blackberry braggot

[hamburgerfan]

1# light DME
1.5# honey
18 oz blackberries
1 tsp willamette hops: 30 min
1 tsp willamette hops: 10 min
0.5 tsp pectic enzyme
nottingham yeast

Started this yesterday, already have a huge fermentation (had to install a blowoff tube)

Never tried anything like this before, so I'm looking for some input on where to go after the primary fermentation is done.

I'll want to rack it to a secondary, but I assume I'll have a fair bit of fluid loss from the berries, the trub, and anything that gets pushed up through the tube. Do I just top it off with water when I move it to secondary? If so, is it typically recommended to add any other ingredients (fermentable or not) to the secondary to prevent the final product from being watered down?

OG from honey and DME should be 1.095, not counting the sugar contributions from the blackberries, which are harder to quantify. I know nottingham yeast is described as having a fairly high alcohol tolerance, but calculator estimates final ABV as 12.8%, which seems like it would be pushing the yeast near its limit. Does this mean carbonating this drink would be difficult?

It smells good, in its own way (but strong!) Any bets on how long before it's ready to drink?

 

[bmwr75]

Am guessing this is a 1 gallon batch since you didn't state the batch size. To make a 1 gallon batch in secondary, I usually try to have 1.25-1.5 gallons in primary. That way you don't have to top up the secondary fermenter and avoid dilution.

You didn't mention adding any nutrients. I've only made one braggot using a beer kit/honey and it was ready to drink in 3 weeks, but I used the TiOSNA staggered nutrient addition protocol.

 

[eogaard]

Really interested to hear how this turns out

 

[Lefou]

Interesting idea, but the blackberries may give the drink an acidic bite. Don't be surprised if the yeast goes beyond the stated alcohol tolerance because if the conditions are right and you have enough residual sugar, the yeast could be vigorous enough to go beyond your calculated ABV.

I used US-05 in a high gravity mead that got stepped nutrient additions along with de-gassing and ended up with a mead beyond 12% alcohol. It surprised me because the stated yeast tolerance for alcohol was 9.5%.
Boy was that experiment a shock.

 

[hamburgerfan]

After 8 days in primary, most of the vigorous airlock activity has ceased. It's gradually gotten darker and redder in color, and it smells absolutely amazing (the blackberry is really coming through from what I can tell.) How long to leave it in primary before racking it?

 

[bmwr75]

Has a lot of stuff settled out in the bottom of the carboy, say maybe 1" deep? If yes, you can rack to secondary. FYI, I usually don't rack to secondary until about 1 month has passed or the fermentation has completed, but that requires using a hydrometer to know.