Port Wine: lets get sauced

[saucebag]

Any thoughts on ramping up a blackberry wine with everclear vs. brandy to make a port? has anyone used everclear...i see that Wine Maker Mag is all about it...

 

[blairholand]

Whoo Everclear

I think the alcohol level in EverClear is going to be over bearing. But what do I know I would love to know how it turned out.

 

[FTC Wines]

I too think the Everclear would be over powering. I used cheap Blackberry Brandy to boost my Blackberry Wine, about 3 oz. per 750 ml bottle. what a difference. You certainly could kick up the brandy to make Blackberry Rocket fuel! Roy

 

[mmadigan]

I had the same idea last summer and added everclear to a glass of some raspberry wine so the final concentration would be 20 %. It was to harsh, so I did not do the whole batch. I wonder what the result would be if everclear was added and then let it sit for a year.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

The advantage of everclear is that you are not adding a bunch of water and diluting the flavor of your wine. If you are going to boost it with everclear everything has to be in balance, the acid and sweetness levels have to match the amount of everclear you are adding, if they dont balance each other out it will taste hot. We use everclear in our dessert wines to give them a little boost or add just enough to balance out the sugar and acid levels. Good luck, blackberry port is great.

Crackedcork

 

[saucebag]

port: more fruit at the start

when making a port then, since you will be upping the alcohol content with possibly an unflavored brandy, or whatever, is it advisable to add 3-4 lbs. more fruit to get a more balanced final product? or something of that nature...

 

[OldCanalBrewing]

I let the fermentation get past what the suggested SG should be in this thread http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16602 . Could I let it go dry, then sweeten, then fortify? Or just fortify now. And how about clearing. Should I use Kmet, Ksorb, Sparkloid after the fortification?


Thanks

 

[Wade E]

Making a normal wine and then boosting it way up like that will be just a very high abv wine which will mainly just taste hot! Ports require more fruit per gallon and also more body to go with the higher sweetness and acids.

 

[OldCanalBrewing]

Figures! I think ill try jacking it up with a massive FPac, then fortifying.