Waldo's Black Widow Blackberry
- Thread starter Waldo
- Start date
Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:
Dean
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2005
- Messages
- 1,593
- Reaction score
- 7
looking great! I usually only eat the few blackberries that we get. Of course, i'm lazy, and we live in blackberry country. They grow wild at the side of the roads here, and make HUGE berms to stop traffic noise for residential areas. But to go picking through all that bramble....OUCH!!!!! I'm told that by mid-august, blackberries can be picked at a rate of about 10/lbs per hour. That's not bad... Maybe I can convince the SWMBO to pick some for me.
Nice looking Blackberry wine Waldo, good job.
It's unfortunate that your local crop didn't do well this year, our's, even after the frost, did well. If anything, the frost seem to have prolonged the harvest season by not having all the berry crops around town ripen at the same time. Between me and a friend, we picked a total of 170 pounds so far and plan on getting a few more pounds next week. The we are each going to start 6 gallons each of the port and wine, for a total of 24 gallons. Also I just bottled 3 gallons of wine and 6 gallons of port so my blackberry inventory is pretty good right now.
It's unfortunate that your local crop didn't do well this year, our's, even after the frost, did well. If anything, the frost seem to have prolonged the harvest season by not having all the berry crops around town ripen at the same time. Between me and a friend, we picked a total of 170 pounds so far and plan on getting a few more pounds next week. The we are each going to start 6 gallons each of the port and wine, for a total of 24 gallons. Also I just bottled 3 gallons of wine and 6 gallons of port so my blackberry inventory is pretty good right now.
Freezer is overfull now, had to start storing some in my friends freezer. We will start a couple of batches in a couple of weeks, they have to come out of the freezer to make room for at least 80 pounds of scuppernongs, and another 80 of muscadines I have on order.
And I still have the strawberries, raspberries, pumpkin, muscadines (from last year) and the peaches all from last year. Gotta get my butt in gear.
And I still have the strawberries, raspberries, pumpkin, muscadines (from last year) and the peaches all from last year. Gotta get my butt in gear.
NorthernWinos
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2005
- Messages
- 5,933
- Reaction score
- 8
Jobe...what a nice score to get Blackberries in such quantities, those can be a boom or bust crop.
Freezer space is at a premium here too....
Been juicing up the Raspberries and did the Nanking Cherries....wasn't going to tell...but have 177# of chokecherries in the freezer...going to start juicing them today......will at least pick once more....got to get them while you can...maybe next year there won't be any.
The ones in our yard were so good last year and this year they are slow ripening and the birds take them as they come...a couple neighbors offered their bounties....so will share a neighborhood batch of wine.
Freezer space is at a premium here too....
Been juicing up the Raspberries and did the Nanking Cherries....wasn't going to tell...but have 177# of chokecherries in the freezer...going to start juicing them today......will at least pick once more....got to get them while you can...maybe next year there won't be any.
The ones in our yard were so good last year and this year they are slow ripening and the birds take them as they come...a couple neighbors offered their bounties....so will share a neighborhood batch of wine.
NorthernWinos
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2005
- Messages
- 5,933
- Reaction score
- 8
Dean said:
Dean...you are surrounded with Blackberries, better get them while you can....I was amazed when I visited my brother on Vancouver Island, his land was covered in brambles.
Where we lived before we had brambles...only one year did we get a bumper crop....it's a flower/frost struggle.
I would love to plant some and have a plot in mind for maybe next years venture.
Northern Winos said:
Thanks NW, It's been a great year here for blackberries. It didn't look promising after the frost, but the frost prove to have helped us pickers by slowing down, or scattering about the ripening times. We have been picking for over 6 weeks here, normally it's over in just a few weeks, and we can still pick, although it is slowing down.
I thought about juicing some of my freezer fruit, but lack in the knowledge of canning the juice to preserve it. What would I have to do?
NorthernWinos
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2005
- Messages
- 5,933
- Reaction score
- 8
Jobe...here is what I wrote under the steam juicer thread...
When I can the juice I put it in a big pot and heat it to almost boiling [pasturizing]....I steam the jars in a big pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, pour the juice into the hot jars to about 1/4-1/8 inch from the top, wipe the rims, put on a hot lid heated in boiling water, put on a ring, tighten...it will seal with that small of a head space.....
I do not process the jars, you could if you feel safer. If you want to process the jars...then fill to 1/2 inch from the top [a larger head-space] and process for about 5 minutes in boiling water.
I have more jars than freezer space.
Good luck with your project.
When I can the juice I put it in a big pot and heat it to almost boiling [pasturizing]....I steam the jars in a big pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, pour the juice into the hot jars to about 1/4-1/8 inch from the top, wipe the rims, put on a hot lid heated in boiling water, put on a ring, tighten...it will seal with that small of a head space.....
I do not process the jars, you could if you feel safer. If you want to process the jars...then fill to 1/2 inch from the top [a larger head-space] and process for about 5 minutes in boiling water.
I have more jars than freezer space.
Good luck with your project.
With a nose of blackberry, a hint of grassiness and pepper I drew off a small sample of the still fermenting Blackberry. The taste of the blackberry is easily detected along with a subtle flavor of spices and even had a bit of oakiness flavor to it. I think fermentation will probably be over by the end of the weekendas it has slowed considerably. Getting a bubble in the airlock about every 30-40 seconds. Not a choice background for the picture ( My camera bag sitting on my computer desk) but it gives you a good idea of the color of the wine at present.
Edited by: Waldo
Edited by: Waldo
rgecaprock
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 3, 2005
- Messages
- 2,195
- Reaction score
- 0
Waldo,
I've been kind of out of circulation lately but am trying to catch up with you all. Your new camera is getting a workout I see. Great picutres! The looks like it is going to be some awsome wine!!
Ramona
I've been kind of out of circulation lately but am trying to catch up with you all. Your new camera is getting a workout I see. Great picutres! The looks like it is going to be some awsome wine!!
Ramona
Thanks Ramona. I am anticipating it being a good one. I just checked SG a little bit ago and it is now at .994 . I will check it again tomorrow evening anf if it is finished, as I think it has will be racking, stabilizingand begin clarifying.
stormbringer
Member
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2006
- Messages
- 73
- Reaction score
- 0
Waldo,
This forum would not be the same without you. Please keep doing good. Your pics and videos are excellent.
It's too late this year for blackberries in E. Texas but I hope you post your final recipee for this wine because I would like to try and duplicate it.
Just recieved the steamer/juicer I ordered (just like yours) and have started canning juice for future wines. Ican relate towhy you areusing the fish cooker outside the houseto heat the steamer --I'm doing thesame and am impressed by the volume of juice extracted.
Fellowwinemakers out there who make country wines: Consider buyinga steamer/juicer like the one displayed in Waldo's pics. It'san excellent value and extracts ALL the juice from the fruit.After the juice is extracted all that is left is the skin and seeds.
This forum would not be the same without you. Please keep doing good. Your pics and videos are excellent.
It's too late this year for blackberries in E. Texas but I hope you post your final recipee for this wine because I would like to try and duplicate it.
Just recieved the steamer/juicer I ordered (just like yours) and have started canning juice for future wines. Ican relate towhy you areusing the fish cooker outside the houseto heat the steamer --I'm doing thesame and am impressed by the volume of juice extracted.
Fellowwinemakers out there who make country wines: Consider buyinga steamer/juicer like the one displayed in Waldo's pics. It'san excellent value and extracts ALL the juice from the fruit.After the juice is extracted all that is left is the skin and seeds.
Thanks storm...You are going to love your steamer. As for my final recipe for the Blackberry. The only adjustment I made from the recipe at the beginning of this thread was I did add another 1TBSP acid blend before I pitched the yeast.
