Racked off the blackberry wine...

[DoctorCAD]

SG was 0.992 after 3 weeks of sitting in the carboy.

I kept the sample out and drank it. It has a pretty strong bite to it, but tastes really good. I will let it sit in its one gallon bottle under airlock for another 3 months and then probably backsweeten it with 1/4 cup of sugar (mixed with sorbate, of course) because my wife absolutely hated it. I liked the taste, but she said it was too bitter for her.

Do you think another 3 months will "soften" the flavor?

Will backsweetening make it "drinkable" quicker?

I have a Wine Festival to attend in May and have nothing to enter this time.
I might start a soveign blanc next month, but that won't be ready by May either.

 

[Tusch]

Backsweetening will tend to mellow any harshness that comes with a young and bitter brew. Aging will mellow the harshness as well, but you will still have the dryness it has now. You could split it up, backsweetening some to bottle soon to please the mrs and aging the rest to enjoy a well seasoned brew later on down the road.

 

[Delaney]

or dump the Clitori...evil beings they can be

 

[Turnerdude1]

It will mature in six mo. and be aged in one year...made 85 gal this year....

 

[Clann]

It will mature in six mo. and be aged in one year...made 85 gal this year....

Damn. I thought I was doing something by making 5 gallons.

Did you pick all the berries?

 

[Turnerdude1]

No the farmer used his labors and I give him half. this year berries were very high in sugar..so only used about 270 lbs of berries..

 

[Turnerdude1]

DoctorCAd I have also found blackberry plays real well when you mix it with other red wines. This year made a blackberry port by making a full body blackberry wine and then when it got to 10% brink I stop it by adding .92 gal of 190 prof. Everclear....thne oaked it..