Fresh Blueberry

[BDKS]

Berry picking season will be here soon. June 5 - 20 is the average start date. I read a few recipes and may have questions on that later. I am looking for suggestions on how to select the best fruit. Would it be a good idea to freeze and crush before using a steam juicer? I was thinking of just running a rolling pin over the closed bag before dumping into the juicer. I did buy an acid test kit. Seems like this would be a good time to put it to use.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Waldo]

I would definately adocate freezing before steaming but the crushing is not necessary. Just dump them in and the steamer does the cruhing for you

 

[Wade E]

Freezing before is always a good idea as it helps break the cellular skin.

 

[OGrav]

I did one with frozen and fresh berries, only did a gallon, and went after them with a sterilized potato masher. The yeast did the rest, and really tore them apart. I would think the steamer would do an excellent job and am jealous of Waldo who's been using one for a while now. Making/sterilizing/canning juice for later really has it's appeal.

 

[smokegrub]

I agree with Waldo, crushing is not necessary when steam-juicing but freezing prior to juicing is very important. I have made 2 blueberry wines using the steam-juicing method and they are excellent.

 

[gaudet]

I look forward to making my next blueberry wine with the steam juicer. I too will say to freeze all fruit as it will help break down the cells and release more of the juice. Exposing those delicate berries to a 212°F environment will be all the crushing you need.

 

[pelican]

I love my steamer ! and you can make a second wine off the pulp too if you want, twice the wine off the same fruit ! Freezing does help release the juice.

 

[BDKS]

I received my steam juicer today. We are going to checkout the berry patch this week. Hopefully I will be making wine by next weekend.

 

[gaudet]

I have no doubts that you will....

Happy juicing... I will be juicing my blueberries in two weeks myself. We can compare juice yields with out steamers......


Happy Wining

 

[BDKS]

Would the pulp leftover from steam juicing be good for a second wine? I figured this would be good to experiment with, nothing lost if it is a failure. Possibly an island mist style that starts about 1.050. What would be a good juice concentrate flavor to add? I was considering black currant. Maybe Montrachet for the yeast?

 

[Tom]

well, if you steamed long enough there will be no sugars left in the wine. I would not us it again. If you think there is something left thes get a sample and check the gravity.

 

[smokegrub]

The last time I made blueberry wine I steam-juiced then I placed the pulp in a strainer bag and placed it, the juice and pectic enzyme in the primary. After 24 hours, I removed the bag, squeezed it gently and discarded it. I had a bit more sediment to deal with but the wine turned out great.

Mehu-Liisa's instruction manual suggests using steamer pulp for jam making. Obviously it has flavor that I do not want to discard.

Others steam-juice the pulp a second time. I have found that the pulp gets sticky and plugs the steamer holes to such an extent that the steam does not pass through the fruit effectively. Thus, I feel using the straining bag and pulp in the primary is worthy of consideration.

 

[BDKS]

I have no doubts that you will....

Happy juicing... I will be juicing my blueberries in two weeks myself. We can compare juice yields with out steamers......


Happy Wining

Around 6 pounds of blueberries were juiced tonight. Ended up with 3 qts. We need to make it back to the berry patch for a second round.

 

[gaudet]

Bobby you gonna be mad when I start juicing. We have 10 gallon bags full of em.... Been chilling out in the freezer for over 2 weeks now. Once I rack everything that needs to be racked I will crank out some blueberry juice and get to fermenting.

 

[Tom]

Bobby you gonna be mad when I start juicing. We have 10 gallon bags full of em.... Been chilling out in the freezer for over 2 weeks now. Once I rack everything that needs to be racked I will crank out some blueberry juice and get to fermenting.

No gaudet,
U gonna hate me!
I just scored 96#'s for .50 a pound

 

[Waldo]

Hey tepe....come here buddy...take ya a good sniff of this Muscading Port I done made...I wouldnt trade any it fer jest any ole thing but my gawd man what are you ever gonna do with that many blueberries

 

[gaudet]

Bobby you gonna be mad when I start juicing. We have 10 gallon bags full of em.... Been chilling out in the freezer for over 2 weeks now. Once I rack everything that needs to be racked I will crank out some blueberry juice and get to fermenting.

No gaudet,</font>
U gonna hate me!</font>
I just scored 96#'s for .50 a pound</font>

ANd you were telling me to send you my juice for safe keeping HMMMMM

Thats a great price Tepe especially if you didn't have to pick them...

 

[Tom]

Hey tepe....come here buddy...take ya a good sniff of this Muscading Port I done made...I wouldnt trade any it fer jest any ole thing but my gawd man what are you ever gonna do with that many blueberries

Well, I do make award winning Blueberry wine. I also will make f-pac's w/ the blueberry wine. Then, it taste like "drinking pure blueberry". I also added about 7# for a f-pac added to my CA Pinot Noir. Wife and daughter uses alot in Blueberry Waffles and Pancakes.

 

[Tom]

No gaudet,
U gonna hate me!
I just scored 96#'s for .50 a pound[/QUOTE]

ANd you were telling me to send you my juice for safe keeping HMMMMM

Thats a great price Tepe especially if you didn't have to pick them...

[/QUOTE]


Now to use the steamer juicer..

 

[BDKS]

We are going to make another trip to get more for a 6 gallon batch. Too bad they went up from $2.50 a pound to $2.80 from last year.