Hello, everyone

[DizzyIzzy]

I am new to winemaking and read in one of the wine books about this forum. Also, read lots and lots about Dave's DB......I must make that soon. I just finished a White Cranberry Vintners wine kit and the flavor and bouquet are great, and it tastes wonderful, but rather thin. Would glycerin have fixed that? Today I started a primary ferment on Maine wild blueberries which I am really looking forward to. The recipe said not the squeeze the berries, but I couldn't resist getting all that goodness out of the berries. Do any of you think I have screwed up on that point? I am looking forward to hearing and sharing with all of you in this community.

 

[Chuck E]

I am new to winemaking and read in one of the wine books about this forum. Also, read lots and lots about Dave's DB......I must make that soon. I just finished a White Cranberry Vintners wine kit and the flavor and bouquet are great, and it tastes wonderful, but rather thin. Would glycerin have fixed that? Today I started a primary ferment on Maine wild blueberries which I am really looking forward to. The recipe said not the squeeze the berries, but I couldn't resist getting all that goodness out of the berries. Do any of you think I have screwed up on that point? I am looking forward to hearing and sharing with all of you in this community.

The technique most of us use, is called "bench testing." You set up 4 or 5, one ounce glasses and in the 1st put 1 drop of glycerine, in the 2nd two drops, and so on... Taste them and determine if you hit the combination that pleases you. I find that glycerine helps with the body of the wine and gives an apparent hint of sweetness.

I don't think you hurt anything by squeezing the blueberries. Did you leave the skins in the primary? That's where the color and body is derived from. We crush the red grapes before fermentation...

 

[sour_grapes]

I have no answers for you, but welcome to WMT!

 

[mainshipfred]

Welcome to WMT! I can't help with the glycerin but the recipe telling you not to crush the berries is unusual. There are methods where the berries are not crushed, however these procedures are much more complicated and require additional means and methods which most don't have the capability of doing.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

The technique most of us use, is called "bench testing." You set up 4 or 5, one ounce glasses and in the 1st put 1 drop of glycerine, in the 2nd two drops, and so on... Taste them and determine if you hit the combination that pleases you. I find that glycerine helps with the body of the wine and gives an apparent hint of sweetness.

I don't think you hurt anything by squeezing the blueberries. Did you leave the skins in the primary? That's where the color and body is derived from. We crush the red grapes before fermentation...

The technique most of us use, is called "bench testing." You set up 4 or 5, one ounce glasses and in the 1st put 1 drop of glycerine, in the 2nd two drops, and so on... Taste them and determine if you hit the combination that pleases you. I find that glycerine helps with the body of the wine and gives an apparent hint of sweetness.

I don't think you hurt anything by squeezing the blueberries. Did you leave the skins in the primary? That's where the color and body is derived from. We crush the red grapes before fermentation...

Welcome to WMT! I can't help with the glycerin but the recipe telling you not to crush the berries is unusual. There are methods where the berries are not crushed, however these procedures are much more complicated and require additional means and methods which most don't have the capability of doing.

Thankyou Fred for he answer, but it begets another question. Say I like Bench-testing, glass #3 for taste/sweetness......how do I apply that to a conversion adding it to the 1 gal. must?,3 gal must?. And, yes I did leave the berries/skins in the must.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Thankyou Fred for he answer, but it begets another question. Say I like Bench-testing, glass #3 for taste/sweetness......how do I apply that to a conversion adding it to the 1 gal. must?,3 gal must?. And, yes I did leave the berries/skins in the must.

Sorry, Chuck.........I posted to Fred in error! (See, now you know why my dad used to call me DizzyIzzy) LOL. Also, a shout out to Fred for the welcome, and the response!!

 

[DizzyIzzy]

The technique most of us use, is called "bench testing." You set up 4 or 5, one ounce glasses and in the 1st put 1 drop of glycerine, in the 2nd two drops, and so on... Taste them and determine if you hit the combination that pleases you. I find that glycerine helps with the body of the wine and gives an apparent hint of sweetness.

I don't think you hurt anything by squeezing the blueberries. Did you leave the skins in the primary? That's where the color and body is derived from. We crush the red grapes before fermentation...

Hi Chuck, thanks for the response. I though I was replying to you, but sent it to "Fred" instead? See why they call me Dizzy Izzy? I'll ask another question again. Say I like the #3 taste of the "bench testing", how do I make that conversion to the 1 gal of must?, the 3 gal of must? Yes, I did leave the blueberries with skins in the must. Today is 27 hrs. since I put everything in the primary, but it has not started fermenting. Is that unusual? The recipe said it would start fermenting in 6-24 hrs. I am wondering if it would hurt to add a Yeast Starter Culture at this point, or maybe tomorrow if fermenting doesn't begin. Your thoughts?

 

[Chuck E]

Hi Chuck, thanks for the response. I though I was replying to you, but sent it to "Fred" instead? See why they call me Dizzy Izzy? I'll ask another question again. Say I like the #3 taste of the "bench testing", how do I make that conversion to the 1 gal of must?, the 3 gal of must? Yes, I did leave the blueberries with skins in the must. Today is 27 hrs. since I put everything in the primary, but it has not started fermenting. Is that unusual? The recipe said it would start fermenting in 6-24 hrs. I am wondering if it would hurt to add a Yeast Starter Culture at this point, or maybe tomorrow if fermenting doesn't begin. Your thoughts?

You can scale it up. Let's say #3 was 4 drops of glycerine in one ounce of wine; for one gallon you would use 4 drops times 128 oz. (1 gallon) = 512 drops. I would try to figure out a better measurement than drops. I think I figure 32 drops per mL.

Blueberry tends to be slower than other fruit. What brand/type of yeast did you use? Are you stirring it once or twice per day?

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Hi Chuck....thanks. Woke up this morning and it was fermenting busily away!! Used Lavlin EC-1118. I will stir it twice a day. Sure smells good!