Blueberry - Topping Off With Brandy

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PCharles

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This morning I racked my blueberry wine. Several weeks ago I added Super-Kleer and the wine has cleared out nicely. This was my third racking and there was less sediment than I was expecting. I had a bit of room in the top of the 6 gallon carboy. I'd picked up a bottle of brandy and was prepeared to top off with a bit of it. I figure I added about 300 ml to the 6 gallon batch. Ofcourse it was time for a tasting, and what a treat it was.

I made this particular batch with 3 gallons of fresh blueberries along with two 1L cans of blueberry juice. After stabilizing I added 1/2 gallon berries converted into juice along with 1000 ml of 100% blueberry juice from the blueberry orchard.

I'm now bulk aging for several more months before I bottle.

In addition to enjoying a taste of the blueberry wine, I also gave my strawberry and sherry a taste. I topped each off with about a cup of brandy. Each one was wonderful... how exciting.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

Paul
 
That's interesting. Was there a particular brand of brandy that you used? I've got some 2011 blueberry that's bulk aging with an f-pac. My 2010 blueberry is bottled but too young to really enjoy.
 
Yes sir! That brandy can sure smooth things out as long as the wine can handle the additional alcohol.

Your little addition sounds very good. Let us know how it turns out after aging.
 
The Brandy I used

I used Christian Brothers Brandy for topping off my blueberry wine. I started using Brandy for this purpose after adding some to a Sherry kit I had. They recommended Brandy. I'm not sure the brand makes a big difference.

Thanks for your comments and I'll let you know how it turns out.

Paul
 
I used Christian Brothers Brandy for topping off my blueberry wine. I started using Brandy for this purpose after adding some to a Sherry kit I had. They recommended Brandy. I'm not sure the brand makes a big difference.

Thanks for your comments and I'll let you know how it turns out.

Paul

I think the important thing is to use an unflavored brandy.
Don't flavor your blackberry with peach brandy!!! :d
 
I have had this www.galenacellars.com/wines/details.asp?Item=14 before and am now in the process of making a blueberry wine from my garden picked but frozen berries. Ten pounds of berries. The estimate is to get 2 maybe 3 gallons of juice out of this. I plan on doing one regular 1 gallon carboy and then adding CB brandy to the second carboy. The question is how much brandy to make it not nasty tasting and overpowering, and when should it add it? I am guessing when it is real clear just prior to bottling. I just want that "warmth" the brandy will bring.

Thanks all!!!
 
i just recently "fortified" my blueberry with some blueberry moonshine...good, but stout:dg
 
I added 20% brandy by volume to my 6 pound per gallon blueberry after I added the f-pack. After aging 2.5 years it's officially listed on the no share list.
 
I added 20% brandy by volume to my 6 pound per gallon blueberry after I added the f-pack. After aging 2.5 years it's officially listed on the no share list.

How did you manage to age it 2.5 yrs!!!:h
 
the f-pack sounds great...have you made a port without the f-pack and is it even worth it? or does the f-pack really bring out the berry flavor (or whatever you start with)?
 
the f-pack sounds great...have you made a port without the f-pack and is it even worth it? or does the f-pack really bring out the berry flavor (or whatever you start with)?

I have to admitt that I'm not very experienced with the f-pack strategy. In this case, I used 100% blueberry juice, but the effect was to dilute flavor rather than add to it. That's my fault though as I should have simmered it, reducing it to a syrup. As far as adding the brandy, that was a winner.

I did bring some of the my 2011 blueberry wine to a family tasting. The bottle was empty in short order, so I must have done something right.

You asked about making a port. I can see how home made wines might fall into the definition of say port. As far as I know, I've never made a port. I may want to give it a try though. Perhaps next year I'll add twice the blueberries and twice the brandy!

Enjoy,
PCharles
 
In 2009 my wife and I had an awesome fruit gathering year. Over 600 pounds of just pears, so we made 124 gallons of wine. The blueberry port was tucked away for aging, and opened to celebrate Dad's 80th birthday.

I was fortunate to "find" 1000 pounds of canned blueberries, so I opened, strained, mashed, aad simmered down the juice for the f-pack.

Unfortunately 2010 was an off year as I remodeled one house, sold it, and re-modeling another one in 2011. Soon I'm back to making wine!
 

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