Queston on a blueberry melomel

[kingboomer]

I'm gearing up to make 3 gallons of blueberry melomel and I have a question. I'm curious if fermentation affects the antioxidants from the blueberries. I've googled this and can't find a satisfactory answer. If anyone has any input on this I'd greatly appreciate it. FWIW here's my recipe:

6 lbs bluebereries(3 in primary, 3 in secondary)
8 lbs wildflower honey, maybe 1 for backsweetening
juice of 1 lemon in secondary
K1V-1116


-Kingboomer

 

[fatbloke]

Well it depends on what you think or expect too happen ?

Personally, because you're intending using fruit in both stages, I'd say you'd be best placed investing in a pot of pectic enzyme (or even rohapect type one).

Its a regular thing to add, so not only does it help with pectins but also with colour/flavour extraction......

Then more with the "new" fruit in secondary.......

K1-V1116 will do a good job but I'd have thought RC -212 (or BDX if you could get it) will do a better job.......

nutrient/energiser ?????

 

[Zaffo]

Well, there is evidence that antioxidants are prevalent in red wines. That would lead me to believe that fermentation will not hurt the beneficial antioxidants in blueberries.

I have no science to back this up, though.

That said, acid is a good idea in your recipe. The blueberry melomel I made really needed acid.

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[fatbloke]

Well, there is evidence that antioxidants are prevalent in red wines. That would lead me to believe that fermentation will not hurt the beneficial antioxidants in blueberries.

I have no science to back this up, though.

That said, acid is a good idea in your recipe. The blueberry melomel I made really needed acid.

Be that as it may, it seems that the important bit i.e. the "good" bit, in red wines are flavinols. They're actually present on the seeds - but you can get reds with good amounts and reds with few.

It's about skin/seed contact time in the ferment a.k.a. to maximise that, you'd have to be thinking of a rohapect type enzyme, then punching down the cap daily, probably until the ferment is complete and the skins/seeds have sunk in primary.

Then most likely, if the yeast has any room for higher alcohol tolerance, stabilise, then more of the enzyme and the fruit to secondary.

If carboys are to be used somewhere in the process, it'd be better to make it as primary in a bucket, then once you know that the brew either can't or won't start to referment with the addition of further fermentable sugars, they can be added to a carboy, but it would still need more of the enzyme and then a gentle shake each day to keep the top fruit moist, and then it up to the maker whether to do the "let them sink" thing with the secondary.

Any acids etc shouldn't be added until the end, and for best results, complimentary acids and even then, I wouldn't add any until after any sweetening was done i.e. just to balance any residual sugars.........

 

[kingboomer]

Thanks for your replies guys.

FB: I'm deffinitely useing pectic enzyme for the fruit, and doing sna as well (I should of put down my steps lol). I'm actually considering doing both fruit additions in the primary bucket, punching the cap, etc.. then doing a teritary in glass. I've made a similar recipe to this a while ago and the lemon juice is a personal preference.

Zaffo:This is the info I was looking for. I'd like to prove to SWMBO that this hobby of mine can be good for you if nothing else lol.

Any more info/criticizms are more than welcome


-Kingboomer

 

[fatbloke]

Well anti-oxidant are, apparently, good for us in many ways, the flavinols are good for the cardio-vascular system.

The later are more prevalent in heavy claret type wines that have had maximum skin/seed contact. Whereas the lighter style reds are often much lower level as they're made with just enough contact time for the skins to impart some colour.......

 

[kingboomer]

So to get the most out of the fruits, I should leave them in as long as possible? I understand there is such a thing as too long on the fruit, making it taste like vegemite. I do intend to freeze/thaw 3 times, useing pectic enzme, and not pureeing.

 

[fatbloke]

So to get the most out of the fruits, I should leave them in as long as possible? I understand there is such a thing as too long on the fruit, making it taste like vegemite. I do intend to freeze/thaw 3 times, useing pectic enzme, and not pureeing.

Thats basically how I understand it i.e. keep the fruit in and when it sinks its consider "exhausted" but it isn't at the stage where it could cause autolysis type off flavours.

I'd question your technique for freeze/thaw 3 times. Once should be plenty to break down the cells - and no, I don't puree anything. The hazard of possibly extracting bitter compounds from the broken pips/seeds is too great IMO.

I don't know where the Marmite (its nicer than vegemite ) analogy would come from with fruit, as both Marmite and Vegemite are yeast extracts........ but what do I know

 

[kingboomer]

I generally do3 as a matter of course. The fruit I'm picking up is the pre-packaged pre-frozen varieity, and it generally thaws a bit before I get it home (1). Then into the freezer it goes until I can get some pectic enzyme on it (2). Then I chuck it back into the freezer until I'm ready to use it and the pectic enzyme's had it's 24 hours (3). this generally takes the space of a day or two, and admittedly the fruit doesn't completely thaw until I'm ready to use. Seems to work well!

 

[fatbloke]

I generally do3 as a matter of course. The fruit I'm picking up is the pre-packaged pre-frozen varieity, and it generally thaws a bit before I get it home (1). Then into the freezer it goes until I can get some pectic enzyme on it (2). Then I chuck it back into the freezer until I'm ready to use it and the pectic enzyme's had it's 24 hours (3). this generally takes the space of a day or two, and admittedly the fruit doesn't completely thaw until I'm ready to use. Seems to work well!

Well, I'd suggest that you'll save a little time if you get it into the freezer in the normal way, a little defrosting can happen on the way from the store/shops etc.

Then just leave it there. Nothing is gained by adding pectolase then refreezing. You can just take it out to defrost just before you want to use it, mix the basic must - no yeast, and add the pectolase to that. 24 to 48 hours before pitching yeast means that if you're really worried you can add sulphites a.k.a. campden tablets as per normal dose, and the pectolase at the same time.

Pectolase is temperature sensitive to heat, but I'd also suspect it might not work if it's been frozen too - no science behind that assertion, just a gut feeling (yeast goes dormant with cold, works well at normal ambient temperatures and dies if too hot/heated etc).

Either way, if you're happy working the way you have been and stuff turns out tasting Ok, then that's fine.....

 

[kingboomer]

Thanks man, 2-3's generally what happens between the purchase and brew day. And thanks for the advise, I'll just add the enzyme a day or two before I pitch my yeast.