Hey,
Long time reader and first time poster. I've done a few concentrates that I have toyed with, and working on some Mosti Mondiale syrah right now. Next season I'd like to work with some fresh grapes for the first time, and I'd like to try out some fresh fruit before that point.
So, as I love port, I decided to make either a blackberry or blueberry port. I was pondering using the Jackkeller recipes for those, but couldn't decide between them. Anyone have any input? I had heard that blueberry was perhaps a bit hard to ferment, and that was wine. There would certainly be a lot more juice in a port than in a typical wine.
So, I have the recipes from JK, but wasn't sure if there was anything else to watch for. I had heard a rumor (either on these boards or another) that I could take the fruit out of the port after a few days of fermenting and add to another primary and use for a wine (not a port). Anyone know if that is the case?
Other than that, Sam's Club has some really great prices on fruit, especially for off-season, so I have a good source of good-looking fruit there.
My other question was in method of creating the port. So I can either fortify a rather high alcohol with brandy, or add additional sugar in sections, if I understand correctly. The idea being that all the sugar at once wouldn't be fermentable, but adding a bit more as each bit ferments allows the yeast to keep moving. So using a ~18% abv yeast, I could likely reach port consistency without fortifying at all. Anyone have any insight between the two methods?
Lastly, any thoughts on the f-pac? I have no experience with these at all. Do people find them necessary with fruit wines and/or fruit ports? What role do they serve, exactly - adding back flavor after fermentation? Do these wines really lose that much of the flavor to begin with? What is the best way you would go about that for a fruit port such as this?
Any other tips for me before I buy a whole bunch of fruit and start? Many thanks for all the help!
Long time reader and first time poster. I've done a few concentrates that I have toyed with, and working on some Mosti Mondiale syrah right now. Next season I'd like to work with some fresh grapes for the first time, and I'd like to try out some fresh fruit before that point.
So, as I love port, I decided to make either a blackberry or blueberry port. I was pondering using the Jackkeller recipes for those, but couldn't decide between them. Anyone have any input? I had heard that blueberry was perhaps a bit hard to ferment, and that was wine. There would certainly be a lot more juice in a port than in a typical wine.
So, I have the recipes from JK, but wasn't sure if there was anything else to watch for. I had heard a rumor (either on these boards or another) that I could take the fruit out of the port after a few days of fermenting and add to another primary and use for a wine (not a port). Anyone know if that is the case?
Other than that, Sam's Club has some really great prices on fruit, especially for off-season, so I have a good source of good-looking fruit there.
My other question was in method of creating the port. So I can either fortify a rather high alcohol with brandy, or add additional sugar in sections, if I understand correctly. The idea being that all the sugar at once wouldn't be fermentable, but adding a bit more as each bit ferments allows the yeast to keep moving. So using a ~18% abv yeast, I could likely reach port consistency without fortifying at all. Anyone have any insight between the two methods?
Lastly, any thoughts on the f-pac? I have no experience with these at all. Do people find them necessary with fruit wines and/or fruit ports? What role do they serve, exactly - adding back flavor after fermentation? Do these wines really lose that much of the flavor to begin with? What is the best way you would go about that for a fruit port such as this?
Any other tips for me before I buy a whole bunch of fruit and start? Many thanks for all the help!