Blackberry Wine

By Becky Jo

Ingredients

• Our changes are in parentheses ( )
• 2-46 oz cans of Country Fair Blackberry Premium Winemaking Fruit
• 10 lbs. granulated sugar
• 7 tsps. Acid Blend
• 6 Cans Cold Water
• 4 Cans Warm Water
• 5 tsps. Yeast Nutrient
• 3/4 tsp. Peptic Enzyme
• 1/2 tsp. Wine Tannin
• 1 pkg. Wine Yeast

Details

Servings 20

Preparation

Step 1

1. Sanitize all equipment and utensils

2. In a primary fermenter add the fruit base, 4 cans of warm tap water along with the sugar and Acid Blend called for in the above chart. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. (We also added 5 crushed Campden tablets at this point.)

3. Stir in cold water as called for in the above chart. Then add the Yeast Nutrient, Pectic Enzyme, Wine Tannin and Yeast. (We will wait 24 hours to add the yeast. This will allow the Campden tablets to kill all the natural yeast from the environment as well as any molds and bacteria from the environment. Add 1 tablet per each 1 gallon of juice. Rob says the tablets will not kill our yeast when we add it in 24 hours because it dissipates.) Stir thoroughly. (Check the specific gravity - at this point, ours was 1.100 Rob says we could have almost 13% alcohol! The yeast consumes the sugars and the difference between the starting specific gravity and the ending specific gravity tells you how much alcohol you will end up with and it also tells you how good your fermentation was.)

4. Cover the primary fermenter with a towel. Ferment at 72-75 degrees F. If fermentation does not start within 24 hours, the temperature is probably too cool; move fermenter to a warmer place. (After adding the yeast, stir once a day while it is in the primary fermentor.)

5. After 5 - 7 days syphon (rack) wine off the sediment in to a clean secondary container. (Carboy) Now, attach an air-lock. allow to ferment for another 4 - 6 weeks or until the Specific Gravity reachers .998 or less.

6. After fermentation is complete, syphon (rack) the wine off the sediment and allow an additional 1 to 3 weeks for the wine to clear while in the secondary container.

7. Once the wine has completely cleared and there are no further signs of fermentation activity, syphon (rack) the wine for a final time. Then stir in 5 crushed Campden Tablets and bottle.

8. NOTE - If the wine is too dry/sour at bottling time you can sweeten to taste by adding sugar. Potassium Sorbate MUST be added at the same time or your wine may start fermenting again.