Waldo's Black Widow Blackberry

[Waldo]

An early trip to the Little Rock River Marketthis morningresulted in the coup of enough blackberries to get my batch of "Black Widow Blackberry"started today.
My recipe for this 5 gallonbatch is as follows:
34 lbs. Blackberries ( Steamed, which netted me 2-1/4 Gallon Juice)
12 lbs. Sugar ( Dissolved in boiling water & currently cooling)
1Tbsp. Acid Blend ( May add more before I pitch yeast)
1Tsp Tannin
5 Campden Tablets, Crushed, Dissolved in Magic Bullet Blender
2TBSP Yeast Nutrient
1TBSP Yeast Energizer
5/8 TSP Pectic Enzyme ( Liquid)
Yeast - Yet to be determined which one I will use.
My target SG on this batch is going to be 1.090 - 1.096


Here is the label I will be using on this one. Will be posting more pictures later this evening or in the morning. Right now I am waiting on my sugar water to cool down so I add to must. I have already added my Campden tabs, Acid Blend & Tannin.
Stay tuned ..More pictures and hopefully even a short video of the steamer in action.

 

[LeiniePrincess]

Sounds delicious!!! I love everything black berry! You'll have to use it to wash down some blackberry pie or cobbler. I can't even image all of the tingling that all those blackberries could make!

 

[grapeman]

A work of art in progress. I should be great when done. Did you ever turn the black widows loose or do you keep them in the wine cellar as guards?

 

[NorthernWinos]

A work of art in progress. I should be great when done. Did you ever turn the black widows loose or do you keep them in the wine cellar as guards?

That's the secret ingredient in this wine...

 

[NorthernWinos]

Nice label...I like the black/white you've been using...the touch of Burgundy color in the border is very classy.

 

[Waldo]

Lennie, I'll have to bring you a jar of my famous Blackberry Jelly to Winestock. Talk about making you slobber now...spread that on some fresh, hothomemade biscuits with butter.
Thanks NW and appleman...I am looking for some ceramicblack widow spiders to maybe glue to the bottles. Thought that might look kinda neat. Anyway, lets get this post updated with some photos.
The Blackberries I got this morning at the Market

Blackberries being steamed straight into primary fermenter

That wonderful smelling Blackberry juice

All that remained after the steaming was finished

Cooling down the sugar water with my ole ice in the zip loc trick.

Water added to 5.5 gallonsand must stirred good

At a must temp of 80 degrees my SG was 1.098

Will let this set until in the morning at which time I will add my Pectic Enzyme and then should be ready to pitch the yeast to it Monday morning before I leave for work.
Has been a long day and I am ready to hit the sack. Will let the "Steaming" video download while I snooze and will post it in the morning.

 

[Wade E]

Looks awesome! Are you shooying for a finish of 5 gallons?

 

[bj4271]

That's beautiful!

Edited by: bj4271

 

[Waldo]

Thanks Bruce !!
That was my goal wade, it is heavy bodied enough that I felt I could start out at 5.5 and finish up with a good clean and clear 5 gallon with a bottle or two of good topping off wine for later use.
And now, for the "Steamer Juicer" video I promised. Short but to the point I guess you could say.


http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d186/wjjames26011/?action=view&current=MVI_0226.flv


I would also be amiss not to mention here that some of theBlackberries used in this batch actually came from The Cats Meow Wineyard. Hopefully, next year I will not be out trying to buy any. Will be using berries exclusively from my patch. Here is a picture of all 10 of them along with
my first picking of Elderberries from the 2 trees I planted this spring. Did not think I was going to get any but a few are ripening now.

Again, I think next year will see a good crop. The trees are really growing and looking healthy.

</'>Edited by: Waldo

 

[LeiniePrincess]

Waldo! You're killing! All the blackberries! I can't wait for the jelly. I'm pretty domestic, however, I haven't gotten into the non-perishables yet. Maybe I'll try some so we can exchange.Edited by: LeiniePrincess

 

[Waldo]

Hey Lennie Princess..What are you doing up so early ? Bring some cream cheese and bagels to Winestock with you. The Blackberry jelly goes down pretty smooth with that combo too.

Edited by: Waldo

 

[Waldo]

Just gave the must another good stirring and added the pectic enzyme to it. Have decided to go with a Lalvin 718-1122 yeast which should take it to almost dry as it has a tolerance of around 14%. Edited by: Waldo

 

[LeiniePrincess]

Bagels and cream cheese. Check. I was about to ask you the same thing last night. I was only midnight-ish where I am. What were YOU do up? Up to no good I'm sure!

 

[LeiniePrincess]

Oh, by the way. Regular bagels and spread? Or fruity? I vote regular.

 

[Wade E]

Waldo be sure to have another yeasy packet ready just incase as there
have been quite a few people that are having problems with that yeast
strain lately, must be a bad batch of the 71B-1122.

 

[Waldo]

Oh, by the way. Regular bagels and spread? Or fruity? I vote regular.

Definately regular lennie.....And I am up around 1-2:30am every day

 

[Waldo]

Waldo be sure to have another yeasy packet ready just incase as there have been quite a few people that are having problems with that yeast strain lately, must be a bad batch of the 71B-1122.

Have been reading that on the posts wade. I am making a starter per the instructions on their web site. Started it about 10 minutes ago so I will be pitching it here soon.

 

[CajunTim]

Waldo, that is looking very good.

What is the ABV that you are shooting for. Sounds like a wine I need to try.

 

[Waldo]

I am shooting for 14% on this one Cajun. Blackberry makes a really good wine..To me anyway.
Yeast has been pitched....Hopefully I will have a good fermentation in progress when I get in from work this evening.Edited by: Waldo

 

[swillologist]

It can't be all bad can it Wade? If anything just a bad lot. The chokecherries are starting to turn good now. In a couple of weeks will start a gallon of it. Will see if the packet of 71B-1122I have left will start.