Blackberry

[silverbullet07]

starting a blackberry wine using concentrate that I received from colomafrozen today. I started preparing the must this evening.

With the 3 qts of concentrate i added 4.5 gal water. And the must was still pretty dark. Checked the ph and it was slightly low at around 3.19. I added some calcium carbonate to increase it. Currently it is 3.31 Will recheck tomorrow to see where it is at.

I miscalculated adding sugar and accidentally went over my mark. I ended hitting SG 1.110. Hope that is not to high for a blackberry. Little more then I expected but I did not want to add any more water.

 

[Ty520]

starting a blackberry wine using concentrate that I received from colomafrozen today. I started preparing the must this evening.

With the 3 qts of concentrate i added 4.5 gal water. And the must was still pretty dark. Checked the ph and it was slightly low at around 3.19. I added some calcium carbonate to increase it. Currently it is 3.31 Will recheck tomorrow to see where it is at.

I miscalculated adding sugar and accidentally went over my mark. I ended hitting SG 1.110. Hope that is not to high for a blackberry. Little more then I expected but I did not want to add any more water.

I think you'll come in at a palatable FG if you have a good nutrient regimen. Oaking would also probably help balance it

 

[hounddawg]

starting a blackberry wine using concentrate that I received from colomafrozen today. I started preparing the must this evening.

With the 3 qts of concentrate i added 4.5 gal water. And the must was still pretty dark. Checked the ph and it was slightly low at around 3.19. I added some calcium carbonate to increase it. Currently it is 3.31 Will recheck tomorrow to see where it is at.

I miscalculated adding sugar and accidentally went over my mark. I ended hitting SG 1.110. Hope that is not to high for a blackberry. Little more then I expected but I did not want to add any more water.

as you sample, let me know if you will how it is, if you don't care, since last year, the drought nailed my harvest, what yeast did you use, IMHO blackberry has never needed anything to balance it, but that's just me, I've done a peach from them, and am fixing to do a apple-pear-crabapple, the pear is from them, both the peach and pear are both good to work with, but it'll be a couple years before i can be sure,
Dawg

 

[silverbullet07]

I think you'll come in at a palatable FG if you have a good nutrient regimen. Oaking would also probably help balance it

I have some Hungarian med toasted oak cubes I am going to add after primary.

 

[silverbullet07]

as you sample, let me know if you will how it is, if you don't care, since last year, the drought nailed my harvest, what yeast did you use, IMHO blackberry has never needed anything to balance it, but that's just me, I've done a peach from them, and am fixing to do a apple-pear-crabapple, the pear is from them, both the peach and pear are both good to work with, but it'll be a couple years before i can be sure,
Dawg

Thinking about pitching K1-v1116 Or 71b what is your thought?
I just start a peach too From them. Went heavy on the peach As you suggest. I keep updating the thread on my thoughts Of the concentrates.

 

[Scooter68]

Use the K1-V1116 - it will tolerate the higher SG better.

As to the pH as long as it's above about 3.25 you should be good. I would not raise it above 3.60 tops and anywhere between 3.25-3.60 should be just great.
I am about to do a second racking of a blackberry that is sitting at an ABV of 16.xx and that was from a Vintners Harvest can of wine base. That one is of course going to be a dessert wine. I like that way of handling the darker wines. It also makes a bottle last longer since you typically don't serve as much of that at a time.

 

[silverbullet07]

I rechecked the PH this morning and made a little more adjustment. It is at PH 3.32 and corrected for temperature 3.28. So I am leaving it there. I will pitch the K1-V1116 in the morning along with some Yeast nutrient.

 

[hounddawg]

yeah i agree with @Scooter68 ,, K1V-1116
Dawg

 

[silverbullet07]

Just checked my SG before pitching my yeast. 1.116.

 

[Scooter68]

WhooHOO !
So you are going to have a potent wine if that completes to .990 16.54% !!! Well with a blackberry you can make into a very very good dessert wine. I'm starting to favor those with my stronger flavored fruits like Black Currant Blackberry, Black Raspberry. For lighter ones, Peach, Pineapple-Mango, Apple, those are better at a lower ABV - below 13%.

Well as long as it ferments out - it sounds great.

 

[silverbullet07]

Checked SG today and it is down to 1.050. It has been 3 days since I started it Friday morning. I added 5 1/2 tsp of Yeast nutrient at the start for this 5.5 gal batch. Should I add anymore at 1.030-1.040?
Also should I add some yeast energizer at any time? I have not added any and I have some if it would be good to add some.

 

[silverbullet07]

It got down to 1.010 and seems to be sitting there. i went ahead and racked it to a carboy to get it of the dead yeast yesterday Since it had been 8 days. I do not see any activity but I am keeping the room warm Hoping it will continue to ferment.

would there be a reason why concentrates would not ferment below 1.010? Just seems funny that every one of my three concentrates I have done has not gone below 1.010.

I‘lol keep monitoring it and hoping it goes lower.

 

[silverbullet07]

@hounddawg

Question on fermentation with the concentrates. If I am doing concentrates, should I rack from primary to secondary after a week? I have been racking primary to secondary after a week and SG has dropped to 1.010 and seems to be staying there a few days.

Each of the three concentrates I have done fermentation just stops at 1.010. The last two, one had a higher SG 1.116 and the other SG 1,098. Both stopped at 1.010.

What has yours done? When do you rack off primary? Just wondering if you have the same issue. Some has stated to let it stay on primary with an air lock for a a few weeks until it drops. Both had good yeast. Good temperatures.

This next one, raspberry again, I planned for it to stop at 1.010 so I am started with a higher SG 1.100. They will all be back sweeten so not really worried about them not fermenting dry but want to make sure it has the ABV %.

 

[hounddawg]

@hounddawg

Question on fermentation with the concentrates. If I am doing concentrates, should I rack from primary to secondary after a week? I have been racking primary to secondary after a week and SG has dropped to 1.010 and seems to be staying there a few days.

Each of the three concentrates I have done fermentation just stops at 1.010. The last two, one had a higher SG 1.116 and the other SG 1,098. Both stopped at 1.010.

What has yours done? When do you rack off primary? Just wondering if you have the same issue. Some has stated to let it stay on primary with an air lock for a a few weeks until it drops. Both had good yeast. Good temperatures.

This next one, raspberry again, I planned for it to stop at 1.010 so I am started with a higher SG 1.100. They will all be back sweeten so not really worried about them not fermenting dry but want to make sure it has the ABV %.

What yeast are you using, and your SSG?
Dawg

 

[silverbullet07]

What yeast are you using, and your SSG?
Dawg

For blackberry I used K1V-1116 and started it at 1.116 and my peach I used EC1118 and started at 1.010. Both fermented to 1.010 then just stopped.

 

[hounddawg]

hum ok i just reread your thread, and you are going high octane, using EC-1118 i see what ABV I want then i run my SG up to that, then i let it ferment dry more or less any thing below 1.000 to
.996 then i rack to my secondary, no time limit, just SG, but it sounds like you are killing your yeast, what ever yeast you use will die when your alcohol reaches max, find the ABV% you like SG to that and ferment dry, once dry put 1.4 tsp of K-meta per 6 gallon and rack, do that at each racking till you or your wine is ready to bottle then i add my K-meta and potassium sorbate to package instructions in the clean empty carboy, then rack the ready to bottle wine into that carboy, back sweeten to your taste air lock a few days to be safe and bottle away
Dawg

 

[silverbullet07]

the black berry started a little high but it would have only been 15% if it went dry. Now it is only 13.9%. How would that have killed it when its tolerance is18%. my peach ended at 11.81% So it has to be something else. So I should leave in primary even if 2-3 weeks?

 

[hounddawg]

For blackberry I used K1V-1116 and started it at 1.116 and my peach I used EC1118 and started at 1.010. Both fermented to 1.010 then just stopped.

do you use yeast nutrient and yeast energizer, and what is your PH? on the peach you said started at SG of 1.010 and FSG of 1.010 ? the blackberry should of went completely dry, K1V-1116 is the same workhorse as EC-1118 , so something is amiss ? check your PH for one thing , airlock them to keep from spoiling till this gets figured out
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

the black berry started a little high but it would have only been 15% if whenot dry. Now it is only 13.9%. How would that have killed it when its tolerance is18%. my peach ended at 11.81% So it has to be something else. So I should leave primary even if 2-3 weeks?

no no no that was if using different yeast before i back read your thread, no you yeast should not be the problem. just for shits and grins check your yeasts exp. dates
Dawg

 

[silverbullet07]

I just received the yeast and the exp was two years out.