# Started my Saskatoon berry wine



## DeniseHogemann (Dec 8, 2011)

So I started my Saskatoon wine tonight. Recorded everything I used and what I did so if I have problems I can tell you all what I did.


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## LJPelletier (Dec 8, 2011)

Awesome  We are looking forward to hearing about it


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## WildBill (Dec 9, 2011)

Sounds delicious. We called them service berries growing up in Idaho and I bet they make a beautiful wine.


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## DeniseHogemann (Dec 9, 2011)

So it's been 24 hours since I started my wine. Just sprinkled the yeast on top of it. Used EC-1118. My question is do I just leave it or should I stir it and how often?


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## DeniseHogemann (Dec 11, 2011)

So I lefted the wine sit for 12 hours after adding the yeast before I stirred it gently. I added the yeast on Friday night. Today is Sunday and it is fermenting nicely. It smells wonderful. Gonna check the SG in a couple days. Will keep you posted


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## WildBill (Dec 11, 2011)

DeniseHogemann said:


> So it's been 24 hours since I started my wine. Just sprinkled the yeast on top of it. Used EC-1118. My question is do I just leave it or should I stir it and how often?



Did you use a bag for your berries or are they just floating? I use a bag and I think it helps to mush the bag a little with your spoon and stir once every couple days. Mine will ferment out in 7-10 days depending on temp. Check S.G. before stirring. Less solids in your sample yields a more accurate reading.


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## DeniseHogemann (Dec 12, 2011)

Yes, I used a bag to put the saskatoon berries in. It doesn't go quite tight on the top so a couple escaped.I also put raisins in and those I didn't have another bag so I put them in a leg of a nylon. I think I am going to take the berries out in a day or two but leave the raisins a little longer. Not sure about this. What do you think?
FYI: I used 12 lbs Saskatoons, 4 lbs raisins, juice of 8 lemons, 10 lbs sugar, pectic enzyme, 3 campden tablets in (crushed) and about 3 gallons of water.

My SG today was 1.085


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## WildBill (Dec 12, 2011)

To be honest I am still a noob to this but I have had good results leaving the fruit in the must until racking to secondary. I think it helps to have as much of the fruit exposure as possible to retain the body. You selected a good yeast for retaining the fruit flavor also. You have a ways to go from 1.085 til you're ready for the secondary. My plum just came out of primary last week. It took 11 days to get down to 1.00 because I keep my house around 68.
Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in and correct me if I am wrong. I think you are on track. Wish I was close enough to get a little taste of that wine when its done.


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## docanddeb (Dec 18, 2011)

Length of time in the must really depends on the fruit. Once the fruit has given all it has to give... get it out. Off flavors can occur if the alcohol and yeast start to break down seeds and skins. For most fruits, this occurs at the 3-5 day mark.

Debbie


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## DeniseHogemann (Dec 19, 2011)

The SG is at 1.02. Should I rack it into a carboy now? Its still in the primary?


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## North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not (Dec 19, 2011)

If you want you could rack now and it wouldnt hurt at all. Some like it to go dry before racking others dont, its ur preference here.


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## DeniseHogemann (Jan 1, 2012)

I am wondering about my wine. I will give you an update. Started on dec 8 with an SG of 1.095 before adding yeast. On the day after adding yeast it was at 1.10. That was dec 11.
Dec 13 - 1.07
Dec 20 - 1.018 - racked into Carboy
Dec 31 - 1.008
Thought it was taking forever so today I siphoned some into a pot and the rest into a pail. Added 1/4 cup sugar and heated it slightly to dissolve the sugar then added back to the rest of the wine and added 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient, stirred then racked back to the Carboy. Should I do anything else or have I done enough damage? Oh the SG was 1.01 after adding the sugar and it is a 3 gallon batch of wine


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## docanddeb (Jan 2, 2012)

What was it you were trying to do with the addition of the sugar?

Debbie


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## WildBill (Jan 2, 2012)

What has your temp been? I think you should let it sit under air lock for a while now. Adding nutrient and sugar may get it going again but only if the yeast is still alive. Patience is your friend here. Wait a week and check your S.G. again. If it is still at 1.01 then you are good to stabilize and degas and wait for it to clear.


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## North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not (Jan 4, 2012)

Yeah, best advice I can give you is keep it in the carboy under airlock for at least a week or two. If it isnt visibly fermenting still, i.e. bubbles forming or that you can see rising, then check S.G. and stabalize. 

No worries, all adding that sugar did was either a)ferment started again and youll have more alc. in this wine, or b) it didnt restart and you just backsweetened your first wine. lol So either a bit more stout, or just a bit more sweet is most likely the extent of damge and I wouldnt call either damage more like unplanned progress. If you havent smelled rotten eggs or anything in all this, id say you have a wine that is more than drinkable and may actually be very good. Just age it in carboy and let things settle, when you rack it off sediment taste it and if you like it and its cleared enough, drink away.


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## DeniseHogemann (Jan 6, 2012)

I degassed my wine last night. Added some K-meta. Gonna rack it in about a week. Waiting for it to settle. Then I'll sorbate it and add clearing agents. Then leave it age. All is good


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## zipur (Jan 9, 2012)

Hi Denise

Greetings from Medicine Hat, Alberta.

I made some Saskatoon wine this year and it turned out awesome. I used a little different recipe (altered it from Jack Keller's Service Berry). I am going to enter it into a wine competition in February. Sadly it is my last bottle and calls my name every time i look at it, but I am saving it for the comp. 

The only recommendation I can offer , from my experience with this wine, is do an f-pac. It brought out the flavours and I got a lot of positive feed back about this wine. I did my f-pack before letting it age. 

Anyway, Saskatoons do make a wonderful wine and you will enjoy it.

Cheers

Tom


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## DeniseHogemann (Jan 10, 2012)

Thank you very much for the advice, Tom, I appreciate it. I was wondering about an f-PAC. I racked it again tonight and added the sorbate and clearing agent. Topped it up and will leave it along for now (if I can, lol). It smelt good and didn't taste all that bad.


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## DeniseHogemann (Jan 14, 2012)

*F-pac*

F-pac is made and added. Now to sit and wait.


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## zipur (Mar 14, 2012)

Hi Denise. How did the wine turn out?


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## DeniseHogemann (Mar 14, 2012)

zipur said:


> Hi Denise. How did the wine turn out?



Hi Zipur. So far my wine seems really good. It is aging in the corner of my kitchen. Racked it about 2 weeks ago and stole a taste or two. Very nice so far. Don't plan on bottling for awhile. Thanks for asking


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