Blacberry Port

[Goodfella]

Hello everybody,


With Oregon blackberry season quikly approaching, I am looking for a great recipe for Port.


I found one from Jack Keller that is this...



<LI>8 lb. ripe blackberries
<LI>1/2 pt. red grape concentrate
<LI>1/2 c. light dry malt
<LI>1-3/4 lb. granulated sugar
<LI>1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
<LI>1-1/2 tsp. acid blend
<LI>5 to 5-1/2 pt. water (depends of size of berries)
<LI>1 crushed Campden tablet
<LI>1/2 tsp. yeast energizer
<LI>1 tsp. yest nutrient
<LI>1 pkt. Lalvin K1-V1116 (Montpellier) or a port wine yeast </LI>


I am wondering how this would be changed to be made the traditonal way Ports are made. Or should I change this at all???



Or will anyone like to share your recipe?

 

[Wade E]

Im usually not fond of Jack Keller's recipes and always have things I would do differently but must say that just looks spot on with maybe a little more fruit and thats it! that looks like a good amount of fruit for wine but would adjust maybe to 10-11 lbs for a Port.

 

[Goodfella]

What would you think about doing itwith Brandy? to get to 20%.


The recipe calls for the red grape consentrateto be added at the end. (I assume to sweeten it up).


Would you oak this real good?

 

[vcasey]

I made this and it came out pretty nice. The liquid was not thick like I expected and I did add brandy and some oak (not enough). Next time I make this I'll have a barrel to allow it to thicken up and concentrate more. I also used this recipe to make a blueberry port which I'll get around to tasting one of these days.

 

[Goodfella]

How much did this batch make?


How much Brandy did you add?


How did you oak it?


How else could you thicken it up?




I feel like a kid with all these questions!!! haha

 

[Wade E]

You could thicken it up by using some blackberry syrup after fermentation is done to bring back some flavor also and sweeten it. The light malt extract will give it some smoothness and cream like mouthfeel.

 

[Goodfella]

What kind of syrup would you use Wade? Or would you make it?

 

[vcasey]

That recipe is for 1 gallon. I added 2 cups of brandy and a few pieces of med. toasted American oak.
VC

 

[Wade E]

You could make your own like something like this&gt;

<ul>[*]
4 cups blackberry juice[*]
4 cups white sugar[*]
1/3 (2 ounce) package powdered pectin (optional)[/list]









<h2>
DIRECTIONS</h2>

1. 
   Mix the blackberry juice and sugar, bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 2
   minutes. Skim off foam. Pour into HOT sterile jars or bottles. </span>
2. 
   This makes a thin syrup (like true maple syrup). If you want it
   slightly thicker, you can add a small amount of powdered pectin (less
   than half a 2 ounce box) to the cold syrup and sugar mixture. </span>

Or you could just buy it!

 

[Cracked Cork]

If you add 4 ounces of dried elderberries per gallon, even more blackberries and start it at 1.095 you can keep feeding it juice every time it gets to 1.020. We like to add concentrated black cherry or red grape juice to 1.030 each time to raise the level up a little to make more alcohol. Throw in some oak definitely. Also you can double the malt, make sure to use the extra light so you dont get any beer taste, that will add a lot of body.

When you have a recipie its a guide only, the writer can not know how sweet your fruit is or how much acid they have. Its better to use a hydrometer and also measure your own acid levels. I think its much better to write recipies including intitial specific gravity readings and acid levels the author started with.

Crackedcork