Blackberry juice only?

[Huba Huba]

I have had a bumper crop of blackberries this year and in order to save space I have been freezing them for 24+ hours then thawing/pressing them and refreezing the juice.
When I have made blackberry wine before I used whole crushed berries, If I make wine do I need any seeds/skins? What would they add?
I will probably not be able to make a 100% juice wine since the TA is too high. I plan on diluting, maybe with some elderberry (up to 50%) and/or apple juice (10-20%) since the TA is lower but may need to add water to get is low enough. I still have about 15 lbs of whole frozen berries to juice but thought I would ask this question first so I have an option.
Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Ohio Bob]

When I have made blackberry wine before I used whole crushed berries, If I make wine do I need any seeds/skins? What would they add?

You must have a lot of time on your hands, or very limited freezer space. I’ve made foraged blackberry for several years and always used frozen whole berries. I’ve not heard of anyone not fermenting the whole berry.

Theoretically you might be missing any tannins that would be in the skins/seed. Other than that, it’s a perfectly acceptable process.

I will probably not be able to make a 100% juice wine since the TA is too high.

You can ferment blackberries despite how tart they are, without diluting. Back sweeten after bulk aging if you don’t want to blend anything else in.

I’ve never diluted my blackberry, except for the water used to boil the sugar. At bottling I have at times added grape wine to dial back the tartness. There’s no right or wrong way to do it.

 

[BigDaveK]

Yeah, what is it with blackberries this year? I have a huge crop, too, and the berries have never been this big. And not EXTREMELY tart acid bombs like some years. Looking at my first no water blackberry wine. So many berries, I may even do jam!

 

[Ohio Bob]

Yeah, what is it with blackberries this year? I have a huge crop, too, and the berries have never been this big. And not EXTREMELY tart acid bombs like some years. Looking at my first no water blackberry wine. So many berries, I may even do jam!

I totally agree. The blackberry harvest seems earlier and the berries are larger. Today I picked two of these. I’m estimating each is a pound of berries.

 

[BigDaveK]

Beautiful!

Today was my 6th day in a row of 3 lbs of wild blackberries. Never had a harvest like this! And my thornless are just getting warmed up and they are gigantic.

 

[Huba Huba]

You must have a lot of time on your hands, or very limited freezer space. I’ve made foraged blackberry for several years and always used frozen whole berries. I’ve not heard of anyone not fermenting the whole berry.

Theoretically you might be missing any tannins that would be in the skins/seed. Other than that, it’s a perfectly acceptable process.



You can ferment blackberries despite how tart they are, without diluting. Back sweeten after bulk aging if you don’t want to blend anything else in.

I’ve never diluted my blackberry, except for the water used to boil the sugar. At bottling I have at times added grape wine to dial back the tartness. There’s no right or wrong way to do it.

Thanks, probably both, but definitely limited on available freezer space.
I checked two batches and TA was over 1% in both, did not bother to determine actual level since I am not ready to start. I don't mind t a little sweetness but don't want an overly sweet wine.

So far I have picked over 20 gallon freezer bags full, about 80 lbs., from my 20' row of thornless and have pressed over 6 gallons of juice. Mine are winding down and will probably only pick another couple of gallons.

 

[Newbie Mel]

I quit picking. Obviously mine are not thornless.

 

[Clover]

Man, you all are lucky with your wild blackberry harvests! I've been picking mine for 2 weeks now, and am giving up. My arms look like Newbie Mel's, too! I have a whopping 4.5 lbs. We've had a terrible drought, having only had rain twice in a month. The berries are tiny, and nose-crinkling tart and bitter. I'd always heard that they are sweeter if it's dry when they ripen. That tale has been proven false, in my opinion. The deer, birds, and racoons don't seem to mind their taste, however. It's been a daily competition between me and the animals to get what I've managed to pick. The deer even defoliated a Tree of Heaven (which is on my eradication list later this summer) that blocks one honey hole to get to them! As bad as the tree smells, I'd hate to guess the taste of it.

I'll make a gallon of wine with them though, and see what happens.

 

[Newbie Mel]

Man, you all are lucky with your wild blackberry harvests! I've been picking mine for 2 weeks now, and am giving up. My arms look like Newbie Mel's, too! I have a whopping 4.5 lbs. We've had a terrible drought, having only had rain twice in a month. The berries are tiny, and nose-crinkling tart and bitter. I'd always heard that they are sweeter if it's dry when they ripen. That tale has been proven false, in my opinion. The deer, birds, and racoons don't seem to mind their taste, however. It's been a daily competition between me and the animals to get what I've managed to pick. The deer even defoliated a Tree of Heaven (which is on my eradication list later this summer) that blocks one honey hole to get to them! As bad as the tree smells, I'd hate to guess the taste of it.

I'll make a gallon of wine with them though, and see what happens.

I ended up with 6 lbs and I’ll do a gallon batch too. Probably have 50 more pounds out there, but too hard to get to and I’m done being scratched up. For those who don’t understand why some of us do gallon batches, this is my justification

 

[CallmeDave]

I also had a big beautiful harvest this year. I'm not sure the variety of blackberries but they're big, juicy and grow in abundance. Out of all the berries I grow, I can actually take multiple bites out of the blackberry. I need to propagate more of this variety and hopefully they're a good wine making fruit.

 

[BigDaveK]

I also had a big beautiful harvest this year. I'm not sure the variety of blackberries but they're big, juicy and grow in abundance. Out of all the berries I grow, I can actually take multiple bites out of the blackberry. I need to propagate more of this variety and hopefully they're a good wine making fruit.

Bramble are super easy to propagate!

 

[Ohio Bob]

Bramble are super easy to propagate!

How do you propagate? My patch is wild edge-of-the-woodline. It’s a jungle to maintain. Each year I try to cut paths in to take out deadwood and gain access to fruit. Last year I harvested over 100 pounds of fruit and probably only got a quarter of what’s there. I would love to dedicate part of the property for a start-over area if I could uproot/propogate plants. Then there’s the issue of poison ivy that takes part of the patch out of the question. No fruit is worth getting poison ivy.

Separately, my thornless berries, got from a neighbor, absolutely took over the garden. I put in 8 plants and had to rip most of it out letting 2 stay. One is full of flowers and berries, the other is just foliage. I hope next year the delinquent plant will bear fruit on what this year is apparently just primorcanes.

 

[Raptor99]

@Ohio Bob The easiest way to propagate blackberries is to bury the end of a cane in the ground or in a pot and leave it for several months. As long as it is kept moist, it will grow roots from the tip of the can. Then you can cut the cane attached to the mother plant, and plant the new one where you want it.

Blackberries do not spread from rhizomes like raspberries do. But if you let the canes rest on the ground, they will grow roots. So it is best to build a trellis system to hold them upright. They can also spread from seeds wherever blackberries fall to the ground.

Berries will only grow on 2nd year growth (floricanes). Once they have finished bearing, you should remove them. The first year growth (primocanes) will bear next year.

I have three rows of thornless blackberries, and I cut down any that grow in the aisles.

Here's a great article on growing blackberries from our Oregon aggie U: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/ec1303.pdf

 

[BigDaveK]

How do you propagate? My patch is wild edge-of-the-woodline. It’s a jungle to maintain. Each year I try to cut paths in to take out deadwood and gain access to fruit. Last year I harvested over 100 pounds of fruit and probably only got a quarter of what’s there. I would love to dedicate part of the property for a start-over area if I could uproot/propogate plants. Then there’s the issue of poison ivy that takes part of the patch out of the question. No fruit is worth getting poison ivy.

Separately, my thornless berries, got from a neighbor, absolutely took over the garden. I put in 8 plants and had to rip most of it out letting 2 stay. One is full of flowers and berries, the other is just foliage. I hope next year the delinquent plant will bear fruit on what this year is apparently just primorcanes.

Super easy. As mentioned, if the tip touches the ground it will root. That will get you one new plant. Do you want one new plant?

Not me.

I've done raspberry, thornless blackberry, and last year it was wild black raspberry. You need to sacrifice a primocane. (Must be primocane!) I cut into approx. 10" pieces stick them in the ground, water, then ignore them. One primocane should get you at least 6 new plants possibly more depending on it's size. I usually have about a 90% success rate.

 

[Raptor99]

Super easy. As mentioned, if the tip touches the ground it will root. That will get you one new plant. Do you want one new plant?

I have three rows of thornless blackberries. I can get all the starts I want.

If you cut them and stick them in the ground, you need to water them consistently so that they will root.

Good point about using a primocane.

 

[BigDaveK]

I have three rows of thornless blackberries. I can get all the starts I want.

If you cut them and stick them in the ground, you need to water them consistently so that they will root.

Good point about using a primocane.

Well, sir, I admire your resolve, dedication, and energy! I plant in rows intending to have something neat and tidy but I always end up with a rectangle. They multiply like crazy and I can't bare to trim. Thank goodness there are no thorns!

 

[Raptor99]

It's blackberry harvest time now in my area. I have Triple Crown thornless blackberries. They are close to 1" long, and very juicy and sweet. Of course one difference is that I have an irrigation system set up for them, so they receive regular watering. Today a friend was over, and he said that these blackberries were the best that he has ever tasted. I know that some people say that the wild blackberries taste better, but that is not my experience.

@Newbie Mel and @Clover If you have space, you should get some of these. No thorns!




fff

 

[BarrelMonkey]

It's blackberry harvest time now in my area. I have Triple Crown thornless blackberries. They are close to 1" long, and very juicy and sweet.

I have these too! I agree, they're big and tasty and the vines are very vigorous. I don't see any netting, don't you have to fight off the birds for them?

Edit: I know they're canes not vines. Grape vines on the brain!

 

[Raptor99]

We haven't had much of a problem with birds. Last year I used reflective bird tape to keep them away. This year I didn't bother because there aren't many birds. Maybe that is because we have three barn cats! We occasionally find a dead bird laying around.

 

[hounddawg]

I have had a bumper crop of blackberries this year and in order to save space I have been freezing them for 24+ hours then thawing/pressing them and refreezing the juice.
When I have made blackberry wine before I used whole crushed berries, If I make wine do I need any seeds/skins? What would they add?
I will probably not be able to make a 100% juice wine since the TA is too high. I plan on diluting, maybe with some elderberry (up to 50%) and/or apple juice (10-20%) since the TA is lower but may need to add water to get is low enough. I still have about 15 lbs of whole frozen berries to juice but thought I would ask this question first so I have an option.
Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

Personally I have grown to love 50/50 blackberry/elderberry, it matures way faster than straight elderberry,
Dawg