Blueberry Port Game plan

[gaudet]

Ok here's what I have come up with so far.......
This may be more than a 3 gallon batch but that is what I am shooting
for

2 gallons of blueberry juice (steamed) (was 16.25#'s of blueberries last week)
4 oz pack of elderberries
5-6 pounds of bananas
2#'s light malt extract
2 cans welches white grape concentrate (maybe)
White sugar to make the SG 1.110 - 1.120 to start
Yeast is probably gonna be Lalvin K1-1116, but I can be swayed.........



pectic enzyme
acid blend ( a light hand on the acid blend as I know the berries have a lot
themselves)
tannin powder (or liquid if I can get some today) as required

Blueberries are coming into season soon, so I will be able to get some more for an F-pack if needed.

Any hints or suggestions welcomed.

 

[Wade E]

Thats sounds good Gaudet but I do believe youll want more blueberry so the F-pack will be needed most likely as you are now at the level for a normal wineplus some other added fruits. Not really sutre what that pack of dried Elderberries would equal though if it were not dried, do you?

 

[Waldo]

gaudet, come ere boy, listen man, I know you got a pretty good recipe worked out there buddy but I would highly recommend you consider throwing a few cubes of maybe a medium toast french oak in that there fermenter aftter them yeastie beasties get to gobbling that sugar really good

 

[Goodfella]

Lookin good Gaudet...


Would white grape be better than red?

 

[Wade E]

Id say no at that due to diluting the color some and with a dark berry you want it to stay as dark as possible usually, with the peach you made the white was the better option.

 

[Goodfella]

Yeah, I thought so also...


I was a little suprised to see "white grape" in Gaudets recipe.

 

[gaudet]

The whole reason I post my recipes is to gain knowledge from your collective expertise. My evil plan worked once again!!!! You guys never fail me.

I used the white grape in another port I made, but it was orange chocolate. And when I tell you it was dark, it is pitch....... Still haven't bottled it.

So, nix the white grape. Not a problem. I picked up some medium french toast oak as per the Portmaster Waldo's suggestion. I forgot to get the liquid tannin, but I have powder so not an issue there either. I still have to collect the nanners tomorrow and get it going.

 

[Wade E]

Some of Georges Grape concentrates would work well to add a little more body also. The red would be good in this if you want.
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdASC.asp

 

[Goodfella]

I used welches red grape and some raisinson my Blueberry Port, and so far its tasting nice.










psssss.... I also used some honey.

 

[Wade E]

Does that make it a Mort or a Pead?

 

[gaudet]

I vote pead.....

Anyways, I am in the process of this right now. Its a mighty rainy day here. >5" rain in less than 24 hours....

simmering now
1 gallon water
4 oz dried elderberries
4#'s chopped bananas

earlier I began a starter mix in my flask.
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp energizer
1/2 tsp nutrient
.5 liters h20
added all ingredients and brought to a boil

More news later.................Pictures at 11

 

[Goodfella]

Nice.... Go get em Gaudet.


Is this your first Blueberry Port?

 

[gaudet]

Yes sir....... I've done a muscadine port under Waldo's guidance. I did an orange chocolate port on my own following someone elses lead here. But this is my first blueberry. I went and got some cans of welches grape concentrate, it didn't say red, but it was the regular. I am assuming that it is red grape you were talking about.

Just pitched two packs of lalvin k1-v1116 into my flask with the preboiled water/sugar/nutrients. About to get back to construction of the must.

 

[Goodfella]

Yep. Those are the ones. (grape concentrate).












Good luck... l look forward to the pics.




P.S. I just racked my Apricot Port to secondary, and now I am going to rack my 6 gallons Blueberry wine to secondary. Both bubbling away nicely. (not trying to highjack thread)

 

[Wade E]

Apricot Port, I dont recall reading up on that 1!

 

[Goodfella]

You havn't...


I need to make a thread

 

[Goodfella]

I forgot to ask Gaudet...


Are you gonna use any DME?

 

[gaudet]

Forgot to list that. I will edit the recipe. I did use 2#'s golden light dme
I also had to add 2.5#'s sugar to get my sg to the 1.104 range.....

 

[gaudet]

Official recipe so far is.....

dried elderberries 4 oz
chopped bananas 4#’s
golden light dme 2#’s
blueberry juice 2 gal
Welches Grape Concentrate 2 cans
Sugar 2.5#’s
Pectic Enzyme 4 tsp
Yeast energizer 2 tsp
Yeast Nutrient 3 ½ tsp
Tannin 1 ½ tsp
Acid Blend Will add if needed
K-Meta 1/8 tsp


Lalvin k1-1116 yeast 2 packs (10g)

Notes:

To one gallon of water, add 4 oz dried elderberries and the 4#’s of chopped bananas. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally. When done strain the pulp from the juice into the fermenter. In one half gallon of water dissolve 2#’s golden light dme. Added it to the fermenter when dissolved. Added 2 cans of grape concentrate to must and mixed in well. Added 1 ½ gallons of blueberry juice, poured half of the last two quarts and then mixed the PE, YE, YN, Tannin, and K-meta into the two mason jars. Put the lids back on and shook both jars until all was dissolved. Added remaining juice to the must. Initial gravity is 1.084. Dissolved 2.5 pounds of sugar in ½ quart boiling water. Must sg was 1.104, so the potential ABV 14.7%

I need to beef up the abv some. I'm thinking I should chapitalize maybe another 1.5 pounds of sugar with maybe a cup of must when I rack it to the secondary. Adding it to the ferment will bring the total sg to 1.124, that should beef up the abv to 17% if it goes dry and if it doesn't then it will leave a little residual sweetness and I will beef it up with maybe some 80 proof vodka or (shudder

) everclear. There is a little more than 3.5 gallons in the fermenter, I figure it will fit just about perfect.

 

[Goodfella]

DUDE.... I think that recipe should be illegal!!!


That looks awesome. I fortified mine with both Brandy and everclear. I love the taste the Brandy adds. You may want to consider using it.