First One

[yul]

Right tomorrow i'm doing my first fresh fruit wine,blackberry.I am going to be doing it by adding boiling water to the fruit to kill any nasties instead of adding campden then topping up to 5lt with cold water.I am going to add sultanas also to give more body,how many do you need per 4.5lt and how many points does it add to the must so that I dont overdo the added sugar and end up with the must reading more than 1085/90,and what about the blackberries is there a certain amount that makes the best wine for 5lt.
Thanks yul

[yul]

Will I need to add citric acidto the blackberry wine.
Thanks yul

[Hippie]

I would not use boiling water or citric acid.

Have you checked the blackberry wine recipes here?

[StockeyDAW]

I would not use boiling water or citric acid.

Have you checked the blackberry wine recipes here?

Agreed with the rebel. Raisins are also not generally necessary; blackberries on their own will produce a great red wine. If you insist on addition try a citric fruit like raspberries they blend well together.

Also a suggestion to prevent a bitter flavour in the wine do not exceed 4 days of the pulp fermentation in the fermenting must; if you do the seeda have a tendency to break apart and impart the bitterness. For the water keep the temperature at 180 degrees F approx - the fruit can be soaked in this but not boiling or boiled on the stove in the water. If you have a plastic primary fermenter careful with the direct hot water addition - some plastics are not made for hot things. Cheers Good luck with the blackberries - it is near the best of berry wines according to my taste anyway. DAW

Right tomorrow i'm doing my first fresh fruit wine,blackberry.I am going to be doing it by adding boiling water to the fruit to kill any nasties instead of adding campden then topping up to 5lt with cold water.I am going to add sultanas also to give more body,how many do you need per 4.5lt and how many points does it add to the must so that I dont overdo the added sugar and end up with the must reading more than 1085/90,and what about the blackberries is there a certain amount that makes the best wine for 5lt.
Thanks yul

[yul]

Thanks all much appreciated.I,m going to go with 4lb of blackberries only and sugar for 5lt using the campden method.I'll let you know how I go.

[jake47]

Also a suggestion to prevent a bitter flavour in the wine do not exceed 4 days of the pulp fermentation in the fermenting must; if you do the seeda have a tendency to break apart and impart the bitterness. according to my taste anyway. DAW

Thats interesting ime just doing 4 gallons of blackberry (my first blackberry)atm(camden tablet in place as we speak) was about to leave for 7 days on pulp but didnt realise the seeds will dissipate so 4 days for me,thnx
i wasnt planning to use raisins neither just plain old blackberries ,with a few pound of bilberries as well.Question after 4 days is it going to be too lively to demijon or would it be better to strain seeds etc and maybe ferment in the container, for a few more days, Because if its too lively it may froth up into the fermentation lock.

[StockeyDAW]

Likely will still have to remain in the primary fermenter. SG should be 1.020-1.030 before you rack to glass carboy. Cheers to both I am sure it will work out well for both of you. DAW

[yul]

Stockeydaw said - Also a suggestion to prevent a bitter flavour in the wine do not exceed 4 days of the pulp fermentation in the fermenting must; if you do the seeda have a tendency to break apart and impart the bitterness.


Well I just finished crushing adding water and campden tab,im now going to leave it 24hours before adding pectin then leave it another 24hours before adding nutrient and yeast,what I want to know is does this initial 2 days count as part of the 4 days thats said above.

[lockwood1956]

No this bit doesnt count....

4 days of pulp fermentation...

that cant start till after the yeast is added, and active ferment has begun. You may however wish to make a yeast starter now, so that it is going well and will work quicker when added

see info here on preparing yeast starters

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=908

You can add the nutrients and pectolase now (you are adding pectoilase not Pectin, the pectolase breaks down the pectin)

then only need to wait 24 hours before adding the yeast.

[yul]

Pectoilase thats the one,I've also got a packet of super enzyme that came free with my filter is that the same thing.Ok added the pectoliase now ready for the yeast tomorrow.
Thanks,
yul

[Duffbeer]

Yup same thing yul, super enzyme is just a slightly better performer than pectolase,

[StockeyDAW]

Right on all! Yep Yul after you have pitched the yeast wait the four days of fermentation then insuring all is clean - hands, stainless steel sieve etc. remove the strainer bag of fruit or the fruit floating on the top depending on how you are doing it and squeeze lightly to get all that great juice back in the fermenter. Then wait till the SG is at the appropriate reading as mentioned above. You will then be ready to rack into the glass primary with air lock. DAW

[yul]

I added 1 3/4 pound of sugar to my must, if it did not reach the sg that I require 1090 is there a method of working out how much additional sugar that would be required to get it to the level that I require from where it is now, without doing it by adding a bit of sugar test adding a bit more test again.
thanks,
yul

[StockeyDAW]

I added 1 3/4 pound of sugar to my must, if it did not reach the sg that I require 1090 is there a method of working out how much additional sugar that would be required to get it to the level that I require from where it is now, without doing it by adding a bit of sugar test adding a bit more test again.
thanks,
yul

http://www.home-winemaking.com/winemaking-2b.html

I would think that there must be a table some where within the forum that gives you that information - do the search thing. the attached link gives you the necessary information. I find that just what you said add a cup then measure add another cup and measure - it works and you can manage that way just fine. In any event if you use the table you will be checking to see if it is right before you proceed anyway. Cheers DAW

[lockwood1956]

if it did not reach the sg that I require 1090 is there a method of working out how much additional sugar that would be required to get it to the level that I require from where it is now, without doing it by adding a bit of sugar test adding a bit more test again.
thanks,
yul

what is the SG now...and how big a batch is it?