp.

Oh you will...

Definately will. Always end up with pulp and sediment.

 

[J-Gee]

I think you will be fine,as long as you aren't getting any of those odors that you mentioned.I started a batch of blueberry this past Feb.,using Cote des Blanc and a similar recipe.I didn't add the juice and I used light raisins.I started @1.080 and ended @.992.It now has very good clarity and the taste is going to be just to my liking.I will rack a third time this week and plan to bottle this fall.The fermentation was very good,with a nice sparkle,and a very fruity smell. This is the third batch of blueberry that I've done with the light raisins and all have done very well,although I used RC212 on the others,as well as on a blueberry melomel which has received excellent reviews.Stay with it and keep us updated.

 

[ClydeWigg3]

This juice seems to be very very sweet. I followed the recipe and actually put less sugar than it called for, but it's still very sweet. Will this sweetness slowly work it's way out? If it dosen't I've going to have a syrupy sweet wine.

 

[Tom]

Should be sweet. the yeast will convert all that to alcohol

 

[ClydeWigg3]

Just racked this over to my Carboy after taking a reading of 1.030. I have about 9 inches (23 cm) of head space across the top of the carboy. Is that too much? I had 5 gallons of wine and the carboy is 5 gallons. Never used a carboy before, so thought it would be a little higher.

 

[Tom]

I dont think you should have racked @ 1.030 its to early

 

[ClydeWigg3]

I'm following a recipe from Raymond Massaccesi's Winemaker's Recipe Handbook.

 

[mmadmikes1]

You should not have 9 inches of head space at this point it will not hurt wine because it is still fermenting and there is a layer of co2 protecting wine. You would not believe how much wine you lost racking early. This is one of those learning things. The wine will be fine, just not as much. Note: use recipes as guild lines, not gospel.

 

[Tom]

Couldn't have said it any better

 

[UglyBhamGuy]

What kind of pictures do you want to see? The fruit in the bag, the juice? I'll take a few tonight when I stir. It's all still in a bucket right now, won't be in a carboy for a few more days.

Carboy pics will be fine.

 

[mmadmikes1]

Ugly, you just like pictures

 

[ClydeWigg3]

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