Using Fresh blueberries to make cider

[RodB]

Hi

I have about 20kg of freshly picked blueberries.

I want to make a cider. I have never made one before.

Do I squeeze the blueberries and then boil them with sugar and water.

 

[suzeQ]

This may not apply but in winemaking to get the most flavor most freeze berrys to break the cell walls down. They are then placed in a straining bag before going into fermentation bucket and mashed around and pushed down while fermenting for about 3 to 5 days or so depending on variables. Are you adding these to apple juice?

 

[RodB]

I have attached my Recipe.

So I have been using Brewsmith to do the recipie.

In the timer section it says

Add 1.7 kg brown Sugar
add 0.10 kg Milk Sugar Lactose
boil for 66 mins
add 1 tsp cinnamon powder boil for 5 mins

1 Hr boil ends

In the primary fermentation add Pectic Enzyme, Honey and "Blueberry Juice"

This kind of indicates that it needs to be squeezed Juice. Which makes me now concerned if the Juice will be the same as the Knudsen Juice I used in the recipie.

 

[WTPooh]

So you freeze the blueberries, then thaw and mash with pectic enzyme and metabisulfite. Then pour it all into a brew bag over your empty carboy so the juice gets strained. I always add my fruit after my cider/mead is done fermenting and the metabisulfite kills any wild yeast. I age it for 6-10 days always tasting to see when to pull the bag. Be careful when you pull and squeeze the bag, this is where you will get all the tannins from the skin. Squeeze too much and there will be too much.

 

[RodB]

Thank you

 

[madscientist451]

Making wine with refined sugar can provide a rocket-fuel like flavor. Berries and other fruit can provide flavor, but that flavor is easily over taken by other flavors, like a strong alcohol note. You'd be better off using your blueberries to flavor a mead made with honey.

 

[RodB]

So you freeze the blueberries, then thaw and mash with pectic enzyme and metabisulfite. Then pour it all into a brew bag over your empty carboy so the juice gets strained. I always add my fruit after my cider/mead is done fermenting and the metabisulfite kills any wild yeast. I age it for 6-10 days always tasting to see when to pull the bag. Be careful when you pull and squeeze the bag, this is where you will get all the tannins from the skin. Squeeze too much and there will be too much.

Thank you

So just to be Clear I boil the water sugar and spices. This then ferments out.

The I add the fruit into this strained through a brew bag. Or do I put the brewbag with the fruit into the liquid.?

Then does this carry on fermenting? Well this is happening i keep tasting for flavour. Once I am happy with the flavour I remove the bag of fruit?

Cab I cold crash it and filter it to get it clear.

Bottling is this done the same with carbonation drops?

Thanks for your help