# 1 gallon Blackberry



## dragonmaster42 (Mar 12, 2009)

Is 3.75 lbs of frozen blackberries enough for a 1 gallon batch of blackberry wine? I found some at my local health food store and got 6 -10oz packages (all they had). Figured I'd go back at some point and get a couple more to make an fpack.


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## Tom (Mar 12, 2009)

It's a good start. Go for it


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## montyfox (Mar 12, 2009)

My rule of thumb has always been 3 to 4 pounds of fruit per gallon depending on the fruit. I'd give it a go.


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## dragonmaster42 (Mar 12, 2009)

Well, a gallon of blackberry wine I will be making then!


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## Tom (Mar 12, 2009)

Use 1 pound of blackberryminimum for a F-Pac


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## montyfox (Mar 12, 2009)

I'm learning how to make my own F-Packs and have a couple of questions. From what I have gleened, an F-Pack consists of simple syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water) and whatever fruit you want to use for flavoring. If you are using 1 pound of fruit, how much simple syrup to you add that to? Or, do you even mess with a simple syrup mixture?


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## Tom (Mar 12, 2009)

montyfox said:


> I'm learning how to make my own F-Packs and have a couple of questions. From what I have gleened, an F-Pack consists of simple syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water) and whatever fruit you want to use for flavoring. If you are using 1 pound of fruit, how much simple syrup to you add that to? Or, do you even mess with a simple syrup mixture?


Making f-pacs is an art. Take the fruit and put in a pan. Heat the pan on LOW/MED and smash the fruit. The idea is to evaporate the water in the fruit. Once done slowly press the fruit thru a strainer and leave the pulp and seedsbehind. Add to wine. After a week you will need to add clairifier to the wine.
TASTE. If not enough "flavor" then you need more fruit (f-pac). It is all up to YOUR TASTE so no one can tell you how much to add.
The Simple syrup is only used to backsweeten the wine. add to YOUR TASTE for sweetness.


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## montyfox (Mar 12, 2009)

Ah... This makes much more sense now. Thanks for the exlaination. My problem was that I was trying to combine making an F-pac with back sweeting and becoming very confused. I think I have a handle on it now. I don't want to hijack this thread, but maybe dragonmaster will be interested as well... There has been a lot of talk about juice steamers. Instead of mashing the fruit to make the f-pac, wouldn't it be simpler to use a steamer to extract the juices?


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## Tom (Mar 12, 2009)

Steamers are around $200 for a good one. I admit I am interested but I would like to get a "sample" from someone before I commit. Anyone want to send a sample?

Pass my instructions on to whoever you want. Call it the Original way of making an f-pac.


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## gaudet (Mar 12, 2009)

tepe said:


> Steamers are around $200 for a good one. I admit I am interested but I would like to get a "sample" from someone before I commit. Anyone want to send a sample?
> 
> Pass my instructions on to whoever you want. Call it the Original way of making an f-pac.
> 
> ...



Not completely true Tepe



. I got one shipped for $120 and its a darn good one if I say so myself.


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## smokegrub (Mar 12, 2009)

I have now made the following wines using juice obtained by steam-juicing: 14 gallons blackberry, 6 gallons apple, 6 gallons cranberry, 2 gallons peach, 12 gallons blueberry, 3 gallons pin cherry and 5 gallons pear. All have been excellent. Although I have not used steamed juice as an F-Pac I believe it could be easily done. I would slow simmer the juice to further concentrate the juice and proceed as normally. My wines have had robust fruit flavor and I have not seen the need to make an F-Pac. I may try one in the near future, however, just so I can assess the benefits, if any.


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## gaudet (Mar 12, 2009)

Out of curiosity Smoke, how many quarts of juice did you use per gallon of wine?


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## smokegrub (Mar 13, 2009)

I used the juice from the recipe's prescribed quantity of fruit and that has produced a high quality product. In other words, I paid no attention the quantity of juice.


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## gaudet (Mar 13, 2009)

Cool, I was told that a good rule of thumb is to use 1 quart of juice per gallon when making fruit wines. Of course, more would make a fuller bodied wine I would assume.

I had juiced about 54 pounds of muscadines and got 18 quarts of juice (4.5 gallons) so I figured that I got a juice yield of 1 quart per 3#'s fruit. I can only hope that strawberries produce as much. Thats my next fruit victim


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## smokegrub (Mar 13, 2009)

I suggest you taste the resulting must to ensure it has enough body to meet your taste preferences. I am in the process of steam-juicing 21 1/2 lb cranberries. I am soaking the steam-juiced pulp in a straining bag and will strain and use that liquid plus additional water to reach 6 gallons. I am boiling 9 very ripe bananas which I will add along with 30 oz white raisins. Target SG is 1.09.


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## gaudet (Mar 13, 2009)

This is why I love this place. Tips and suggestions. You made me learn something today Smokegrub. Next time I am steam juicing, I will use a straining bag for the pulp and pour boiling water over it and let it soak to extract more Juice





Your cranberry sounds delicious. I bottled my 6 gallon batch two days ago, and although its tasty, it does lack in color. Its more of a blush verses a dark ruby red. Tasty none the less.


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## smokegrub (Mar 13, 2009)

Cranberry is one of my favorites.

The only trouble with the straining bad soak for the pulp is that I end up with a lot of lees. But, with cranberry, it is the only way I can get a lot of color.


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## gaudet (Mar 13, 2009)

A small sacrifice for color. I thank you again.....


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## smokegrub (Mar 13, 2009)

You are most welcome.

I have been tracking your and Waldo's ports. Interesting and informative. I look forward to your opinions of the final product.


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## uavwmn (Mar 25, 2009)

Monty, I was confusing the F-Pac and back sweetening also. I thought it was a "2 for 1" deal.



It is 2 seperate steps, I am told.


I love learning on this Forum.


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## gaudet (Mar 25, 2009)

Smokegrub said:


> You are most welcome.
> 
> 
> 
> I have been tracking your and Waldo's ports. Interesting and informative. I look forward to your opinions of the final product.



So do we Smokegrub, so do we


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## dragonmaster42 (Mar 30, 2009)

Here's an update on the batch of blackberry wine. 


3.75 lbs frozen blackberrys - thawed and run through the blender. This was put into a straining bag and put into the primary


3 lbs sugar


1/2 tsp pectic enzyme


1 tsp yeast nutrient


1/2 tsp acid blend


1 gallon water
OG was 1.090 - a tad high, but I plan on creating an fpack and backsweeting (if necessary)


Let this sit overnight then added 1/2 pkt of Lavlin 7B-1112 yeast 
Primary fermentation took off and foamed like crazy for about 4 days and calmed down. Racked to secondary on day 5 when sg was 1.010. After about 1 week, this is what it looks like. The floaty things are pieces of berry that got sucked in.


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## Waldo (Mar 31, 2009)

Looking good dragon but I would recommend getting those floaties ( pieces of berries) out of there pretty soon


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## dragonmaster42 (Apr 2, 2009)

Thanks. Racked it again and it's now "floaty free". I'm a bit surprised at how red it is. From havingpurple fingerspicking wild blackberries on my grandparents ranch growing up, I was expecting it to be darker.


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## gaudet (Apr 3, 2009)

First one I did looked like blood in the carboy. It lightened up significantly. I will make f-packs for the next batch of Blackberry I make. You will enjoy yours Dragon...


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