Blackberry Confusion

[a_merryk_hunt]

Just started my 3rd one-gallon test batch yesterday. This time dabbling in more modern methods.

1 gallon spring water
3lbs blackberries (frozen, partially crushed)
0.25tsp pectic enzyme
2.875lbs (46oz) Walker wildflower honey
1 packet Lalvin k1-v1116
2tsp Go-Ferm
4g Fermaid-O (divided into 4 additions, using TOSNA protocol)

Frozen blackberries crushed with the flat side of a chef's knife, thrown into 2 gallon bucket.
Added just enough water to disolve pectic enzyme, and let sit 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
Near end of enzyme soak, added honey and most of the water. Disolved by adding honey and water to 1 gallon jug and shaking vigorously.
Yeast rehydrated in warm water with Go-Ferm. Tempered with small additions of must.

Fermaid will be added per usual TOSNA protocol. 1 gram each at 24, 48, and 72 hours after pitch; final addition at either 1/3 break or 7 day mark (whichever comes first).

Confusion: 3 different calculators used, hydrometer reading nowhere near anticipated OG. Calculators predicted 1.118, 1.119, and 1.126. Hydrometer reading showed 1.09. Will measure again before adding Fermaid at 24 hour mark.

Any thoughts on what could cause the discrepancy in anticipated OG and hydrometer reading?

 

[beer-me-now]

My guess - the calculators are assuming you would get about 40 points per lb of Honey and fruit combined but you really only got 30 points per lb combined. I think the average lb of honey is supposed to give 35 - 40 points but I'm never surprised if I see less.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

My guess - the calculators are assuming you would get about 40 points per lb of Honey and fruit combined but you really only got 30 points per lb combined. I think the average lb of honey is supposed to give 35 - 40 points but I'm never surprised if I see less.

Hmm. I used this brand of honey for my cherry mead, and the calculators were spot on with the actual gravity. Maybe the blackberries needed more time to break down? Like i said, going to take another reading when I add the first dose of Fermaid-O later today.

May be a slight discrepancy between actual OG and the reading. Already have some positive pressure in the bucket, but not enough for the airlock to bubble yet.

 

[Tatmia]

What calculator is that? It looks like it would be fun to play with.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

What calculator is that? It looks like it would be fun to play with.

It is the beersmith 3 app. Heard good things about the beersmith programs, figured I'd try it out.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Strangely, no increase in gravity since the (assumed) false reading last night. Currently reading about 1.082.

At least I know that the yeast is happy. Minor offgassing before degassing and adding the Fermaid-O. Airlock is now bubbling nicely.

 

[Tatmia]

thanks

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

thanks

No problem

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

48 hour degassing and Fermaid-O addition: 1.063.

With the amount of off-gassing occuring, I think I should put a little less starsan in the airlock:

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Update:
Degassed and checked gravity at approximately 60 hours from pitch, since 1/3 sugar break had almost been achieved at 48. Gravity at 1.059 or 1.060. Final dose of Fermaid-O added (3 grams total, not 4 as anticipated).

Now to let it do it's thing with minimal interference until time to rack to secondary. Will likely continue to punch down fruit cap and degas every 24-48 hours until 1.03 sg reached.

 

[FunkyMunk]

This exact problem happened to me recently. I was expecting a higher gravity but failed to account for the added volume of the honey, so my total batch volume was more like 1.25 gallons instead of 1 gallon, plus the juice from the blackberries actually diluted the must a bit, as the juice was probably only around 1.070 or so. Maybe try adjusting the values in the calculator to account for your total volume? Also noticed you're not quite using 3 lb of honey despite entering that in the calculator, maybe that made a difference.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

I caught the honey issue after taking a second look at the label. Updated it in the calculator. As for the berries, there wasn't really any juice until after it sat in the pectinase bath. Even after making the adjustments in the calculator, the gravity is still significantly higher than the measured OG.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

On another note. 5 days in, and gravity is at 1.024.

6 days: 1.012 SG

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Day 6: 1.012 SG

1 week: 1.006 SG
Skimmed off blackberries with a fine mesh strainer.

 

[bigdawg86]

So I have never done mead before. Is it less oxygen sensitive than beer? This recipe sounds good, I may have to give it a try.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

I'm new to this as well, been reading/watching/learning for a few years, but this is my first time fermenting. From what I've heard/read it is still prone to oxidation (have never brewed beer, so I can't offer a comparison. It's on my to-do list though, first try a braggot or three, then beer). This can be minimized after primary by using sulfites when finishing/stabilizing. If you want to go the extra mile, you can flush o2 from aging vessels and bottles with co2 before sealing.

Tasted a small bit before degassing this morning, pretty good but the tartness/tannins from the blackberries combined with the dryness of the batch are a little over the top. Will likely backsweeten to semi-sweet with additional honey once I get this batch stabilized.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Day 8: Slightly above 1.002 SG

Day 9: Slightly above 1.000 SG

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Pic on day 9

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Day 10: 1.000 SG, racked off of bentonite and degassed vigorously with a degassing want and a drill.

Day 11: 1.000 SG. Quite a few particulates have fallen out of suspension. Still seeing a little positive pressure in the airlock.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Day 12 and 13: still sitting at 1.000. Added sulfite, sorbate, and sparkolloid. Placed back in closet under airlock.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Day 17 (2/17/19):
Racked onto blackberry juice (2lbs frozen blackberries soaked in a small amount water and pectinase for several hours; solids strained off, small amount of sulfite added before racking). This added approximately 10 points to the gravity. Backsweetened with enough honey to give another 18 points. Total gravity about 1.028.

Placed in 1 gallon jug under airlock to clear.

With the tannins from the berries, the percieved sweetness does not seem very high. Just enough to contrast the tartness from the berries in primary.

A single bottle was removed from total volume after juice was added and before backsweetening, for the sake of allowing it to clear/age on it's own, and see how it turns out.

 

[MaxTheSpy]

That color that you have looks amazing! Removing one bottle seems smart to see if you like it before or after better, that way you can decide what to do next batch!

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Thanks Max. The color is actually exactly what I was shooting for. Was worried it would come out so dark you couldn't see through it, but seems to have worked out nicely.

To be honest, the single bottle was removed because I both want to compare outcomes and want to put a friend's love of dry wines to the test, lol. Even with a gravity of 1.010 from the juice, the taste is beyond bone dry.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Mead was pretty clear this morning and had a thick layer of sediment from the berry juice (pressed in a metal strainer, some was to be expected), and additional honey. Gravity unchanged from 1.028.

Racked off of sediment to a new jug to finish clearing.

Taste notes: nice mix of fermented and fresh blackberry, tartness balanced nicely with the extra honey (a bit on the sweet side, but not much). Some hot alcohol taste when taking a sizeable drink. Once this ages and mellows a bit, should be dangerously drinkable.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Last of the sediment finally fell out of suspension. Unfortunately, due to the sediment from the little bit of pulp that got through the strainer during the last addition of berries making the sediment extremely loose (if you looked at it wrong, you'd have to wait for everything to settle back to the bottom of the jug), lost significantly more than I anticipated. Was expecting 5-6 16oz bottles, only able to get 4 without risking transferring sediment. This is going to be a precious commodity... That will be hard to keep my hands off of. However, I am very pleased with the final product and curious what age will do to this. Pictures don't do proper justice to the clarity.

OG:1.090
FG: 1.000
Sweetened to 1.028 with berries and honey.
ABV: 11.8%

Taste: very nice blend of sweet and berry without either being overwhelming, the tannins having faded into the background. The previously noted hot alcohol taste is already gone. I'm no expert, but this seems very well balanced.

Definitely worth making a much larger batch in the future. The only change I would make is putting berries in a fine mesh bag.

 

[CKuhns]

Looks good. Enjoy, set one aside for a year if you can. You will not be disappointed.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Looks good. Enjoy, set one aside for a year if you can. You will not be disappointed.

Definitely going to try to squirrel one away. Worst case, I'm wanting to upgrade to 3 gallon batches, and should have plenty to tuck away at that point. This will probably the first thing I make a larger batch of. Quite proud of how this turned out, despite being so young.