Get ready Waldo..........

[pkcook]

Blytheau,


Typically, you are right with the wine being fortified with a distilled spirit. If I recall correctly, the Brits, or maybe Portuguese, first used this method to ensure the wine was able to laston long voyages. This fortification method is still used today, but you can also use a high alcohol yeast strain, along withperiodic sugar additions,to achieve a 20% ABV and not have to add the distilled spirits.


I prefer the fortification method for my port making!It'seasier, delicious,and packs a wallop!

 

[jobe05]

Waldo:


There is a obvious alcohol taste but I wouldn't call it Hot. But we are still on the sweet side as well, so for now, the hotness may be masked by the sugar.


I'm going to take a small sample this weekend and split it into 2 samples (about 1 cup each sample). I'm going to stabilize one sample, and leave the other fermenting. Then I will add (guessing) about 1/4 cup blackberry juice to both and see what the outcome of that will be, and what effects on the alcohol level it will have.

 

[Waldo]

Will be an interesting experiment Jobe. Will anxiously await the result.

 

[jobe05]

SG tonight, 1.010........ seems to be slowing now, but still dropping. Hopefully it will see 1.000 of maybe a little less.


I think the experiment will be worth trying. I'm going to take a bag out of the freezer tonight to thaw, so I can do it tomorrow night, and hopefully get a good feeling for what we need to do by the end of the weekend.


You should have your sample tomorrow so you will better understand were we are at. I just hope it didn't pop a cork during transit. Although I put the bottle in a ziplock bag.


After taste testing the sample, I would share the rest of it with family and freinds........... That should prove to them what a great winemaker you are if they can taste someone else wine............

Edited by: jobe05

 

[Waldo]

Looking forward to getting it Jobe. Your doing a grat job podner

 

[jobe05]

OK Waldo...... Started my little experiment.


I had a little bottle besides the 3 gallons (bottom of the bucket stuff)


Starting SG - 1.000


Added 3/4 cup must to 1/4 cup fresh blackberry juice.


SG after juice addition - 1.019


Sweet berries if ya ask me, but I checked both, before and after 3 times, same readings.


WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Taste much better!


Again, I stabilized 1, and left the other to ferment more if it will. The one that I did not stabilize is a deeper red/purple color than the stabilized one for some reason........ Will let set and test again Saturday, Taste & SG.Edited by: jobe05

 

[Waldo]

As it ferments it too will change Jobe. Got your sample todayall intact and upon pulling the cork the aroma that greeted me was awesome. I could detect the essence of the malt and the body of this wine is great. The acidity may be just a tad high but this too will probably change with some age. It is , as you said, lacking a bit in the flavor of Blackberry but I think that toowill improve with time. There are so many chemical changes happening right now. You have done well my friend from my tasting of the sample. Will still be interesting to see how the experiment turns out but I do believe you are going to have a great port wine here.

 

[Dean]

The one that I did not stabilize is a deeper red/purple color than the stabilized one for some reason........  Will let set and test again Saturday, Taste & SG.

Stabilization, more specifically, the addition of Campden or K-Meta will change the color of wine by sort of bleaching the color out. Blackberries, not so much because they are so dark, but if you want to experiment, take a strawberry and sprinkle k-meta powder on it. Leave it sit for an hour. You will then see a very pink, and not red, strawberry. It will turn blueberries pink too. Something in there, leaches the color a bit. Funny, it prevents oxidation, but not color loss.

 

[Waldo]

Hows the experiment coming jobe? Went and picked another 6 gallon of muscadines yesterday evening. Going to have to rent me some freezer space from one of the grocery stores or buy me another freezer.

 

[jobe05]

I just looked in on them last night, tucked them in and said good night. One that was not stabilized is still bubbling away pretty good.


I'll go down tomorrow and do an SG and taste test.


Muscadines arn't ready here yet, but got my "Pick your own" spot located. They get $0.80 per pound. So 50 pounds will cost about $40, I want muscadine and scuppernog this year. How many pounds do you use per gallon?

 

[Waldo]

I use 6 lbs per gallon Jobe..Any less and it finishes out a little thin

 

[jobe05]

So if I get 50 pounds of each, I'll have a few pounds left over after making 6 gallons of each to play with............


Thinking Jelly or............. ???????

 

[Waldo]

Muscadine pies

 

[jobe05]

Here is what I found with the samples Waldo:


Stabilized bottle was rather sweet, and had a hint of blackberry flavor, but more flat and hot than anything.


The non stabilized bottle had more of a taste and tongue feel to it, smoother. SG was 1.004.


I taste tested the 3 gallon that is still fermenting, and still not a pronounce berry flavor at all. SG, 1.002.


Based on the above test, I added 2.5 cups of juice to the carboy, whiched raised the SG to 1.006. I'll now let that set till next week and see what it does.


As a side note: I added the blackberry's that were left after squeezing the juice out, to the second run gallon batch that is still fermenting out well. I suspect the second run will be as good as the first run.

 

[Waldo]

Remember Jobe...This wine is going to have to age considerably to reach its potential. Let patience be your virtue here podner.

 

[jobe05]

Waldo:


SG tonight is 1.002 in the 3 gallon carboy and still bubbling away. I have a small bottle (bottom stuff) that is clearing nicely and is at .994 so I know the 3 gallon will go down further. So we have reached 19% ABV in the 3 gallon carboy, but 20.38% in the small bottle.


I going to be gone over the long weekend so should I leave it perking the way it is till I get back, or do something with it before I leave? Which will be tomorrow.


The color is coming around nicely as it starts to clear.


I said before that I did a second run with the berries and bottom muck that was left. It has the same flavor as the original batch, but a hotter taste at only 16% ABV. I didn't add more of the Malt to the second run and wonder if that is what the difference is, the Malt somewhat smoothens out the drink.

 

[Waldo]

If it was me, I would let her perk away Jobe. I really cant comment much on the effect of the malt as I have never used it but I would speculate that you are probably correct in your assumption. How bout a couple pics of it before you take off...I wanna see my grandbaby

Edited by: Waldo

 

[jobe05]

Here they are Waldo:


The Grandbaby:

She's clearing nicely:

Pictures are a little fuzzy, but I saved the best for last. You wanted to see the grandbaby, but what about the Great Grandbabies: Second run:

All are bubbling away nicely and are all bunged and snuggled into the dark for the weekend. Should be ready to rack next week at somepoint. Grandbaby tasted a little hot tonight, but still a smooth drink. I'm sure once the addition of the red grape consentrate is in there, and it's gets a little age on her it will mellow out. Like all kids do

Edited by: jobe05

 

[Waldo]

Looking good jobe

 

[Waldo]

Hey buddy....How's our Port a doing?