Fruit Wine - Is there an easier way?

[PBruske234]

So I have made mead and hard cider and they have both turned out great. For mead I use the JAOM recipe (stuck to the recipe at first and then substituted blueberries for oranges in another version) both versions turned out great. (Grandma loves the blueberry version). And hard cider was easy. So my wife and I pick about 25 lbs of blackberries yesterday (my arms are really tore up lol) and I started looking up how to make wine out of them, and WOW. I've been spoiled with the "put it all together and leave it alone recipe" for mead (at least the JAOM recipe). Isn't there an easier way to make fruit wine? Lets say for instance I just took the blackberries, crushed them, added the juice and all (without straining) to the carboy. Dissolved the sugar in the water, added the two together, and pitched the yeast...?

Now please don't think I am just trying to be lazy. I'm just trying to think how people made wine a 100 years ago before it got all complicated. I'm not trying to win national competitions but I would like a good tasting wine at the end. Is there an easier way, less time consuming way?

I know with the JAOM recipe for making mead, the orange adds a little flavor and acid. The raisins add tannin and nutrient. The cinnamon adds a little spice and so on, and bread yeast takes care of business. Quick, easy, come back in two months and wham bam thank you ma'am, great tasting mead.

Can this be done with fruit wine? Is there an easier way? Thanks in advance guys!

 

[Yooper]

Well...........the problem with blackberries is that they have pulp and about 1,000,000,000,000 seeds. They also have wild yeast and bacteria all over them. Using a mesh bag (sanitized) really isn't cheating, if only to help rack off of the pulp and seeds.

Did you check out the blackberry wine recipe posted in the recipe database? Let me know if you have any questions about it.

 

[PBruske234]

Yes! Actually I had your recipe open in another tab since it was the easiest one I could find lol. I agree using a mesh bag isn't cheating. But question: When I "Strain juice from jelly-bag and siphon off sediments into secondary fermentation vessel" Am I squeezing that mesh bag to get every ounce of juice out or not supposed to do that. I have seen recipes that say not to squeeze the juice out of the bag (at least I think I have). What did you do?

 

[PBruske234]

Also, It doesn't say how much nutrient and what wine yeast to use? What did you use?


Thanks again

 

[Yooper]

Squeeze the bag like crazy to get out the juice!

I don't have my notes in front of me, but I know I used premier cuvee yeast at least once in that wine. A teaspoon or so of yeast nutrient is sufficient.

 

[RobWalker]

Easier than straining is a press, at least in larger quantities - home made or store bought...but hey, real fruit is harder work

 

[PBruske234]

Yopper do you keep the nylon bag with all the blackberry seeds and pulp in the primary fermentation vessel during the entire 5 days?

 

[Yooper]

Yopper do you keep the nylon bag with all the blackberry seeds and pulp in the primary fermentation vessel during the entire 5 days?

Yes, and I stir well a couple of times a day with a sanitized long handled spoon to really "smoosh" up the fruit and break up any cap that forms.

 

[Turnerdude1]

I do not use a mesh bag. What I do is crush them with my wine crusher..then add the sulfite..let sit over night then add hot water let cool then add yeast and after five days press with my wine press then add sugar and place in secondary...

 

[Turnerdude1]

Oh forgot when press I do use nylon screen to get some of the pulp.