Making lots of Blackberry wine but how much yeast?

[thelurch]

Hi,

Heres my first stupid question!

I have been busy picking 65lb of Blackberries and 15lb of Elderberries which are in my freezer ready to go.

I am a little confused about yeast though.

I plan to make 15 gallons of Blackberry wine in 3 x 5 gallon fermenters and whatever volume of elderberry I can with the amount stated.

I have got a tub of general wine making yeast but have also bought some burgandy red wine yeast sachets. They are quite small ie a teaspoons worth, which I know can go in a 1 gallon DJ but I read somewhere that the same amount of yeast is OK for 5 gallons.

Is this correct? or do I give a five gallon must, 5 teaspoons or 5 sachets of yeast?

I have read lots of recipes for Blackberry wine but all of them just say add the yeast, they dont confirm if you have to multiply the amount of yeast you put in when you multiply the fruit and water volume to make more than a gallon.

Many Thanks

[danpug]

One sachet per 5 gallons will be fine. I guess you love blackberry wine then, thats a serious amount of berries!!

[thelurch]

thats great thanks for the quick reply!

I've never had blackberry wine! but I grow a large fruiting variety in my garden plus there are loads of places to pick them, took me back to childhood and I think I got a bit obsessed to be honest!

Just felt that as the berries were free, and I inherited all the equipment from a friends parents, all it would cost me was time, sugar, yeast and the other few ingredients and a bit of learning from a place like this!

Plan to start one 5 gallon off tomorrow!

[fatbloke]

thats great thanks for the quick reply!

I've never had blackberry wine! but I grow a large fruiting variety in my garden plus there are loads of places to pick them, took me back to childhood and I think I got a bit obsessed to be honest!

Just felt that as the berries were free, and I inherited all the equipment from a friends parents, all it would cost me was time, sugar, yeast and the other few ingredients and a bit of learning from a place like this!

Plan to start one 5 gallon off tomorrow!

Before you go piling in, have a search of the forums as Bob (Lockwood1956 i.e. the forum Admin) has recently posted about a couple of blackberry and elder berry recipes - one of which is bound to be worth a try (he knows his stuff).

The recipe section might also have a number of ideas (say like Blackberry and apple - and all you need to do is get the apple juice or pick them, there's plenty about to try etc etcv).

There's also gonna be hints and tips, like keeping some fruit back and adding it to the ferment later on or even once it's finished etc etc.

If you have the freezer space, then freeze it and carefully pick the recipe that you like the sound of.

If you record exactly how you make whatever you settle on, you could easily make a 1 gallon batch and then scale it up etc etc....

Hell, don't rule out fruit mead/melomel type recipes either - there's Paynes up at Hurstpierpoint and they keep a decent selection of honies.....


etc etc etc.

regards

jtfb

[goldseal]

I'd go a bit further than that.

If I were you, I would experiment with 1 gal batches until you get the recipe to your liking, then move to 5 gals.

I wish I had that many blackberries. I can't seem to pick many without severe blood loss

[kampervan]

i also have loads of blackberries, i use a steam juicer to juice them and then freeze in 1 or 2 ltr tubs, in fact i have so many i cant freeze any more as no space in small chest freezer. blackberry on its own is great also make a blackberry,tayberry and strawberry as its a family fav. elderberry and blackberry have not had as much success as i wanted 1st year made a gallon batch that was great really thick, was a hit at grapefest. never seemed to get right last year. but am trying again this year.

[Cellar_Rat]

you could freeze them whole - as is in a carrier bag until you are happy with your method / recipe.

[lockwood1956]

Most important piece of advice at this point on the road to making quality wine from your ingredients.. ........dont use the general purpose yeast, and if you haven't got one, buy a hydrometer.

The burgundy yeast will serve you well.

I never think that blackberry on its own makes a really good wine (its perfectly passablethough) it really shines combined with other fruit, especially elderberry.

I like Petes idea of 1 gal batches till you find a recipe that suits your taste.

For me its 2lb elderberries, 2 lb blackberries, sugar to SG 1.080 ferment to dry then 10g medium toast French oak per gallon for 4 to 6 weeks....



What sort of wine would you normally buy to drink?