# Blueberry Wine



## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 22, 2011)

Is it normal for blueberry wine to start off very slow? I'm percolating about every 20-25 seconds right now after 24 hours.


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## Tom (Jun 22, 2011)

Yes it can be a bear to start. Did you make a starter? Did you do a TA Test?
Temp is important. I would also add nutrient.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 22, 2011)

As long as I have blubbles every now and then it should increase with time right? Fairly warm, room temp about 78*-79*. Just moistened the yeast in some warm water for a few minutes before adding to must.


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## Tom (Jun 22, 2011)

Hopefully the water was not to hot. Add some yeast nutrient slowly. Blueberry may be a longer primary ferment. Take your time as you have at least 6 months to bottle


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks all it's bubbling about once a second now.


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## mmadmikes1 (Jun 24, 2011)

Like Tom said, watch out it does not get to warm. I have ruined Blueberry that way. The blueberry can be a bear to use so keep conditions as ideal as possible. It can also get stuck fairly easy if to don't. Stuck wine sucks


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 24, 2011)

Came home this evening to a bad smell near my wine. Never made blueberry before so don't know if this is natural or not. this is only day 4 and it's bubbling away.


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## gird123 (Jun 24, 2011)

yeast nutrient? Does it smell like sulfur? If the yeast is stressed it will smell really bad.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 24, 2011)

I put yeast nutrient in it. I don't think it's a sulfur like smell, I'm not sure how to describe it, but it's not as bad as when I first came home. Could be I've gotten used to it.


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## Deezil (Jun 24, 2011)

Dirty socks? Rotten eggs?


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

I know what sulfur smells like, I meant I couldn't describe the smell.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

What if it turns out the yeast _is_ stressed, is there anything to do to save this? It's still putting off gas.


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## J-Gee (Jun 25, 2011)

Unless you can identify the smell as a definite foul odor,which it sounds as though you have not,you are probably fine.Stir it up well a couple times a day.A taste test will determine if you are on target.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

I openned to stir about 5 hours ago and that seems to have made a difference. The must bag has a lot of air in it and I prob used too much fruit (20 pounds for 5 gallons). In any event after stiring the odor is not as bad this morning. It _was_ starting to smell like sulfur though.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

I have one more day before I rack this from the bucket to the carboy. Anything special I should do since I'm having this problem? I'm hoping with one or two more stirings I can eliminate the problem.


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## Tom (Jun 25, 2011)

U R smelling what the yeasties are doing. Never go by time go by gravity readings for racking (you just started this 4 days ago I doubt its ready for racking). Once the gravity is 1.020 remove the bag.I find it hard to see that you are making this (5 gal) in one bucket..
*Please show recipe!*
What'sthe starting gravity and what is it NOW?


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

Recipe

20# Blueberries
23 pt Water
8 3/4# Sugar
2 1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
7 1/2 tsp Acid Blend
2 1/2 tsp Yeast Energizer
5 crushed Campden Tablets
Yeast - Red Star Cote des Blancs

At bottling time it calls for Red Grape Concentrate and Wine Stablizier.
I may skip the grape juice, not sure yet.

The initial gravity was 1.090. I haven't checked it since.


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## mmadmikes1 (Jun 25, 2011)

Don't judge wine by early taste or smell. If it doesn't smell like rotten eggs, let it alone. early fermentation can stink


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## Tom (Jun 25, 2011)

ClydeWigg3 said:


> Recipe
> 
> 20# Blueberries
> 23 pt Water
> ...



OK so its a 5 gal recipe?
Still light on blueberries
Everything else looks OK for now. 
I would ck gravity today.
If @ 1.020 remove berries
Once removed I think you will be short of 5 gallons


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

I don't think I could get another pound of berries in the bag and still tie it, it's full. My plan is to top with water in the carboy, or a combo of water and grape juice concentrate to bring it up to 5 gallons. I know I don't have 5 gallons now.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

My recipe calls for adding the grape juice at bottling, but wouldn't that produce a grape flavored wine? Why wouldn't I add it when I rack it to a carboy so that it can ferment with the blueberry juice?


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## roadwarriorsvt (Jun 25, 2011)

Many people have stated that they have found that by adding water to top off, it just dilutes the flavor. Top off with a similar wine or follow the recipe and use the grape concentrate. Have faith in your recipe if it came from a credible source.


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## Tom (Jun 25, 2011)

ClydeWigg3 said:


> I don't think I could get another pound of berries in the bag and still tie it, it's full. My plan is to top with water in the carboy, or a combo of water and grape juice concentrate to bring it up to 5 gallons. I know I don't have 5 gallons now.


I also doubt you will have much more than 4 gal. I would not add water.When I make blueberry I split it in 1/2 in TWO fermenting buckets. Proceed as with what you have after removing the fruit. You will also find alot of pulp and will need many rackings. Dont rack till you have a FIRM sediment and leave that behind.I'm betting you will have at least 3 qts of pulp.
Figure 6 months min to bottle.
Use superKleer for clearing.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

The berries are in a bag, so I'm hoping not to find any pulp.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 25, 2011)

Just so everybody knows where I'm at here, I pulled the bag and let it drip for an hour. After pulling the 20 pounds of blueberries, I was just a tad, and I mean a tad, shy of 5 gallons even. I may add a half a can of grape juice concentrate at bottling time (the recipe calls for more but i don't need it). The initial gravity reading was 1.090. Today (5th day) it was 1.064. I put the bag back in the bucket and sealed it back up for a few more days. The odor has mostly cleared up.


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## Tom (Jun 25, 2011)

ClydeWigg3 said:


> The berries are in a bag, so I'm hoping not to find any pulp.



Oh you will...


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## UglyBhamGuy (Jun 27, 2011)

Watching this intently.
Any pics forthcoming?


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 27, 2011)

What kind of pictures do you want to see? The fruit in the bag, the juice? I'll take a few tonight when I stir. It's all still in a bucket right now, won't be in a carboy for a few more days.


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## ffemt128 (Jun 27, 2011)

ClydeWigg3 said:


> The berries are in a bag, so I'm hoping not to find any pulp.





Tom said:


> Oh you will...



Definately will. Always end up with pulp and sediment.


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## J-Gee (Jun 27, 2011)

I think you will be fine,as long as you aren't getting any of those odors that you mentioned.I started a batch of blueberry this past Feb.,using Cote des Blanc and a similar recipe.I didn't add the juice and I used light raisins.I started @1.080 and ended @.992.It now has very good clarity and the taste is going to be just to my liking.I will rack a third time this week and plan to bottle this fall.The fermentation was very good,with a nice sparkle,and a very fruity smell. This is the third batch of blueberry that I've done with the light raisins and all have done very well,although I used RC212 on the others,as well as on a blueberry melomel which has received excellent reviews.Stay with it and keep us updated.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 28, 2011)

This juice seems to be very very sweet. I followed the recipe and actually put less sugar than it called for, but it's still very sweet. Will this sweetness slowly work it's way out? If it dosen't I've going to have a syrupy sweet wine.


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## Tom (Jun 28, 2011)

Should be sweet. the yeast will convert all that to alcohol


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 28, 2011)

Just racked this over to my Carboy after taking a reading of 1.030. I have about 9 inches (23 cm) of head space across the top of the carboy. Is that too much? I had 5 gallons of wine and the carboy is 5 gallons. Never used a carboy before, so thought it would be a little higher.


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## Tom (Jun 28, 2011)

I dont think you should have racked @ 1.030 its to early


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 28, 2011)

I'm following a recipe from Raymond Massaccesi's Winemaker's Recipe Handbook.


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## mmadmikes1 (Jun 29, 2011)

You should not have 9 inches of head space at this point it will not hurt wine because it is still fermenting and there is a layer of co2 protecting wine. You would not believe how much wine you lost racking early. This is one of those learning things. The wine will be fine, just not as much. Note: use recipes as guild lines, not gospel.


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## Tom (Jun 29, 2011)

Couldn't have said it any better


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## UglyBhamGuy (Jun 29, 2011)

ClydeWigg3 said:


> What kind of pictures do you want to see? The fruit in the bag, the juice? I'll take a few tonight when I stir. It's all still in a bucket right now, won't be in a carboy for a few more days.



Carboy pics will be fine.


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## mmadmikes1 (Jun 29, 2011)

Ugly, you just like pictures


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jun 29, 2011)

Wine Porn


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## oldwhiskers (Jun 29, 2011)

Nice picture!


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## mmadmikes1 (Jun 30, 2011)

I like the purple drip on the wall, any one that doesn't have those, has not made enough wine


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## ClydeWigg3 (Jul 3, 2011)

Now that my wine is in a carboy, do I need to stir/shake from time to time, or just leave it alone and let it do it's thing?


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## Tom (Jul 3, 2011)

Leave it. Make sure its dry and stabilize.


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## ClydeWigg3 (Sep 8, 2011)

I racked the wine the other day and the bottom of the carboy was clean as a whistle. I bottled it and ended up with 23 bottles. Of course I sampled a little too. Sure is good, not sure how long I can let it age.


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## docanddeb (Sep 8, 2011)

You started this in June, and it's bottled? Could you shine a light through it and have no streaks? I've never seen wine clear that fast. I don't use clearing agents either, though.

Debbie


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## ClydeWigg3 (Sep 8, 2011)

Looks pretty clear to me. Nice red and translucent. There were no yeast residue on the bottom of the carboy.


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## SpoiledRotten (Sep 9, 2011)

ClydeWigg3 said:


> Just so everybody knows where I'm at here, I pulled the bag and let it drip for an hour. After pulling the 20 pounds of blueberries, I was just a tad, and I mean a tad, shy of 5 gallons even. I may add a half a can of grape juice concentrate at bottling time (the recipe calls for more but i don't need it). The initial gravity reading was 1.090. Today (5th day) it was 1.064. I put the bag back in the bucket and sealed it back up for a few more days. The odor has mostly cleared up.



My blueberry fermented rather quickly. I started with "steam-juiced" blueberries, so I didn't have to worry with bags, but when I started with a SG of 1.085, my SG was at 1.010 in about 4-5 days. I don't have my notes with me right now, but it fermented much faster than that. I didn't have it in a sealed bucket. I just lay the lid over my fermenter to keep any foreign particles/critters out.


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## docanddeb (Sep 9, 2011)

Spoiled...

Did you ferment straight juice? or cut it with water? What were your results as far as flavor goes? Did you do an F-pack?

Debbie


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