NoSnob
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- Jan 17, 2011
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I'm leaning toward blackberries for my first non-kit wine. They're available now fresh and year-round frozen (which I'll probably use). I know to be sure the frozen berries have no preservatives or extra sugar added. Costco has what I think will work. Looking for recipes, I found one in Stanley & Dorothy Anderson's "Winemaking" book, Harcourt & Brace, 1989. They call it Blackberry Social and say it matures quickly and is slightly sweet. I want only a touch of sweetness - neither dry nor cloying.
The Primary Ingredients for 5 Gallons are:
24 lb Blackberries (crushed)
13 lb Sugar
6 qt Hot water
2 tsp Yeast nutrient
2 tsp Pectic enzyme
8 Campden tablets
8 qt Cold water
1 pkt Narbonne wine yeast
The Secondary ingredients are
Bentonite finings
1/4 tsp Sulphite crystals
10 oz Wine conditioner
Primary: In the primary add crushed blackberries, hot water and sugar; stir until all sugar dissolved. Add next 4 ingredients, adjust temp to 75 degrees F. Add yeast to cup of warm water, let stand 10 minutes & stir in. Cover fermenter, check in 24 hrs for foam; stir twice daily to keep floating fruit moist. Check SG every other day.
Secondary: When SG hits 1.020, scoop blackberries into straining bag & squeeze juice gently into fermentor. Discard pulp. Rack into clean carboy, top up with cold water; attach fermentation lock & move to 65 degree F location. After 10 days or SG of 1.000, whichever is first, rack into clean carboy. Top up with cold water. After 3 weeks or SG of .990-.995, whichever comes first, rack into a clean carboy. Add finings, top up with cold water & let rest 10 days. Rack into primary fermentor. Filter into a clean carboy. Add 1/4 tsp sulphite crystals dissolved in a small amount of water. Top up with cold water. Bulk age 2 months; bottle; bottle age 4 months.
My (newbie) questions are:
1. Does this look like a good recipe?
2. What yeast would be equivalent/preferable to Narbonnne?
3. Other than stirring twice daily in primary fermentation, no directions are given to stir briskly to eliminate CO2. Should that be done when secondary fermentation is complete?
4. This recipe is for 5 Gallons & all my carboys are 6 Gallons. Should I adjust recipe to enable topping up to 6 or buy new 5 Gal carboys??
Thanks!
NS
The Primary Ingredients for 5 Gallons are:
24 lb Blackberries (crushed)
13 lb Sugar
6 qt Hot water
2 tsp Yeast nutrient
2 tsp Pectic enzyme
8 Campden tablets
8 qt Cold water
1 pkt Narbonne wine yeast
The Secondary ingredients are
Bentonite finings
1/4 tsp Sulphite crystals
10 oz Wine conditioner
Primary: In the primary add crushed blackberries, hot water and sugar; stir until all sugar dissolved. Add next 4 ingredients, adjust temp to 75 degrees F. Add yeast to cup of warm water, let stand 10 minutes & stir in. Cover fermenter, check in 24 hrs for foam; stir twice daily to keep floating fruit moist. Check SG every other day.
Secondary: When SG hits 1.020, scoop blackberries into straining bag & squeeze juice gently into fermentor. Discard pulp. Rack into clean carboy, top up with cold water; attach fermentation lock & move to 65 degree F location. After 10 days or SG of 1.000, whichever is first, rack into clean carboy. Top up with cold water. After 3 weeks or SG of .990-.995, whichever comes first, rack into a clean carboy. Add finings, top up with cold water & let rest 10 days. Rack into primary fermentor. Filter into a clean carboy. Add 1/4 tsp sulphite crystals dissolved in a small amount of water. Top up with cold water. Bulk age 2 months; bottle; bottle age 4 months.
My (newbie) questions are:
1. Does this look like a good recipe?
2. What yeast would be equivalent/preferable to Narbonnne?
3. Other than stirring twice daily in primary fermentation, no directions are given to stir briskly to eliminate CO2. Should that be done when secondary fermentation is complete?
4. This recipe is for 5 Gallons & all my carboys are 6 Gallons. Should I adjust recipe to enable topping up to 6 or buy new 5 Gal carboys??
Thanks!
NS