Blackberry bitterness

[vin_man]

Hi all! I have a friend that made 6 gallons of blackberry wine. It is finished and swetened but it is still really bitter. Any ideas what he can do (blend, etc). I also picked 25# of blackberries this summer and froze them. maybe they were on old can because they were bitter too. I have read that the bitterness resides in the center pith. Would pressing them and fermenting just the juice so they aren't steeping possibly help? Thanks for the input!

Vin

 

[Julie]

can you post up what all he did? starting gravity, finishing gravity, what he backsweeten to, acid level, concentrated juice or fresh blackberries these all play a part in what your wines will taste like.

 

[vin_man]

You are asking valid questions that I can't answer. What I am is trying to avoid getting the same results.

What was your experience with Blackberry? I have about 25# in the freezer waiting for me to do something with.

Thanks in Advance!!

Vin

 

[Julie]

well the bitterness could come from underripe berries or if you mean a bitey wine instead of bitterness it could be too high in acid and it could just be young as wines age they also smooth out.

If you have 25# of fruit, that is enough to make a 5g batch, when making the wine make sure you keep your sg around 1.080, take an acid reading and adjust if needed and what I do with my blackberry, is oak it. I use hungarian cubes for about 6 - 8 weeks. The hungarian oak gives it a creamy vanilla finish.

 

[vin_man]

The fruit I picked looked incredible (it was wild). It did not taste the least bit sweet though and was bitter. Is this a wasted effort? Would pressing the fruit and using only the juice help? I had read that the pith (center) was where most of the bitterness came from

 

[Julie]

I have never heard of the pith and but that doesn't mean it is not true, could very well be. I use juice to make my blackberry. No it is not a wasted effort, juice the berries and use that. Make sure you keep a good record and please keep posting here your progress.

 

[Sacalait]

You will avoid the bitterness if you steam juice the berries. Use only the juice and discard the gunk left over. 2 3/4 gals. of this juice is required for a 5 gal. batch.

 

[Sirs]

yeah the pith as you call it is where the bitter taste comes from when you break up a blackberry thats not mushy ripe you'll see what looks like a little white piece in the center bout like a grain of rice if you don't squeeze this into your juice you'll be fine if when you mash them don't mash like thru a sieve just mush up with your hands. that also has alot of your excess acid . Freeze them then mush with hands aint hard to do after they're froze

 

[vin_man]

Sirs,
Mine are frozen now. Defrost? and then mash them one by one?

 

[Sirs]

well not one by one but just don't force them like in a blender or you know where it will make the stem in the centers of the berries get mushed up

 

[winemaker_3352]

Also keep in mind - blackberries are very high in Malic Acid - Malic Acid is not really friendly on the pallet.

Might consider getting a Malic Acid test kit - if it is really high in Malic Acid - consider doing an MLF - if you haven't added any sorbate.

But it sounds like you already sweetened it - so my guess is you already added sorbate in.

Next time try using the Lalvin 71B-1122 Yeast - this yeast metabolizes 20-40% of the malic acid.

 

[vin_man]

Thanks All!!!!