Blackberry Wine 2017

[BamaProud]

Started with 25 pounds of blackberries most of which came from my vines I planted 2 years ago in my backyard.
Freezing them helps release the juice and makes it easier to crush them.

It was easiest to crush them in half-filled ziplock bags, and no where near as messy as other ways I have tried.

Love these wide-mouth Fermenters.

Wine Must:

Unfortunately the Wide Mouth fermenters don't do well with temperatures above 140.
Oops

Big mess and a ruined fermenter. When I poured 4.5 gals of boiling water in it, it began to shrink and naturally the must started spilling out the top. Luckily I had some 1/2 inch tubing nearby and was able to siphon it (burning my tongue) into a bucket fermenter. I probably lost a half gallon of must. :livid:

Nice color:

I'm using Jack Kellers Brazos Blackberry Wine [Heavy Bodied Dry] recipe. I have had great results from all of his recipes.
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/blackbr2.asp
It should be ready to bottle in 3-4 months and ready to drink in 6 months to a year.

 

[Kimber45]

You are the man!! That will no doubt make some great wine!! My brother is pretty wine-making-savvy so if I EVER get the man cave done and temp controlled, we'll be making some wine for sure.

 

[KubotaM4900]

Sure wish I knew how to make wine

 

[BamaProud]

Sure wish I knew how to make wine

Its very easy, just takes some time and some basic equipment.

 

[Teacher]

Where did you purchase the Big Mouth Bubbler?

I also saw you poured the must through what looked like a straining cloth. Did you remove the seeds and cores from the mix, or did you leave them in the vessel to ferment with the juices. I have had a few folks tell me to strain the seeds and cores through a nylon cloth and tie it off. They would then leave the bag in the must as it all fermented. They did this to make removing all this "pulp" an easy chore.

Always great to see you posting your procedures! It will be time in about six weeks to start on the grapes. I can't wait.

B

 

[AT Hiker]

Not sure what's more impressive. You making wine or that you were able to grow that many blackberries.


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[BamaProud]

Where did you purchase the Big Mouth Bubbler?

I also saw you poured the must through what looked like a straining cloth. Did you remove the seeds and cores from the mix, or did you leave them in the vessel to ferment with the juices. I have had a few folks tell me to strain the seeds and cores through a nylon cloth and tie it off. They would then leave the bag in the must as it all fermented. They did this to make removing all this "pulp" an easy chore.

Always great to see you posting your procedures! It will be time in about six weeks to start on the grapes. I can't wait.

B

I buy most of my brewing/wine making stuff (including the Bigmouth Bubbler) on MidwestSupplies.com . The nylon straining bags I use come from Sherman Williams-the paint supply stores. They are for straining paint in 5gal buckets so they fit standard 5-or 6gal fermenters perfectly. They are like 99 cents each, or you can pay 7-8 dollars at a brew supply store.

I recommend freezing your fruit then thawing before crushing it in half-filled ziplock bags. Freezing the fruit breaks cell walls, making crushing a lot easier. I even question the need for pectic enzyme if you freeze it first, but I add it anyway because nearly all recipes say to use it.

Good luck with your grapes, I'm sure it will turn out fantastic.

 

[BamaProud]

Not sure what's more impressive. You making wine or that you were able to grow that many blackberries.


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I bought 5 pounds from a local farmers market to get me to the 25 pounds I needed for the recipe. But I was definitely surprised by how many my 2 backyard vines produced.

 

[Teacher]

Do you put the straining bag in the fermenter with all the strained juice, or do you strain all the juice from the staring bag and throw this away? I have read where folks do both ways, just wanted to know what you do.

B

 

[BamaProud]

I put the straining bag containing the crushed fruit and pectic enzyme in the fermenter for a couple of days then remove it before pitching the yeast.

 

[GMB54]

I enjoyed my last 1yr old bottle early this year. I add about 20% red grape to mine. Ferment dry and back sweeten.

"Black Apple" hard cider is also tasty

 

[BamaProud]

Looks great. I like to bottle a couple bottles in clear glass to see the color, even though its better for the wine to use dark glass.
Here are a couple of mine
Strawberry and Lemon

 

[GMB54]

Ive never done strawberry or lemon. I do make cyser, several ciders and rice wine.

Cyser and cranapple

Rice wine starts out looking like this around a month old

And ends up like this

I make a red rice wine too that you would swear is a fruit wine.

 

[BamaProud]

I make ciders as well. I've read a bit about rice wine, but never made it.

Right now I have fermenting 6 gal of blackberry wine, 1 gallon of blueberry wine, 6 gallons of lemon cider 6 gallons of apple cider and 5 gallons of strawberry wine.

Bottled I'm down to 13 bottles of apple cider, 3 bottles of lemon cider, 1 bottle of strawberry wine, 1 bottle of blackberry wine and just under 100 beers of various variety.

 

[GMB54]

ATM i dont have any ferments going but i do have a few gallons being converted to vinegar. Ive got a couple dozen green bottles in my cellar i made around 10 years ago but i didnt label them so i have no idea whats in them LOL

Ive got a couple bottles of mulberry left from last year and a fruit blend i was tinkering with.

Rice wine is ridiculously easy to make and has one heck of a kick. All you need is cooked sweet rice or jasmine and "yeast balls" but i like to add red yeast rice to mine. The RYR gives more of a fruity flavor and speeds up the conversion of starch to sugar.

 

[dralarms]

I put the straining bag containing the crushed fruit and pectic enzyme in the fermenter for a couple of days then remove it before pitching the yeast.

I put my fruit in the primary and depending of the type (banana takes a while) I leave in for 7 to 10 days and I use plenty of pectic enzyme. Pectic enzyme is a "free" substance. Meaning you can add all your want to it adds no flavor or side effects.

 

[Mike Belt]

I haven't made wine in a while but when I was doing it I tried everything. Blackberry by far was my best. Have any of you tried plums? It wasn't my favorite but it was the strongest alcohol content wine I made.

 

[dralarms]

I haven't made wine in a while but when I was doing it I tried everything. Blackberry by far was my best. Have any of you tried plums? It wasn't my favorite but it was the strongest alcohol content wine I made.

I love a good plum wine

 

[BamaProud]

I have not tried plum, but being a dark juicy fruit I'd bet it would be great. I may have to see if the Farmers market has any this morning.

 

[buckaroo]

I've made several different wines, my favorite is blackberry, and persimmon, I have tons of persimmons