# blackberry wine perhaps had a wild yeast start?



## JCMOMMA (Aug 9, 2010)

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Hello I posted this in the beginners forum, but I thought I would try here as well.

I just made a batch of blackberry wine. I planned to make 1 gallon, so I bagged the berries, poured the boiled sugar water over them and was prepared to pitch the yeast when I recieved another batch of berries unexpectedly. Not having two primary fermenters and being a complete amateur, I thought I would just add the new berries in another bag and pour the boiled sugar water in with the cooled berry water mix. So I did this and added pectin and yeast nutrient and one campden tablet- (which I forgot to double-untill later). I then went to pitch the yeast and it was bubbling, fizzy smelling and tasting. I thought "uh oh" but still added a pack of monratchet yeast as it called for and I added the other campden tablet. When I added the packet of yeast it really bubbled and now it seems to be fermenting. My question is. How do I know if this goes bad? Is there anything more I can do to prevent this. My hydrometer reads 11 percent alcohol after adding the yeast one day ago. Recipie says to wait a week before secondary. Should I be watching the hydrometer readings looking for a smell, flavor etc to tell if this will be salvageable..as it seems it started with a wild yeast? I am not sure if the montratchet will take over or what but I am open to any help or feedback. Thanks!


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## Wade E (Aug 9, 2010)

JC, be careful what you click on as you clicked the moderate button which locks down the post or thread for moderators to approve or disapprove the thread. Well most likely the wine yeast probably took over as its a stronger yeast usually. It will never be known what truly happened but hopefully your wine came out great.


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## Heathduff (Aug 16, 2012)

I have a theory that wild yeasts provide a valuable connection with our environment and have also found their flavor to be preferable. When I make blackberry wine I use wild yeast only and find it fascinating what nature provides without our having to do much but be open to the unknown. I discovered brewing when I pressed a bunch of apples and forgot to refrigerate the juice. When I opened the jar a big hiiiiissss came out and it dawned on me that I was inadvertently making a grownup drink so I went with it and sealed a balloon with a tiny hole, around the jars mouth. I waited a couple weeks and was thrilled with what turned out- a crisp, not-too-sweet/not-to-dry, delight. I tried again to do it on purpose-I bought apple juice and added a champagne yeast. I was dissapointed with the result and have decided that wild yeast does the best job- So what I'm saying is that if your batch got "contminated" that is awesome. Go with it and enjoy natures hooch.


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## rjb222 (Aug 16, 2012)

Heathduff said:


> I have a theory that wild yeasts provide a valuable connection with our environment and have also found their flavor to be preferable. When I make blackberry wine I use wild yeast only and find it fascinating what nature provides without our having to do much but be open to the unknown. I discovered brewing when I pressed a bunch of apples and forgot to refrigerate the juice. When I opened the jar a big hiiiiissss came out and it dawned on me that I was inadvertently making a grownup drink so I went with it and sealed a balloon with a tiny hole, around the jars mouth. I waited a couple weeks and was thrilled with what turned out- a crisp, not-too-sweet/not-to-dry, delight. I tried again to do it on purpose-I bought apple juice and added a champagne yeast. I was dissapointed with the result and have decided that wild yeast does the best job- So what I'm saying is that if your batch got "contminated" that is awesome. Go with it and enjoy natures hooch.


 
Inoculation is the proper term for yeast starting. Contamination will cause an infection and that will make your wine unpalatable. While you are making a wine with a wild yeast please remember that yeast is yeast wild or packaged. All yeast comes from the air and each strain is very specific. Packaged yeast is just sorted into dominant population grown into a sizable colony and then divided and packaged. If you want a different profile use a different yeast. As no two strains are the same each will bring out a different profile.


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## Turock (Aug 17, 2012)

Yes, it was wise to pitch the culture so that it will, hopefully, take over.

When using Montrachet, you should be careful how much campden you use because that culture produces a lot of it's own H2S. You can get taste issues if you aren't careful--if that happens, you'll have to splash rack it or stir vigorously to get rid of the H2S. The best culture for blackberry is one that metabolizes the malic so you reduce the harshness that malic produces in the wine. 71B metabolizes up to 20% of the malic. Maurivin B metabolizes up to 56% of malic but is sold in 500 gram packets--WAY to much for a homewinemaker. If you belong to a wine club, you could share it and the price.


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## J-Gee (Aug 17, 2012)

Turock...I'm planning on using 71B on some blackberry and adding malo-lactic culture at the end of primary. Any thoughts or suggestions?


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## Turock (Aug 17, 2012)

I have heard of others doing MLF on blackbery but I've never tasted it so not sure of flavor. I love blackberry wine so much that I'm a little leary of changing the flavor too much. However, I'm always in favor of people experimenting so it's your choice as to doing it ot not.

We bottle our blackberry straight up, but also use it for a special blend so we kind of reserve it for those uses as there's only so much fruit!! If blackberries were easier to obtain, we might experiment more with it.


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## mmadmikes1 (Aug 17, 2012)

Turock said:


> I have heard of others doing MLF on blackbery but I've never tasted it so not sure of flavor. I love blackberry wine so much that I'm a little leary of changing the flavor too much. However, I'm always in favor of people experimenting so it's your choice as to doing it ot not.
> 
> We bottle our blackberry straight up, but also use it for a special blend so we kind of reserve it for those uses as there's only so much fruit!! If blackberries were easier to obtain, we might experiment more with it.


LOL In Washington Blackberries are considered a weed, a weed everyone dreads and tries to kill . To no avail. Allows plenty to experiment with


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## Turock (Aug 17, 2012)

I have wild blackberries on my property too but they are mighty unproductive!!! And yes--they are sort of a curse. I'm still reclaiming land here and eliminating them. However, my winemaking buddy has a fence row where they are growing and they are VERY productive--those are the ones we use for the wine. 

I guess if you have to have a "weed", at least you can make something good out of it!!!


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## Deezil (Aug 17, 2012)

mmadmikes1 said:


> LOL In Washington Blackberries are considered a weed, a weed everyone dreads and tries to kill . To no avail. Allows plenty to experiment with



Hey hey hey! Not EVERYone... Just everyone ELSE


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## mmadmikes1 (Aug 17, 2012)

Ok I keep 'em trimmed back, I drive over them with the truck


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## Turock (Aug 19, 2012)

mmadmikes1 said:


> Ok I keep 'em trimmed back, I drive over them with the truck


 Thanks Mike--that gave me a good laugh, this morning!


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