Oaking Blackberry Jam Wine

[Jeffrob]

Hi, I started a 2 gallon batch of Walmart Blackberry Preserves wine yesterday using a recipe I found on this site posted by Julie. If I were to use medium toast
French or American oak chips, how much should I use and for how long if I put them in the secondary after initial fermentation? Thanks a lot for any and all replies.

 

[salcoco]

I am not sure the dosage but I seem to remember 5 oz per gallon. the time is dependent on your taste buds I recommend you begin tasting wine two weeks after adding the oak each week there after and remove the oak when you are satisfied.

 

[Jeffrob]

saloco, did you mean .5 oz per gallon? I've made and oaked wine before years ago, but never a jam wine, specifically this one. Thanks for your comment.

 

[salcoco]

stand corrected it is 1-2 oz per five gallons. regardless of the amount taste test are in order.

 

[Jeffrob]

Thanks, I'm just trying to get this jam wine to mature a little quicker by using some oak. I guess I will wait until after second racking to use some chips.
I made wine with my father from about 1965 to about 1990 and we had lots of carboys and a few barrels with a little 100 vine vineyard and lots of concentrate, juices and such. However I rid myself of presses, barrels and most of the carboys, corkers etc. Unfortunately all of the detailed records of batches were lost. The past 10 years or so I have just made a few dozen gallon batches of bottled juice and grocery concentrate wines. It's almost time for wild blackberries in Missouri so my mind shifted there. But after fighting the thorns, heat, insects, and occasional bear I am hesitant to use them in anything but homemade jam, pies and cobblers.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Hi, I started a 2 gallon batch of Walmart Blackberry Preserves wine yesterday using a recipe I found on this site posted by Julie. If I were to use medium toast
French or American oak chips, how much should I use and for how long if I put them in the secondary after initial fermentation? Thanks a lot for any and all replies.

Jeff, I have been searching for Julie's receipe without success. Could you post it for me?...............................Dizzy

 

[Jeffrob]

This is the recipe I'm talking about. Make sure you check the S.G. before adding sugar. Mine did not require the entire pound. According to calculations using the sugar listed on the jam the starting S.G. would have been 1.058 with just the jam. My measured S.G. with just the jam was 1.068 so I only needed 3/4 pound of sugar to get to a S.G. of 1.099.

Hi S)cott,

Here is the recipe, you can use whatever jelly or jam that you want. I have had huge success with Walmart seedless blackberry jam and peach jam.

This makes 1 gallon:

3 lb. jelly or jam any flavor
6 pts of water
1 lb sugar
2 tsp acid blend
1/8 tsp tannin
1 tsp nutrient
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 pkg wine yeast (I normally use lavlin 1122)
starting sg 1.095 - 1.100
1. scoop jam or jelly into primary fermentor. stir in water (use cool not warm) and jelly or jam thoroughly.
2. stir in all other ingredients, then, add yeast. cover primary.
3. stir daily, check s.g.
4. when ferment reaches s.g 1.040 (3-5 days) syphon off wine sediment into glass secondary. attach airlock
5. when ferment reaches 1.000 (about 3 weeks) syphon off sediment into clean secondary. reattach lock.
6. to aid clearing syphon again in 2 months and again if necessary before bottling.
If you wish to slightly sweeten wine at bottling: add 1/2 tsp stabilizer, then stir in 1/4 lb. dissolved sugar per gallon.


Hope this helps
Julie

 

[BernardSmith]

I don't know that adding oak helps with the aging but oak adds tannins (and vanilla flavors) and helps with increasing mouthfeel that with country wines can be in short supply and so result in a less viscous wine.

That said, I have made jam wine a few times and while I am sure that folk with a far better educated palate than mine might argue that they can taste the cooked nature of the fruit, I have always enjoyed the resulting wines although occasionally I have found them for some reason difficult to ferment dry.

 

[Jeffrob]

I don't know that adding oak helps with the aging but oak adds tannins (and vanilla flavors) and helps with increasing mouthfeel that with country wines can be in short supply and so result in a less viscous wine.

That said, I have made jam wine a few times and while I am sure that folk with a far better educated palate than mine might argue that they can taste the cooked nature of the fruit, I have always enjoyed the resulting wines although occasionally I have found them for some reason difficult to ferment dry.

I guess I was referring to when I said "mature a little quicker" was"taste better sooner". Do you think oaking after the initial rack from the primary would be a good idea? I'm trying to make a good wine quicker. I was wondering if a small amount at this stage until the next racking would be a good idea.

Years ago when we oaked, it was in barrels or carboys with oak when the wine was completely still and after some initial aging.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

This is the recipe I'm talking about. Make sure you check the S.G. before adding sugar. Mine did not require the entire pound. According to calculations using the sugar listed on the jam the starting S.G. would have been 1.058 with just the jam. My measured S.G. with just the jam was 1.068 so I only needed 3/4 pound of sugar to get to a S.G. of 1.099.

Jeff, thankyou for replying so quickly. I was, however, able to navigate WMT pages/forums, etc., after a few hours early this am, and DID find it at last. Really appreciate your timely response, and your efforts. I am eager to try this unique "wine" receipe. After reading your posts, think I will also purchase some oak chips, but still waiting to hear how much we need to add?...................................Dizzy

 

[hounddawg]

Thanks, I'm just trying to get this jam wine to mature a little quicker by using some oak. I guess I will wait until after second racking to use some chips.
I made wine with my father from about 1965 to about 1990 and we had lots of carboys and a few barrels with a little 100 vine vineyard and lots of concentrate, juices and such. However I rid myself of presses, barrels and most of the carboys, corkers etc. Unfortunately all of the detailed records of batches were lost. The past 10 years or so I have just made a few dozen gallon batches of bottled juice and grocery concentrate wines. It's almost time for wild blackberries in Missouri so my mind shifted there. But after fighting the thorns, heat, insects, and occasional bear I am hesitant to use , them in anything but homemade jam, pies and cobblers.

take the sun and heat, kill the insects, step on the snakes head , and offer a 50-50 split with the bear, joking aside, wild blackberries are so much better in every way,as opposed to tame briarless,,,,,,, from the upper instep of Ar.
Dawg

 

[WinoDave]

I made a 5 gallon batch of this blackberry jam wine a few months ago, turned out really tasty and everyone seemed to enjoyed it. When I oak, I add 1 medium toasted oak spiral for 5 gallons for 2-3 weeks, this results in a mild oak flavor to the wine. I’d add 1 spiral for a week since it’s only 3 gallons and then taste. If you can’t taste a difference, let it sit another week.
Hope this helps.

 

[Jeffrob]

Dawg, I pick the wild ones every year if the berries make. The thought of them made me decide to make the blackberry jam wine. I've only seen two bears in the last 10 years or so and smelled one while watching the grass and plants springing up from where it was bedded.

 

[Jeffrob]

I made a 5 gallon batch of this blackberry jam wine a few months ago, turned out really tasty and everyone seemed to enjoyed it. When I oak, I add 1 medium toasted oak spiral for 5 gallons for 2-3 weeks, this results in a mild oak flavor to the wine. I’d add 1 spiral for a week since it’s only 3 gallons and then taste. If you can’t taste a difference, let it sit another week.
Hope this helps.

Dave I only made two gallons, and was thinking of oaking one in the secondary after first racking. What do you think about the amount of chips I might use?

 

[DizzyIzzy]

I made a 5 gallon batch of this blackberry jam wine a few months ago, turned out really tasty and everyone seemed to enjoyed it. When I oak, I add 1 medium toasted oak spiral for 5 gallons for 2-3 weeks, this results in a mild oak flavor to the wine. I’d add 1 spiral for a week since it’s only 3 gallons and then taste. If you can’t taste a difference, let it sit another week.
Hope this helps.

Mornin' Wino, Thanks for the speedy response. I am going to contact "Nextleveloak.com" today to making inquiry into their fancy, dancy oak spiral "dipstick" (for lack of a better word). I will follow your direction and see where it leads. Thanks again.......................Dizzy

 

[WinoDave]

Mornin' Wino, Thanks for the speedy response. I am going to contact "Nextleveloak.com" today to making inquiry into their fancy, dancy oak spiral "dipstick" (for lack of a better word). I will follow your direction and see where it leads. Thanks again.......................Dizzy

I’ve done a blackberry wine, not Jam, where I soaked a spiral 2 weeks in 2-3 cups of bourbon and dropped it all in a 5 gallon batch. Came out also very tasty as well. The bourbon kind of off set some of the sweetness in the wine.
Your welcome. Enjoy.

 

[Julie]

Hi Jeffrob,

Normally I use 3 oz. of Hungarian Oak in my blackberry and this is for a five gallon batch. I won't use more than 1 oz for a one gallon batch

 

[Jeffrob]

Hi Jeffrob,

Normally I use 3 oz. of Hungarian Oak in my blackberry and this is for a five gallon batch. I won't use more than 1 oz for a one gallon batch

Hi Julie,

I know that taste is subjective, but about how long do you leave the oak in your blackberry jam wine?
Are you using cubes or chips?
Are you oaking during secondary fermentation, during bulk aging, or after stabilization if needed?
Thanks for your advice

Jeff

 

[Julie]

Hi Julie,

I know that taste is subjective, but about how long do you leave the oak in your blackberry jam wine?
Are you using cubes or chips?
Are you oaking during secondary fermentation, during bulk aging, or after stabilization if needed?
Thanks for your advice

Jeff

I use cubes and leave them in for 6 weeks and I do it during bulk aging.

 

[Jeffrob]

I use cubes and leave them in for 6 weeks and I do it during bulk aging.

Thank you very much Julie. I appreciate your succinct answer. It has given me a great starting point.
Have you ever used oak during secondary fermentation? Especially in a wine other than a kit? I'm just wondering if this 3-4 week period might be an opportune time for some chips or cubes.

Thank you very much,

Jeff