Blueberry Wine

[vcasey]

As long as it's topped off let it sit for a month, it will not hurt the wine and patience will help make for a better wine. I distract myself by making more wine.
Gaudet, I use 4 lbs. per gallon for both blue & black berry wines and I oak them. Then after bottling I hide them for at least a year.
VC

 

[gaudet]

I need to do a better job of hiding them from myself. Right now I am probably going to start another six gallons of blackberry next week. So then I can start working on juicing the 10 gallons of blueberry soon to make 6-12 gallons.

 

[uavwmn]

Ok, so I will let it sit for a month, then rack, degass, add stabilizer, etc.


Thank you.

 

[vcasey]

Blueberry can be a bit slow sometimes so make sure you check the SG a couple of times to verify its stable.
VC

 

[uavwmn]

What should the SG be? I will probably check the SG at the end of the month.

 

[gaudet]

I would guess it should be the same as any other wine you would make. Ferment it out to dry and then if you choose to backsweeten then so you shall after the k-meta and k-sorb additions.

 

[uavwmn]

Can I top off with a bottle of the blueberry juice I got from the store? I don't want to water this down topping off with water.

 

[K&GB]

That's what I did.

 

[uavwmn]

Ken, do you remember your SG for the blueberry before the 2nd racking when you degas, stabilize, etc?


Mine has been in the 1st racking for a week now.

 

[vcasey]

Don't rush the wine, believe me just cover it up and walk away. Put a reminder to check it again in 2 months. Then you can rack it and check the SG and do what ever, but when you are finished let it sit again for 2 months. Remember patience, patience, patience!
VC

And yes I know it's hard!

 

[Goodfella]

Don't rush the wine, believe me just cover it up and walk away.

THIS MAY BE THE GREATEST LINE I HAVE EVER SEEN IN WINE MAKING!!!!


That pretty much sums up everything I have heard in my research.

 

[K&GB]

Alas, my notes are gone

But I think I transferred to secondary at SG 1.01 maybe. Anyway, ti took FOREVER to finish fermenting. I left it in secondary for about 5 weeks. Longest ever for me, and just a 3-gal batch. Afterwards, I racked and stabilized, added another quart of blueberry juice and a cup of water just to top up. Then I hit it with Super Kleer. I've racked it again since and put an oak spiral in it.






I'm referring to the second batch I made. The first batch was somewhat different.


Ken

 

[uavwmn]

Thanks, Ken. You can start another set of notes......on your PC this time.

And then back it up on an external HD.


The good thing is you have made some wonderful wine!!!

 

[ASAI]

Thanks, Ken. You can start another set of notes......on your PC this time.

And then back it up on an external HD.


The good thing is you have made some wonderful wine!!!

Wine Puppies prefer External HD's. Last longer than paper.

 

[gaudet]

On July 10, I started this batch. Recipe and notes to date are:

July 10, 2009
Must prepared on 7-9-09
2.5 gallons steam extracted blueberry juice
10 pounds sugar (too much, sg was 1.106) at 5.5 gallons plus the pulp in bag
Water to 6 gallon mark when bag in place
Lalvin 71b-1122 to be used

On July 10, 2009 I removed the pulp bag and added .5 gallons water (sg dropped to 1.102)

Removed .5 gallon must and replaced with .5 gallon water (sg now 1.095)
Tasted heavy blueberry. Very dark, purple must

Additions
1 tbs wine tannin 1 tbs nutrient
1 tbs energizer 1 tbs pectic enzyme

July 16, 2009
SG measured 1.020
Racked to glass today

August 13, 2009
SG measured 0.990
Racked off lees to bucket
Added ¼ tsp k-meta, 1 tbs k-sorb to stabilize
Split the batch to a 1 gallon and 5 gallon carboy
Added American Oak, House toast to each batch
Air locked with K-meta
Plan to keep the 1 gallon batch dry & back sweeten the 5 gallon
Degassed @-22 for 10 minutes with vacuum pump

Tasted a glass of dry wine and must say I think this is going to be really good when it’s done. A little on the high alcohol side approximately 13% but not too hot. The clarity is pretty good as well. Going to let this one soak on the oak for 2 months then consider bottling.

 

[Goodfella]

That looks awsome!!!


I am just getting ready to do my first blueberry. I am only doing 1 gallon. I am glad to have your thread here to help go on.


Is there a reason to only leave the pulp in the must for 1 day?

 

[gaudet]

I removed the pulp bag because I was afraid of foaming over. I only have 1 primary fermenter. I just decided not to ferment on the skins, but if you have the room fermenting on the skins will give you more body, color, and flavor. At yesterdays first tasting I think it will be fine.

 

[smokegrub]

Nice work, Gaudet. I invested in a 10 gallon food safe Brute trash can as a primary. Great investment.

 

[Tom]

I removed the pulp bag because I was afraid of foaming over. I only have 1 primary fermenter. I just decided not to ferment on the skins, but if you have the room fermenting on the skins will give you more body, color, and flavor. At yesterdays first tasting I think it will be fine.

When fermenting fruit wines I use 2 6 gallon buckets. 3 gallons in each. this way the pulp will have plenty of space for the pectin and yeast to do their job.

 

[Fly*guy]

Hey everyone, just read thru this thread start to finish love the info.

Just got blueberries of my own and want to make a batch with more body.
while reading I was wondering - if you ferment with the skins and pulp do you put them in a bag or just let them loose in the fermenter and strain the must out later?

My last batch was very light bodied and about 12% ABV, would like to thicken it up a bit but it also fermented dry in just a few days 5 or 6 I believe (from memory), so I didn't get much use from the skins and pulp, I also had bagged them which also kept them from swimming with the rest of the juice. Only punched them down lightly once a day

Temp in the room for that batch was upper 70's, so I wondered if straining later and lower temps would help the process take longer and I would get better use of the skins and pulp that way..... what say you about this theory?