blackberry wine advice

[lanzafame]

hello,

i have picked 2 kg of blackberries and intend to follow this recipe:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/allotment/2011/aug/11/allotments-gardeningadvice

however, i've heard that with fruit wines you should add a campden tablet at the start to kill any wild yeasts and other undesirables. Is this really necessary, and if so, how long should i leave it before adding yeast?

also i have just been reading that all wines should be treated (once fermented) with ascorbic acid (to stop it turning to vinegar) and pottasium sorbate (to stabalize it and avoid further fermenting)

i havent seen this mentioned in any of the recipes i've tried, is it just assumed that this is what's done? Do you guys do this?

i'm only making small quantities at home, and just want to keep it simple and as natural as possible.

many thanks for any advice

tom

 

[Julie]

Normally you would treat your must with potassium sulfide, which is k-meta or camdem tablet to kill the wild yeast. And the sorbate would be used after fermentation and only if you are going to backsweeten. I would advise you to use it.

 

[ckassotis]

Rule of thumb is 24 hours after adding the campden tablet to pitch your yeast.

 

[mmadmikes1]

I dont do it, I just have a good yeast starter going before I make up the must. Second rule: strongest yeast will prevail in yeast war. It is always my yeast. My reason is I dont do anything to add stress to yeast, including early K Meta

 

[Midwest Vintner]

Normally you would treat your must with potassium sulfide, which is k-meta or camdem tablet to kill the wild yeast. And the sorbate would be used after fermentation and only if you are going to backsweeten. I would advise you to use it.

One thing to add, you have to add campden/k-meta/Na-meta/sulphites WITH any sorbate because without enough of any one of those, it can cause off flavors. Campden tablets or sulphites have a few names for which can be 2 substances being potassium metabisulphite -abbreviated k-meta- and sodium metabisulphite -abv Na-meta). So Campden = k-meta = Na-meta = SULPHITES

I would use the campden and then again before bottling. Sorbate CAN cause off flavors and I would advise to use it, but it is not completely necessary if you DON'T have wine working (meaning anytime in the last month with active yeast) AND the yeast doesn't have a place it can live (dampness, fruit, etc. nearby). Basically, you only need it if you think yeast might invade your wine while bottling. It is airborne! Sorbate should be used in the right amount with enough sulphites and you should be fine.

If you want to stay el-natural, don't use the sorbate, but clean EVERYTHING. I would still recommend the sulphites unless you are going to make heavy red wine or more acidic whites. Also, keep exposure to air to a ultra minimum if you go without them. Eliminate headroom by having different sized containers and/or add water/like wine to a container with more than a few inches of headroom (less than 2" when bubbling of yeast stops).

 

[Turock]

We always use meta on the first day in the must. The reasons for this is that you are letting the must sit for 24 hours so the pectic enzyme can begin to break down the fruit so that you get a more accurate reading of the fruit's PH for acid adjustment. In that 24 hours, you can get bacteria growth. PLUS--you have to think about bacteria on the fruit. Racoons go thru rasperries patches, birds sit and eat the fruit and poop. It's always a good idea to use meta for bacterial control and to hold oxidation at bay.

Blackberries can be very acidic. You don't usually want more acid. The PH on our blackberry is 3.4 by using calcium carbonate to get it there. If you happen to have non-acidic berries and you need to add acid, use acid blend. This should be done at the primary--you get better results adjusting acid before fermentation, rather than later.

Use 71B on blackberry. It metabolizes up to 20% of the malic acid in blackberries which makes a smoother wine. Good idea to bentonite the primary too otherwise you get a dense wine that doesn't clear too well.