First try at blueberry wine..

[Dirtydog420]

Im getting ready to start a blueberry wine in a few day and want to get a few questions answered..

1.) Can I get some detailed instructions on a good starter yeast recipe (im going to use lalvin k1-v1116 dry yeast pack)?

2.) I read adding bananas add some body and yeast really like it. I want to add some to must. How many per gallon so they do not add any flavor to the wine...

I havent decided on exact recipe yet but will look like this:

2.25 pounds of blueberries per gallon
bananas
might use some blueberry or grape juice conc
yeast nutrient
yeast energizer
campden tablets
pectic enzyme
sugar

plan to use mesh bags for the berries. gonna start the yeast, get the berries into bags and mash them well. pour one gallon of boiling water over them to extract more flavor and dissolve sugar. let sit for a while, add rest of water (at least 3 might do a 5 gallon batch not sure yet). add pectic, let sit for 24 hr or until starter ready. add starter. punch berries down twice daily. remove after 4-6 days, dont squeeze. just hang over a sterilized bowl to drip dry add drippings back to primary.. rack into secondair 10-15 days, when sg at 1020... go from there racking every 1-2 months for 6 months...

I am worried about getting it to start to ferment...

Any thoughts about recipe? Remember this is rough, left out big parts but come on, we all know that to do more or less....

Thank
Dirty Dog

 

[Tom]

Starters can be made a few different ways.
One is to just proof the yeast in water.
Two, once proffed in water start adding some of the must to the water so gravity is around 1.030 and wait
If using bananna start with 2-3# boil in small amt of water and add the water (6 gal batch).
If using blueberries I would go 5-6+# per gallon. That would also help in the body as well as flavor.
Dont know what you mean blueberry concentrate. I dont add grape concentrate
Add sugar so gravity is 1.085
Its OK to squeeze the bag when removing.
You should add acid blend

Consider a f-pac and back sweeten
Keep us updated.

 

[Dirtydog420]

Thanks for pointers tom...

Dirty Dog

 

[St Allie]

With the bananas you can chop the skins up and throw those into the boil as well, if you want a heavier tannin effect. I usually throw 2-3 bananas per gallon in a single fruit wine. If I have dried fruit ( dates/raisins) in it .. it has a bit more body to start with.

Allie

 

[smurfe]

Your plan sounds fine except you really need to up the berries to at least 5 pounds per gallon. If you can't get them use the concentrate to boost the flavor.

 

[Bailey]

Freezing the berries to help break them down helps too. Pectic enzyme will also improve the flavor released from the fruit.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

Freezing the berries to help break them down helps too.

good practice there.

blueberries don't need more body with more #/gal as others have stated. a little grape concentrate will add some complexity, BUT blueberry makes a pretty good wine by itself. i would leave it alone, IMO. could be interesting though.

 

[Dirtydog420]

I think that I have come up with a good starter yeast for blueberries.. Want to know what you all think..

Gonna use 1/2 cut water, 1/2 banana water (just so everyone knows, thats water boiled with bananas in it), yeast nutrient and energizer (just a dab of each).. Once this gets going, going to add to one tenth, 1/10, of batch of blueberry wine, once thats going will, add to rest of batch...

I am going to use banana water, yeast nutrient and energizer in the wine itself too. Plan to add 1/3 nutrient on start, 1/3 when sg cut by 1/3, and last 1/3 when the sg it 2/3 its orignal reading....

Thanks
Dirty Dog

PS I am planning on upping the pounds of berries per gallon. Aiming for atleast 3, hope to get 5-6...

 

[Madriver Wines]

How many lns of berries to use depends on the berries. If they are flavorless more is needed, if they are juicy and flavorfull less is needed. It is a matter or taste. I have made very good blueberry using 3.5 lbs per gallon but the berries were very ripe and juicy. As far as all the nutrient adds I wold just add it at the beginning. Alittle energizer wont hurt either.

 

[Tom]

Sounds good. Remember do not make the starter to high of a gravity reading. 1.050 or less is what I use