Dull Blackberry

[touchtoomuch]

I have made 3 different batches of blackberry wine so far. So far none of them have been very flavourful.. My first batch i used 4 lbs blackberries to 1 gallon of water and sugar added to 12 percent alc and used Montrachet yeast. Second batch I decided to use 6 lbs of blackberries to 7 pints of water and sugar added to 11 percent alc with 71B yeast. Third batch I used 6 lbs of blackberries to 7 pints of water with sugar added to 11 percent with rc212 yeast. The batch with rc212 yeast had an off flavor that wasnt very appealing. So far nobody has wowed over my blackberry wines. They just lack flavor i think. Anybody have any ideas to get the wow factor??? The first batch i sweetened to 1.005 and the other two batches i sweetened to 1.020 because people were telling me the 1.005 wasn't sweet enough. People are telling me that 1.020 is sweet enough, just not flavourful enough..???? I am kind of dumbfounded since I hear that one can't make a bad batch of blackberry...hmmmmm

 

[Wade E]

Locally I havent tasted a decent blackberry, the only 1 that Ive tasted that was very good was jobes but I also hear that Waldo makes a good Blackberry wine which I wouldnt mind getting a liplock on!

 

[Bert]

What or how did you back sweeten???? Just thinking that if you used some Blackberry juice to back sweeten that itwould add more flavor and body to your wine....Just guessing as I have never done it....

 

[grapeman]

Part of the problem could be the blackberries used to make it. A lot of the cultivated varieties just plain lack flavor. There are a couple that have a fair amount, but none of them have as much as wild ones. Even then, some have more flavor than others. If you make it again, make sure that you tast ethem before using them. Get ones that have lots of flavor, or pass on them.

 

[touchtoomuch]

I am not sure what breed of blackberries they are other than they are thornless. I know that they taste pretty good in a pie. I back sweetened with plain ole sugar. I have read in a post somewhere how to take blackberries and simmer with sugar and drain the juice. Then use that juice to sweeten with. I haven't read many people doing that so i haven't tried that one yet. I bought 30 lbs of blackberries this year from an orchard. If I remember correctly, they tasted pretty good when i bought them. Hopefully they are better...

 

[Wade E]

I almost always back sweeten with a juice reduced o the stove with sugar in it to add more flavor and reduce the amount of liquid being added back. IMO, it is the best way to do it.

 

[dfwwino]

I agree with Appleman. Your problem may be the source of the blackberries. All wines, especially fruit wines, are highly dependent on the quality and flavor of the fruit. A great winemaker cannot make a great wine with poor quality fruit. In addition to the suggestions above, you could also add some blackberry flavoring (see George's site) or add 500 ml of red grape concentrate, which will add complexity to any fruit wine.

 

[touchtoomuch]

I had posted this problem on the winepress.us forum as well. Jack Keller told me to take 1/2 cup out of a bottle and add 1/4 tsp of acid blend, stir well, then add back to the bottle and let sit for an hour. Taste and see if it is better. I did that and it seemed to taste better. My wife thought so too. My TA was at .75 before adding the extra acid. I thought fruit wine needed to be around .6 - .65 ??? I couldn't see how adding more acid could have done anything but make it too acidic. I am going to have my sister in law who likes blackberry wine alot taste a before glass and an after acid addition glass and see which one she likes. I will post the results as soon i get to see her. May be a couple of weeks...

 

[Wade E]

Some fruits just require more to extend their flavor, cherry is very bland without enough acid too.

 

[gaudet]

I read somewhere that blackberries are high in malic acid, when you add acid blend you also added citric and tartaric acid to the mix, perhaps those two were what made your metamorphosis. I would guess that the citric acid probably did more for it since I have read also that you can add lemon juice to enhance the flavor. I would think that if that is the case, then you could probably just add lemon juice during the must stage to help bring out the flavor. Anyone have any comments on my theory? Please set me straight if I am not thinking correctly.

 

[Wade E]

Sounds about right to me, try to eat up as much malic acid you can and replace it with Citric.