Triple berry wine

[desertwind56]

I'm going to start my second batch of fruit wine.

I have 3 bags (4 lbs each) of mixed berries from Costco on my counter thawing. They are raspberries, blueberries and marionberries. I'm planning on making three gallons.

The recipe I'm planning to use is from winemaking.jackkeller.net called "Wild Mixed berries":

12 lbs ripe berries
6 lbs finely granulated sugar
2 tsp acid blend
1½ tsp pectic enzyme
3 crushed Campden tablets
water to 3 gallons
3 tsp yeast nutrient
1 packet wine yeast

Am I missing anything?

Would 1/8 teaspoon of K-meta be the correct amount for 3 gallons? The campden tablets at the local brew/wine making supply store were sodium instead of potassium metabisulphate.

Which wine yeast? I have Pasteur Champagne and cote des blancs.

Thanks!

Connie

 

[Tom]

that would make a nice 2 gallon batch. (4# per gal is low) Also, do not add sugar unless you get a gravity reading (6# sounds like alot). You want a gravity of 1.085 tops. Then use WineCalc for the proper amt. Even if you made it in the past the sugar content changes alot.
Same is with adding acid blend. Do a TA test. Otherwise you are flying by the seat of your pants (not a good practice).
I like CDB yeast

 

[St Allie]

Hi Connie,

I agree with Tom.. 2 gallons would be a better batch size for the amount of fruit there..

Do you want to add any tannin?

also you'll need to grab some more berries for your f pack to backsweeten with at some stage.. keep an eye on the sales.

Is there some reason you don't want to use sodium metabisulphate?
( campden tabs)

Allie

 

[desertwind56]

I pulled another 4 pound bag of berries out of the freezer, so that will be 16 pounds for 3 gallons. Newbie alert - TA test?

I have wine calc, and will shoot for 1.080 - 1.085 SG

I didn't want to use the sodium metabisulfate, because of the sodium. I'm using potassium metabisulfate - Would an 1/8 teaspoon be the correct amount for 3 gallons?

The recipe I was looking at didn't call for tannin-

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request113.asp

How much would I add?

Thanks!

Connie

 

[St Allie]

yes, 1/8 of a teaspoon for 3 gallons.

tannin is a personal choice... I posted some information on it here yesterday.. just a sec and I'll add a link to it for you. then you can make up your mind on adding it or not...

here's the link

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7501&page=2

Allie

 

[Tom]

Like Allie said "personal choice". Leave it out as you may like it. If you have Tannin then add 1tsp for starters.

 

[desertwind56]

Thank-you again - sorry I'm a little slow getting back. I ended up starting the berry wine and adding the acid blend. The specific gravity started somewhere between 1.080 and 1.085. I added the tannin as well. I tasted it when I transferred it to the secondary, and I think it will be pretty good!

I just bought an acid test kit and will use it when I start my next batch(es) of wine.

Connie

 

[deboard]

I agree with those saying that 4#/ gallon is not quite enough. I made a blueberry with about that ratio, and it was way too thin. I learned my lesson the hard way then, that was before I got on this forum.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

it depends on the kind of berries and where they come from. we have a few relatives that are farmers and have lots of different types of crops. made pear and cherry wines with keller's recipe (knowing they are typically low) and stayed with it due to the fruit being more concentrated in flavor. store bought can be good, depending on brand and ripeness. if you can get fruit that is more ripe, the right variety and from a good source, you CAN do a little less #/gal. this is coming from a wine maker who feels juice makes the best wine. don't get me wrong, the above sentiments are usually right, especially with store bought.

knowing the product is the name of the game. the costco brands can be hit or miss.

i encourage everyone to check local sources during the right growing season for the varieties they are looking for. larger fruit is not always, more likely not, better. might be a little more work and less convenient, but worth it IMO.

 

[desertwind56]

This wine is sooooo good! Household consensus is that is the best of my wine making attempts so far.

I bottled 5 bottles worth yesterday. It had been back-sweetened a little and flavor pack added months ago.

I sweetened a gallons worth. Personally prefer it sweetened, but its darn good dry.

I used the rest to make a port style wine - added vodka and sweetened. OMG, it is unbelievably good! I could drink a lot of this!

I'm going to wait a bit to bottle the sweet version and port style. Just in case it decides to ferment again. It will be interesting to see if I actually get the the port style bottled before it disappears.

Thanks everyone!

 

[ffemt128]

I used these same berries to make a mead last year. I agree, they are a good blend.

 

[wvbrewer]

I used a tripple berry to make a gallon batch a while back. It is still aging and looks really nice. I would say go for it you might be suprised.

 

[desertwind56]

Final update - bottle the sweetened version and the port style version. Next time I make this it's going to have to be a 6 gallon batch (half sweet and half port style). Dang this is good!