DB: Overdone berry compote

[ShepherdQ]

I just bottled my latest (3rd) batch of DB, and with this one I didn't back sweeten with honey or sugar. Instead I made a compote out of the same berry mix I used in the primary and added it during stabilization.

It hasn't worked quite as well as I'd hoped. This batch is very dry and tart, and while I don't mind it my wife won't touch it. When I was boiling the berry mix I got a nice sweet berry smell for the first 20 mins, but after that when I checked it smelled a bit sour and tart, and I stopped at 25 mins. Did I just over do the compote or do you normally still have to add another kind of sugar when sweetening with berries?

Cheers,
Rob

 

[dangerdave]

All I can say, Rob, is that when I have done this, I have also used sugar. The berries tend to be pretty tart by themslves.

 

[ShepherdQ]

That's what I figured, that you need another source of sugar to offset the tartness of the berries.

I will say that it gave the DB a gorgeous deep red colour, it looks awesome!

Cheers,
Rob