# Just started my "QuadBerry Passion"



## geek

Yep, that might be the name I give to this DB..

I mis-measured b/c my bucket is a 6 gal but here's what I added:

-about 48oz lemon juice
-a bit less than 5 gallons of distilled water (I didn't want to use my well water from home so I bought 6 gallons but only used 5 due to the pail getting to the top)
-10 lbs of white table sugar (left a little bit in the bag, around 1/4 of the pound)
-1 bag with 3 lbs of triple berry
-3 bags of 1 lb quad berry
-all other chemical ingredients per Dave's recipe

SG at ~1.080

See pics attached.


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## cohenhouse77

Nice! That is always my favorite stage. The dark blood red stage. I just wanna drink that sometimes.


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## Pumpkinman

Awesome! And remember, you didn't mis- measure, you adjusted the recipe...lol This is what will make it personalized!
Keep us posted! and keep that brew belt rocking!
Tom


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## Sammyk

I made the quad berry last year, only one very small bottle of lemon ( acid reflux and we gave away all of the original SP) and 12 pounds of quad berry. It was very good and went very quickly. I called mine "wild berry".

Back flavored with a little sugar and more of the frozen quad berries simmered down.


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## cohenhouse77

Ooooooo...back flavor with more berries.. ooooooo!


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## Arne

I would get a tray or something under that primary. If she takes off, you are gonna have a mess all over that nice floor. Even slip a big garbage bag under it and pull it up just a little ways. Lots easier cleanup if it does bloop over. Guess how I know. LOL, Arne.


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## geek

yep, wife got me a big plastic tray from Costco, the big ones that you get with Christmas cookies and those.

It is perfect. I pitched the yeast yesterday around 3pm but no action yet as of 8am this morning....

..


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## dangerdave

How's the temp, Varis? It does look delicious, by the way!


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## geek

I haven't checked the temp as I don't have a thermometer, need to go to Walmart to find those fancy ones where they stick to the bucket, like a strip.

The must is warm, I squeezed the fruits yesterday (ready to do that now again) it was very warm.

The brew belt is on plus bucket is right in front of pellet stove in basement..


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## geek

Yeast foaming a lot today, I left my house yesterday and there was no activity, returned tonight and lots of foam now.


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## Pumpkinman

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!


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## dangerdave

Excellent! You're on your way!


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## geek

SG 1.032 right now....has been dropping over 10 decimal points daily....still very active fermentation and juice is warm.

Did you guys also get some small pieces of fruit floating on top? 
That what it seems I have here...See this picture....

..


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## dangerdave

Yep, that's fine. Just stir it all in together as scheduled. It's looking great!


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## Pumpkinman

Yep, looks identical....hmmmm.....I might have to crack a bottle!


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## geek

will all that fall down when fermentation is done? 
I'm wondering ahead of time when I rack into carboy for the first time, I don't want to bring all those "remains" into my carboy.


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## Pumpkinman

Nope, mine didn't, very little racked over, as long as your racking cane has one of those neat little racking cane tips, you should be good.


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## geek

Tom, per Dave's recipe we just rack once SG is ~ <1.000.

So it looks like we don't need to wait 3 consecutive SG readings below 1.000 to make sure fermentation is done and wine is dry, like regular grape juice

BTW - when you back sweeten, remind me, your SG went to what reading?
And you tried both plain white sugar and honey? Which one you liked better?
I think I will use white sugar as I don't want honey to over take the color of the blush.

..


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## Pumpkinman

Yep, at 1.000 I rack, I do however check the SG everyday while it is fermenting.
To be honest, when I back sweeten my Dragon Blood, I don't set to a certain SG, I back sweeten to my personal taste, just remember, don't over sweeten, the sugar needs a week or so to incorporate and blend with the berries.

I cannot wait to start my next batch on Wed. My wife looked at the wine rack and said...it's getting a bit low....I took that as a hint...LOL!!!


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## Boatboy24

Geek,

I've only made one batch, but have my second clearing now. I sweetened "to taste" the first time around, but plan to measure SG this time. That way, I have a ballpark sweetness to aim for in the future. That'll also help me produce a more consistent product. 

Jim


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## dangerdave

I checked my last batch's SG after back sweetening with sugar---because I had been asked that very question. It was right around 1.010. that's to my taste.


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## Pumpkinman

I Guess I'll have to take an SG reading after I back sweeten...lol...OPPPPS


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## geek

thanks Dave.

I checked the SG this morning before I left to work and it is down to 1.000 and the fermentation is still going strong...!!

I will check it again in about an hour and I think it will be around ~0.996 based on how the SG has been dropping.

.


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## geek

SG ~0.994 (maybe a hair less), I still see a little bit of fermentation going (few bubbles coming up).

I think I am doing first racking soon today and air-lock wine.

Smells good....

..


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## Pumpkinman

I checked my SG, I back sweetened to 1.020


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## geek

thanks Tom, a bit sweet, uh?


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## geek

SG at ~0.992, added kmeta, sorbate and super kleer (fining agent), then racked into carboy.
Now waiting time for a week.....

I have some left over and filled a .750ml bottle and screw cap on it, is that ok? 

Fermentation was over.

..


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## Pumpkinman

Ironic enough, it really doesn't taste too sweet.


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## dangerdave

Nice, Varis! I'm glad it's going well.


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## geek

ok guys, day 7 since I stabilized and added fining agent, so I am ready to rack and back sweeten (4 or 5 cups) in a couple hours.

The 5gal carboy has been sitting in basement and temp has been a bit cool around 60.

My plan is to first rack into plastic pail so I can properly stir for the white sugar.

4 cups of sugar is about 2 pounds, right?

My question is, 

a) should I warm some of the wine in the microwave, maybe 2 liters? and then pour the sugar and stir well until dissolved, and then add wine to pail to blend everything (stir)

or
b) should I just simply pour the sugar into the pail while stirring hoping to get it dissolved completely?

..


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## Pumpkinman

Don't warm the wine! If anything, make a simple syrup, 2 parts sugar to 1 part water, I've even made 3 to 1.


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## geek

but adding water would dilute the wine a bit........


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## Pumpkinman

it will be a syrup, trust me, yer not adding a gallon, you will add maybe 2 cups of water.


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## geek

ok.

so you warm the water, correct?


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## Pumpkinman

yep, mix the sugar and water and heat to just before a boil, you will see and feel it turning into a syrup, take off the heat and let cool a little.
Add until the SG that you desire. 
Or, you could just add the granulated sugar to the must and still the snot out of it until it dissolves


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## geek

Tom, once cleared and then racked and back sweeten, did yours get a little cloudy?

Mine is a little haze or cloudy, when using the pump to rack it did get a little bit of sediment but not much.

I wonder if the sugar would do that and then it should clear out?

..


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## Pumpkinman

Yep, it'll get a little cloudy, then it will clear up again. You can always rack it again in a week or so if it drops sediment. I filtered mine and it is sparkling clear.


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## geek

great, thanks, makes me feel better now, I guess it is mostly sugar color and not sediment making it look like it.

.


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## geek

after back sweeten with about 4 3/4 cups of sugar(over 2 1/2 lbs.), then the SG went to ~1.014


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## Pumpkinman

Nice!!! I just tried the first batch of Berry Bliss made strictly with Honey, no sugar at all.............WOW...........did I mention...WOW!
Now I know what the "love affair" with Melomel is all about! What a unique taste, even the flavor of the berries is more intense and true to the actual berry flavors....WOW!
It has to sit and age a month of so, in that time I will rack and finally filter it.
Man I am pleased with it, even my wife gave it "2 thumbs up"....lol


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## wineforfun

Tom,
Is the Berry Bliss the recipe Dave posted up using his DB with honey? If so, I am going to start a batch this weekend, glad to hear it is awesome.


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## Pumpkinman

Just about one in the same, we differ just a bit. If you would like, I can send it to you. Did I mention...
*THANKS DAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


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## ShelleyDickison

Is there anyway I could get the recipe also? Thanks


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## Pumpkinman

yep absolutely, I'll post it in the mead section also.


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## ShepherdQ

Hi folks,

A bit late to this thread, but I'm curious about what Sammyk posted earlier re: back sweetening with a reduction of berries. If one did this, would you also add sugar/honey? I s'pose it would be tough to get accurate sweetness?


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## geek

Tom or Dave,

something I forgot to mention....when back sweeten and stirring I also added a few ounces of the 100% lemon juice.
I did this b/c I remembered that the bottles I bought were 32oz. versus the 48oz. in the recipe. But then while doing the first mix I only poured 1 bottle and 1/3 of the 2nd bottle, which is around ~43oz. ballpark.

So in the back sweeten process I added I'd say maybe 4~6 ounces.

I'm afeaid if adding the few ounces of lemon juice at that stage would ruin the flavor (too acid) ??

I did a quick test at that point (poured a bit in my palm) and tasted acid a little.

...worried now....


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## dangerdave

I'd let it sit undisturbed for while, Varis, and see how the flavor comes around. Is it clearing up ok?


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## cohenhouse77

I made the mistake once of adding lemon on the back side to bring out what I thought I was bringing out lemon flavor in a Skeeter Pee. It made it very lemony but also did bring out the acidity. I thought I ruined it but after 30 days it mellowed out quite a bit. I bet you're in good shape.


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## geek

I tasted a left bottle I have and it was fine......good hope....!!!


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## geek

DB clearing but very slow, the bottom of carboy shows a thick haze.....in how many days this is supposed to clear after back sweeten?


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## Pumpkinman

if the temp (room) stays around 70-72 it will clear a lot faster then a cooler room.


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## geek

that was also my suspicion, thanks.
The carboy is in a closet in the basement and temp is around low 60s, need to crank up the pellet stove....


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## dangerdave

geek said:


> DB clearing but very slow, the bottom of carboy shows a thick haze.....in how many days this is supposed to clear after back sweeten?


 
Varis is anxious! I always give mine at least a week to clear back up after sweetening. Like Tom said, temp can maker the difference.


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## geek

dangerdave said:


> Varis is anxious! I always give mine at least a week to clear back up after sweetening. Like Tom said, temp can maker the difference.



dave, I'm really anxious to bottle this baby....


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## dangerdave

I understand completely, my man! How long since you back sweetened?


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## geek

I back sweeten last Wednesday (Jan. 9), so it will be a week tomorrow night. It is clearing up but slowly, so I guess I will have to wait a bit longer than a week. Time to crank up the pellet stove tonight...


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