First time wine making a questions on blueberry wine

[Alexey]

Hello I’m completely new to wine making. I’ve read a lot of the threads on here, and decided to ask on my own.

I’m making blue berry wine because my girlfriend loves It so much I decided to give it a shot. I fermented it in a 2 gallon bucket and racked it in (2) 1 gal cariboys. The wine taste very strong hopefully it will be sweeter end of this week (it will have been 2 weeks in first rack) I’m going to rack it again back into the bucket for the final racking on August 27, 2020. How long should blue berry wine be racked before bottling, after second racking? Also I’ve read on few different replies on back sweetening the wine, i need to add pills or something. I have a bunch of the stuffy already purchased.

Please help

 

[wood1954]

I would get a couple more 1 gal jugs and rack into them to keep oxygen away from the wine. Then let it sit till it looks clear , maybe a month. Then rack again and add potassium sorbate and sugar syrup. Then bottle it or wait a few weeks or months and bottle it. Be sure to add so2 as well.

 

[RichardC]

We don't have blueberries here other than the frozen section in supermarkets. Lol. When learning about winemaking, this blueberry wine making video stood out, and is very informative.
I hope it helps.

 

[Alexey]

We don't have blueberries here other than the frozen section in supermarkets. Lol. When learning about winemaking, this blueberry wine making video stood out, and is very informative.
I hope it helps.

Ive watched this video over and over and over again. It’s where I got the idea of wanting to make some. Lol. I’m just looking for people to communicate with along the way.

 

[Alexey]

I would get a couple more 1 gal jugs and rack into them to keep oxygen away from the wine. Then let it sit till it looks clear , maybe a month. Then rack again and add potassium sorbate and sugar syrup. Then bottle it or wait a few weeks or months and bottle it. Be sure to add so2 as well.

what do you mean by so2?

 

[sour_grapes]

what do you mean by so2?

He means potassium metabisulfite. This is used in winemaking to protect against microbial infections and to scavenge oxygen to limit oxidation. On this website, it is often called "k-meta" for short.

 

[RichardC]

SO2 is Sulphur Dioxide which is what the potassium metabisulphite gives off when added to water ( and when it naturally decomposes). There is Sodium metabisulphite as well, but people don't like using it because it supposedly adds a ' salty' taste to your wine.
( I bought 'lite salt' a few years ago which is sodium chloride with potassium chloride and it left a soapy aftertaste in my mouth so I don't really think the potassium alternative is tasteless as people claim.) Plus the half teaspoon you may eventually add to 5 gallons wine, makes it unhealthy. Lol.

(Ignoring the sarcasm, are there any other reasons not to use sodium metabisulphite?)

 

[Alexey]

bottom right is yeast Energizer. So i don’t have the potassium metabisulfate? Sorry very very new to all of this.

 

[RichardC]

Campden tablets are potassium metabisulphite, in a convenient size. One crushed tab per gallon when appropriate.

 

[Alexey]

Campden tablets are potassium metabisulphite, in a convenient size. One crushed tab per gallon when appropriate.

Okay. That’s what I thought that’s the campden pills were it. Thank you so much. I will never forget now.

 

[Alexey]

Campden tablets are potassium metabisulphite, in a convenient size. One crushed tab per gallon when appropriate.

but what do you mean when appropriate?

 

[Alexey]

Also can I use peptic enzyme during the racking stage or only during the fermentation stage? My understanding is it clears the wine? Please let me know if im wrong.

 

[RichardC]

Off my head (and I'm sure there are other reasons,) Camden tabs are used:
1) to sanitize must before adding (pitching) yeast. Its purpose is to kill microbes like unwanted yeast and bacteria before adding your chosen yeast.

2) it serves a purpose right after Fermentation to reduce the effects of oxygen on your wine and, if you're going to sweeten, it helps kill the current yeast so fermentation doesn't restart.

( Having loads of alcohol is fun but one must find a balance that allows the actual fruit flavours to be detectable. Too much alcohol just tastes like alcohol and is often referred to as 'jet fuel'.
At this balance, point, wines usually has an Alcohol By Volume (ABV) range of 11-13%)

 

[Scooter68]

Do you have a Hydrometer - That is the most important tool you have to have in wine making. If you have one, what was the initial reading before you started the fermentation and what is it now? If you don't have the first reading, you will never know how strong the wine is and that a significant bit of information to have on your wine.
With a wine fermenting you don't need to and should not rack it until the SG is down to 1.010 or lower. The only reason to rack then is to get it into a container where you can better protect the wine for too much oxygen after fermentation stops. The number of days doesn't matter, tasted doesn't matter just the SG reading during this time.
Once the SG is at or below 1.000 and does not change for 3 days then you can consider the fermentation done.
THAT's when you rack and add a crushed Campden tablet. NEVER while the fermentation is ongoing.
After fermentation is over and you rack it into a carboy and put an airlock on it - wait at least 2-4 weeks until the majority of the sediment has collected at the bottom of the carboy. At that time you can rack it again but do NOT add another Campden tablet (1 per gallon)
So - 1) Rack into a carboy when the SG get to or below 1.010. (NO Campden tablet) 2) Rack again into a clean carboy when the SG does not change for 3 days in a row. (Adding the crushed Campden Tablet) 3) Rack again at 2-4 weeks when you can see a very clear line between the sediment and the wine, not a fuzzy line. (Do not add a Campden tablet) Then wait 3 months from the end of fermentation to rack it again and at that time you will need to add another campden tablet. Repeat the racking every 3 months for no less than a total of 9 months. If you rush to bottle it you can end up with a cloudy wine that has a very sharp taste. Blueberry wine is also best if back-sweetened a little. That will bring back the flavor and smooth out the sharp edges.

Blueberry was my first wine. I rushed to bottle it at 4 1/2 months and it was 'ok' but the bottle I left unopened for another 5 months was totally different. Smooth, slightly sweet and like a totally different wine. I would never bottle a blueberry wine before at least 9 months time aging. You CAN age it in the bottle but once it's in the bottle, you really can't make any adjustments to it.

One more thing - I watched that YouTube video... I would NOT follow those directions. Do some more reading of recipes and directions on this site. Take your time doing this. The key thing you need to learn in wine making is PATIENCE - NOTHING needs to be rushed except for picking the fruit before critters get to it.

Note it would also help if you posted the recipe you used for your wine. The way to get the best help here is to provide all the basic info on what you did and where things are now. SG readings are really helpful.

 

[Alexey]

Do you have a Hydrometer - That is the most important tool you have to have in wine making. If you have one, what was the initial reading before you started the fermentation and what is it now? If you don't have the first reading, you will never know how strong the wine is and that a significant bit of information to have on your wine.
With a wine fermenting you don't need to and should not rack it until the SG is down to 1.010 or lower. The only reason to rack then is to get it into a container where you can better protect the wine for too much oxygen after fermentation stops. The number of days doesn't matter, tasted doesn't matter just the SG reading during this time.
Once the SG is at or below 1.000 and does not change for 3 days then you can consider the fermentation done.
THAT's when you rack and add a crushed Campden tablet. NEVER while the fermentation is ongoing.
After fermentation is over and you rack it into a carboy and put an airlock on it - wait at least 2-4 weeks until the majority of the sediment has collected at the bottom of the carboy. At that time you can rack it again but do NOT add another Campden tablet (1 per gallon)
So - 1) Rack into a carboy when the SG get to or below 1.010. (NO Campden tablet) 2) Rack again into a clean carboy when the SG does not change for 3 days in a row. (Adding the crushed Campden Tablet) 3) Rack again at 2-4 weeks when you can see a very clear line between the sediment and the wine, not a fuzzy line. (Do not add a Campden tablet) Then wait 3 months from the end of fermentation to rack it again and at that time you will need to add another campden tablet. Repeat the racking every 3 months for no less than a total of 9 months. If you rush to bottle it you can end up with a cloudy wine that has a very sharp taste. Blueberry wine is also best if back-sweetened a little. That will bring back the flavor and smooth out the sharp edges.

Blueberry was my first wine. I rushed to bottle it at 4 1/2 months and it was 'ok' but the bottle I left unopened for another 5 months was totally different. Smooth, slightly sweet and like a totally different wine. I would never bottle a blueberry wine before at least 9 months time aging. You CAN age it in the bottle but once it's in the bottle, you really can't make any adjustments to it.

One more thing - I watched that YouTube video... I would NOT follow those directions. Do some more reading of recipes and directions on this site. Take your time doing this. The key thing you need to learn in wine making is PATIENCE - NOTHING needs to be rushed except for picking the fruit before critters get to it.

Note it would also help if you posted the recipe you used for your wine. The way to get the best help here is to provide all the basic info on what you did and where things are now. SG readings are really helpful.

so since I have to wait so long should I just make a batch of some other wine? Lol

i made a 2 gallon blueberry wine using
6 lbs of BB
4 lbs sugar
yeast Energizer
yeast nutrient
one packet of yeast (I know it was too much)
let that sit for a day. Idk what my reading was, it was my first time reading with my hydrometer but I think it was between 1080 and 1060. Final reading was .082 before racking it almost 2 weeks ago.

 

[hounddawg]

Also can I use peptic enzyme during the racking stage or only during the fermentation stage? My understanding is it clears the wine? Please let me know if im wrong.

pectic gives you more juice from your fruit, in ferment, now those much smart might add to that, as for your hydrometer readings , i'd go to the how to read a hydrometer thread, a FSG final specific gravity reading can't read at .082 your ending FFG reading should be from 1.000 to around .996, a reading of a SSG starting specific gravity should be around 1.090 or higher or if you like dry wine and less alcohol you can start with a lower specific gravity 1.060 or lower, from what i can gather your either putting your decimal point is in the wrong place or if you have a triple scale you might be reading it wrong, sorry i can't help you more,, @Scooter68 can help you muck more than i can.
Dawg

 

[Alexey]

pectic gives you more juice from your fruit, in ferment, now those much smart might add to that, as for your hydrometer readings , i'd go to the how to read a hydrometer thread, a FSG final specific gravity reading can't read at .082 your ending FFG reading should be from 1.000 to around .996, a reading of a SSG starting specific gravity should be around 1.090 or higher or if you like dry wine and less alcohol you can start with a lower specific gravity 1.060 or lower, from what i can gather your either putting your decimal point is in the wrong place or if you have a triple scale you might be reading it wrong, sorry i can't help you more,, @Scooter68 can help you muck more than i can.
Dawg

Thank you for your input. I will take a picture of it with the hydrometer in it on Thursday. If I’m doing it wrong I’m down to learn.

 

[hounddawg]

Thank you for your input. I will take a picture of it with the hydrometer in it on Thursday. If I’m doing it wrong I’m down to learn.

everybody has to learn, i see where @Scooter68 and @sour_grapes have given advice, they are both top shelf advice, do you have a PH meter and some 4.1 buffer solution to dial your PH meter in , a cheap one around $10 to $20, you'll find you'll want your wines at around 3.6 a little above or below is cool, and to repeat @Scooter68, patience is your best ingredient period , you say you have then in gallon jugs right, then you'd need a couple drilled 6.5 bungs (stoppers with a hole in them) and airlock them with k-meta solution or at least water, vodka, something to keep air out, i can't say because i do not know what you reading is right now, i do know it ain't .082, and on country wines, that's most any wine that is not grape, after your wine has degassed and let sit till your lees(sediment) fall to bottom, once you have let your wine clear fruit or berry wines need back sweetened in order to bring out your fruits flavor, but come back sweeten time you'll need a 1/4 k-meta at most and potassium sorbate to label directions in order to keep your wine from starting fermentation again, but don't worry about that for now, airlock for safety, then post pictures with your hydrometer readings, and when making wines you need to sanitize everything, you make a solution to package instructions using potassium metabisulfite, and called K-meta, that solution you must use to sanitize all your equipment, wine is easy to contaminate,
i hope this helped some, you are on the right forum to learn the art of winemaking, oh and welcome to WMT,,, don't sweat it they'll have you making good wines in no time, welcome to the winemaking addiction ,,, @Rice_Guy is another very good for advice,
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

the @ in front of their names will show them they are mentioned in your thread, hehe drawing them to you,
Dawg

 

[sour_grapes]

Thank you for your input. I will take a picture of it with the hydrometer in it on Thursday. If I’m doing it wrong I’m down to learn.

Here ya go: How To Read Hydrometer