Blackberry wine question

[celt]

I am surprised at all the different descriptions on how to do this.

I went for the following recipe, and the blackberrys have been in the bin since saturday. Do I close the lid on the bin or fit it loosely ?

Some say stir daily for ten days, others say five. Am surprsed the sugar is five days after.

Do these instructions seem ok ? Anyway, this is the recipe.........

Blackberry Wine (dry)

3 lbs blackberries
1/2 pint red grape juice
2 1/4 lb sugar
1/2 tsp nutrient
1 tsp pectolase
Pommard yeast
Water to 1 gallon

Wash and drain and crush berries.
Pour on 6 pints boling water.
When cool add pectolase, grape juice, nutrient and yeast.
Ferment for 5 days on pulp then strain and press, stir in sugar, top up with water and continue fermentation.

[danpug]

Have a read of this thread if you haven't already: http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/s...ead.php?t=1446

[celt]

ok thanks Dan,

I followed the origional recipe, and the origional gravity was
1.070.

I notice in Lockwoods recipe, his was 1.090.

The wine is still in the DJ and on fri was reading 1.006. At what s.g. should I bottle it ?

[lockwood1956]

bottle when it has finished fermenting, and after it is stabilised sweetenned if required, cleared and filtered

if you bottle it with sugar left in you are creating glass hand grenades

[celt]

Thanks Bob,

Think its nearly there !

[celt]

The s.g of the wine is now, 0.992. What would be the alcohol level ?

[ChrisG]

1070-992 = 78

78 divided by 7.36 = 10.5%

[celt]

Thanks for that Chris, my maths are crap, off to visit your site, as I'm a veggie grower too !

[celt]

Do I use citric acid to sweeten the wine if required ?

[Duffbeer]

Do I use citric acid to sweeten the wine if required ?

No citric acid will incease the acidity, simply sweeten with sugar or wine sweetener.

[celt]

O.K. Thanks, wine is down to 0.990. There is still the odd 'bloop' from the airlock, does this mean there is still sugar in it ?

I was under the impression that by adding sugar, it would start fermenting again ?

Do I put the sugar in the dj before bottling and about how much as I only want to sweeten it slightly.

It tastes a bit odd at the mo, tho I gather it needs leaving for at least six months ?

[lockwood1956]

If you are adding sugar you will need to stabilise the wine first...(campden and sorbate) to prevent fermentation starting again, then add sugar using your hydrometer to measure how much, if you want it off dry them take SG up to about 0.994 to 0.996 medium would be around 1.004 to 1.008



if using artificial sweetener, stabilising isnt necessary, and you would add to taste

[celt]

Thanks Bob, but I'm afraid its complete gobbledegook to me ha,ha.

Are you telling me to stabilise, put hydrometer in dj and add sugar and the sg will alter instantly as I am adding it ?

I have some youngs stabilising powder from wilkos (aaaargh) so will be using that.

I just planned to add the stabiliser, give it a stir, then bottle it tomorrow.

However, the instructions say to add a spoon or two to a clean dj, (which I do not have) and syphon the 'finished' wine into it and fit airlock ?

I dont get it, if its finished, it should be bottled, so why are they saying to put it into another dj ?

[lockwood1956]

if you are sweetening, you need to be sure the ferment isnt going to start again, BEFORE you bottle it.

rack into a bucket, clean your DJ and rack back into it

Add the sugar in syrup form (ie dissolve in warm water 1lb sugar + 1 pint water...add and stir then measure, till you reach desired SG)

stabilise, sweeten, then leave in DJ for at least 2 weeks to be sure the wine is stable, or you could be creating glass hand grenades

regards
Bob

[celt]

Thanks Bob, I think I got it, ha,ha "

Cheers !