# Mulberry Wine



## gaudet (Apr 30, 2009)

Started juicing 18 pounds of berries this afternoon. 1/3 through and figure that I will have 2.5-3 gallons of juice from these 18 pounds of berries. I am only shooting for a 3 gallon batch, but I might have enough juice left to make a nice batch of jelly as well.

As usual pictures and recipe to come.


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## Wade E (Apr 30, 2009)

Save some of that juice for adding when fermentation is done.


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## gaudet (Apr 30, 2009)

I am planning to pick some more mulberries for a f-pack. But just in case I don't, if I have 2.5 gallons of pure juice, I will use 1/2 gallon for jelly tonight. Or I might just can 3 quarts for future use.


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## grapeman (Apr 30, 2009)

You are getting a really nice yield there godaddy -er- gaudet (go-day). It must put a touch of water in there since liquid averages 8 pounds per gallon so you are gaining weight by steaming it! Maybe that's why I gain weight whenever I work hard enough to sweat


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## gaudet (Apr 30, 2009)

Making the pulp run now.... As per Northern Wino's advice when steam juicing.



I have right at 1.5 gallons so far before this last juicing of the pulp.

Realistically I think I will end up with just over 2 gallons.


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## grapeman (Apr 30, 2009)

I bet it tastes really great. I have never had it before- haven't even run around the mulberry bush!


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## gaudet (Apr 30, 2009)

appleman said:


> I bet it tastes really great. I have never had it before- haven't even run around the mulberry bush!



Too hot to taste right now.





Mulberries are a very sweet berry to begin with, and tasty off the bush, or tree. These taste fantastic. I hope that the wine as as good as the flavor this juice has. I can hardly wait.


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## Wade E (Apr 30, 2009)

Mulberries taste awesome although a little weak for wine so an f- pack will most likely be needed to make it stand out!


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## gaudet (Apr 30, 2009)

Ok here it is.  I got 2 gallons of pure juice out of 18 pounds of mulberries.  I just used 1 quart to make jelly.  I got 8 half pints of jelly out of this quart.  Wine recipe as follows.  

1.75 gallons pure juice
1.5 gallon water with 10 cups sugar heated to dissolve the sugar
1.5 tsp yeast energizer
1 tbs yeast nutrient
2 tsp wine tannin (powdered)
Initial SG was 1.080
3 tabs campden crushed and all ingredients stirred in thoroughly.

I tried to test for acid and I was not able to get a reading with the NAOH due to the darkness of the juice.  I will add pectic enzyme tomorrow night and pitch yeast either tomorrow night or Saturday morning.  Anyone that might have a suggestion to test for acid your input is greatly appreciated.  I don't have a pH meter just yet. I will add 2 tsp pectic enzyme in the morning.


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## grapeman (May 1, 2009)

Follow the direction in the test kit for testing a dark red wine. It involves diluting the juice to get a lighter color. I don't have the instructions here and don't remember the amounts because I use a pH meter now. It seems like you can add like 5 times as much water without affecting the reading hardly at all. It should be in the instruction booklet.


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## gaudet (May 1, 2009)

Thanks Rich, my kit did not have any instructions on how far you could dilute the test jar. I have the LD Carlson kit if anyone knows how much you can dilute it


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## grapeman (May 1, 2009)

You can do a dilution of upt to 5-1 of 8.2 (or distilled) water without affecting the results hardly at all. That will lighten up most wines enough.


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## gaudet (May 1, 2009)

cool, so I can take say a 15 ml sample of my wine, and add 45 ml of water to dilute it I can go as high as 75 ml of water to dilute it to get my TA acid reading. Do I need more pheynol indicator or keep just the 3 drops?


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## grapeman (May 1, 2009)

The 3 drops should be enough for the test. If worried you could try an extra drop or two, but it usually isn't necessary.


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## gaudet (May 1, 2009)

Damn I can't believe that it was still so dark that I couldn't see an effective color change. I diluted it 5 to 1 and it was still extremely dark. Bet mulberries would make a great port.


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## Wade E (May 1, 2009)

I dont recall them having that strong of a taste but its been awhile, I do remember them being dark as the huge tree where I am going to get mine hangs over the road and colors the street a pretty purple.


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## gaudet (May 1, 2009)

Well, I decided to follow your lead Wade, and I added 1/2 tsp per gallon. So I added 1.5 tsp acid blend. I tasted after stirring and I'm pretty sure I'm ok with that addition. 

Got the D-47 Lalvin rehydrating in 105 degree water and will pitch tonight. SG taken at this time was 1.084 temp of the must 76 degrees Rock and roll.......


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## Wade E (May 1, 2009)

Just check TA after fermentation is done, its usually pretty close.


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## Waldo (May 2, 2009)

Looks like you have another good one going here buddy


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## gaudet (May 5, 2009)

Racked to 3 gallon and remainder to 1 gallon jug. The SG was 1.020


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## dcrnbrd (May 5, 2009)

Get us a pic. I will be getting these by the bucket fulls in a couple of weeks.


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## gaudet (May 6, 2009)




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## Waldo (May 6, 2009)

Slobbering !!!!


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## dcrnbrd (May 6, 2009)

great color cant wait to get mine going


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## Wade E (May 6, 2009)

Cant wait to get a hold of some Mulberries! I now have Mulberry envy!


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## gaudet (May 7, 2009)

I hope this turns out as well as you say it does Wade. I think I need to order me some cotes de blanc yeasties since almost everyone suggests that it is the way to go with fruit wines. That will be the majority of my wine making, unless I decide to go with a kit or two.


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## Wade E (May 7, 2009)

AL I can say is I wish I didnt miss out last year. I had only gathered up enough for a 1 gallon batch as I missed most of the berries due to the people telling me to come in a few weeks when I really should have come the next week.


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## Scott (May 8, 2009)

Looks good Gaudet, 


I can always tell when the mulberries are ready, a guy at work will come in with purple fingers and lips


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## gaudet (May 18, 2009)

Did a little work on this one today. Its absolutely amazing how fast its clearing. Here are the details. I don't plan to backsweeten, Final gravity was 0.990, 12.2% ABV. Put it all back under glass and k-meta airlocks. 3 gallon carboy and a 750 ml bottle full of this nice stuff....Plan to age this one for 3-4 months then rack again and bottle. This will be my first dry wine. Oh yeah I almost forgot to mention it tasted pretty good too.


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## Wade E (May 19, 2009)

Glad you like it!It looks awesome!


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## Waldo (May 20, 2009)

Looks great buddy. I have never had a Mulberry but it sure likes it is crying out to have some oak added while bulk aging. Trying to taste it through my monitor I would say an American oak, medium toast would be a good choice.


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## gaudet (Jun 29, 2009)

Stick some corks in this one as well. I bottled 13 750's and 4 375's today. I am sipping on the last bottle and love it. Its bone dry but wonderful flavor..... I aim this one up high at you NW...........Salut!


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## Wade E (Jun 29, 2009)

The ones here are still a little too early, about 1 more week but they just arent no where as big as last year cause of all the rain and no sun. Probably aint going to have all the taste either so might have to up the amount of fruit this time to adjust for that.


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## Wade E (Jul 12, 2009)

I gathered up 2 more 1 gallon bags of Mulberries today but still nowhere near enough for a batch. Ill go back on Tuesday and hopefully again on Friday or Saturday.


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## gaudet (Jul 12, 2009)

How many bags you need Wade? I used three 1 gallon bags to make my 18 pounds and used 1.75 gallons of juice for the 3 gallon batch. How many gallons are you making?


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## Wade E (Jul 12, 2009)

I was looking to get 36 lbs but dont think its going to happen this year as I lost way too much to high winds from a storm last week. Ill be lucky if i get enough for a 3 gallon batch this year.


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## gaudet (Jul 12, 2009)

Well 3 gallons is better than 1 gallon. Perhaps next year I will get more than the 18 pounds I got this year. That's a bottle a month with 3 to test.....


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## Wade E (Jul 13, 2009)

Now ill have to get off my butt and bottle my Orange Chocolate port!


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## fivebk (Jan 11, 2010)

gaudet,

How did your mulberry wine turn out? Mine is still in the carboy aging. I added some medium toast oak to mine and like what it added. I am suprised at the taste difference from fresh to wine on these. If you would, Give me a description if you have tried it.

BOB


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## gaudet (Jan 11, 2010)

It turned out pretty good Bob. I have about 8 bottles left off of 14. I left it dry and I enjoyed the hell out of it when I opened it last. Its very drinkable young. Looking forward to making that one again in the spring.


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## corn field (Jan 11, 2010)

I just bottled my mulberry port that has been bulk aging for over a year. It is really,really good. It tasted like crap for the first 6months, but I didn't need the carboy so I let it age till I needed it. Will defnitely be making some more this season.


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## boozinsusan (Jan 14, 2010)

Can't wait for spring! This looks absolutely YUMMY! 


I have a HUGE mulberry bush/tree in the backyard of my rental. No one ever uses up the berries..... guess I will this year - just like I took the apples no one wanted last fall!


Do you recommend freezing before juicing as with other fruits? Or since they are so juicy to beging with, is that not necessary? Regular pressing or steam juicing - which would be best?


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## gaudet (Jan 14, 2010)

That makes all of us Susan.... Freeze them berries for a week or two before juicing them. All fruit benefits from a good freezing before juicing.


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## corn field (Jan 14, 2010)

be sure to remove the stems before ferminting because of the tannin. is usually easier to destem them while they are frozen.


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## boozinsusan (Jan 20, 2010)

Good tip, cornfield. When I eat them fresh, I usually eat the stem, since it is stuck so well onto the berry.


Would this tannin be undesirable, as opposed to the tannin added in some recipes? Or could you leave some stems on (purposely or accidentally)and add less tannin?


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## gaudet (Jan 20, 2010)

I only did this wine once. It was made with steamed juice and did not ferment on the pulp. I don't think you would need to worry too much about the tannins with steamed juice.


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## boozinsusan (Jan 20, 2010)

Then steam juicing it is! Thanks!


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## corn field (Jan 20, 2010)

steam jusing is the way to go because those stems are a bugger bear. I plan on getting a steam juicer this spring for this years crop of mulberries. Mulberries make a fabolus port wine.


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## Guapo (Jun 10, 2010)

I suppose one could use* nail clippers* or *scissors* to clip 
the stems off. I say this because I don't have a steam juicer and I am 
about to inherit 18 lbs (+/-) of purple mulberries. I am really looking 
forward to trying this one along with my *dewberries</font>*.


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