Black Berry - home made

[RCGoodin]

I've seen several recipes. Some state to freeze the berries first. I've read where freezing them enhances the berry flavor.

I know I must squeeze them when I put them into the bag. Do I let them thaw first? Do I pour boiling water over them, let that cool and then squeeze them? I'm trying to get off on the right foot.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[GrandpasFootsteps]

I made a great raspberry from scratch like this. I froze the berries. Then I put them in a nylon mesh bag frozen with a pinch of pectic enzyme sprinkled on top. I suspended the bag over the bucket. I didn't squeeze at first. I left it for 3 days like this. Just from the dripping I had a lot of juice. Maybe 1.5-2 gallons from 18 lbs of berries. I added some k-meta to prevent infection. When it was done dripping, I gave it a good squeeze. I mixed up the right water and sugar ratio to bring it up to 1.11 (it's strong). Let it sit for 24 hours after that, then pitched the yeast and tossed in the bag of berries. I left the bag in the primary the whole time down to 1.020. Then I squeezed the bag and racked into the secondary to finish and age.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

We freeze ours so we can get a bunch saved up to make wine later in the fall. We thaw them overnight and then crush them (a grape crusher works well, so does a wine bottle) and then add pectinase and let it set overnight. We then filter the seeds and pulp out with a paint strainer bag. Some people like to leave the pulp and seeds in for up to a week, that would be ok if you are not using a lot of fruit, but if you are making like 6 pounds/gallon or more we like to just leave the bag of pulp in the primary with the yeast for a couple of days so there is not bitterness from the seeds. Blackberry also takes oak very well. Good luck with your first berry wine, its a lot of fun making it all up on your own. Crackedcork

 

[DoctorCAD]

Freezing simply makes them easier to squish. The cell walls break down with ice crystals.

 

[jswordy]

I freeze blueberries and blackberries in gallon Ziplock freezer bags, let them thaw stacked in a cooler with the lid open, and then crush them by hand right in the bags before putting them into the must. It would work the same if you were to put them into a mesh bag, then the must. This method is neat and clean.

The same method can be used with grocery store bought frozen berries. Just mash them in the bag before you dump them out. Done that, too.

Freezing does result in more juice.

 

[RCGoodin]

I freeze blueberries and blackberries in gallon Ziplock freezer bags, let them thaw stacked in a cooler with the lid open, and then crush them by hand right in the bags before putting them into the must. It would work the same if you were to put them into a mesh bag, then the must. This method is neat and clean.

The same method can be used with grocery store bought frozen berries. Just mash them in the bag before you dump them out. Done that, too.

Freezing does result in more juice.

Thanks Otis.....of Mayberry..