First Wine Attempt

[WTD]

Im thinking of making a blackberry, blue berry and rasberry wine for my first one, wont be high ABV like the reds i like. Ive done spirits and beer in the past and now trying my hand at this. will bottle it like a cider rather than a red.

wondering what others think of my process im thinking of doing. im just experimenting at the moment.

I have a 5L demijon i plan to put 2kg of frozen berries in made up to about 4.5L level line. Was thinking of letting it ferment for 4 or 5 days on the fruit (or untill it finishes) then syphon the wine out, strain the fruit out and put back in the demijon with enough sugar to bring it to 7 or 8%abv and bring back to 4.5L line and let ferment till finished. then syphon out and bottle.

yeast i have is a red wine yeast. Mangrove jacks VR21

Wondering what i can expect doing this, it wont age long, maybe a month or so, or less and will be carbonated like a cider.

Is this allright for a first attempt, do i need to worry about oxygen while extracting the fruit from the demi and is thee any additives i should use. this is just a first attempt to get a feel for it.

Hoping this is a good start. I want to work up to higher ABV wine and if i dont stuff it up ill try for a nice dry red one day if get better, that wont be carbonated lol.

Cheers

 

[AkTom]

I make a 3 berry wine. 8# for 6 gallons. Use enough sugar to get about 1.075 maybe 1.080. Ferment (in a bucket) squeezing daily and taking sg. Then rack to a carboy to finish fermenting. I don’t carbonate though. Google Danger Dave’s Dragon Blood recipe. I make it frequently. I use Costco 3 berry mix.
It’s hard to stop a fermentation. So sweetening and carbing can be tricky.
The only time I’ve had bottle bombs.... was an attempt at doing what you suggest.
Someone way smarter than me will be along soon and give you a better answer.
Cheers

 

[jonereb]

I'm no expert, but I'd recommend siphoning to a carboy with airlock before the fermentation process completely finishes. This will help you avoid oxidation.

 

[WTD]

cheers guys, Ive changed it a bit.

I have 4L apple juice and 1/2kg of mixed berries.
combined sugar without adding any is 6.9% so being a beginner i might leave it at that and work from there. i could maybe add another 1/2kg of berries which will bring it to 7.4%ABV if all converted.

Ive being using this to calculate it
http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/xcalcs.html

Does higher ABV carbonate the same as lower ABV. Normally i use 1 carbonating tablet per 330ml beer bottle for around a 5% beer.
If i bottle at 7% will it carbonate the same, i mean just as much, no less or more.
the science to me seems it will be the same amound of CO2 to be produced but im not sure on the added effect of extra ABV.

I have an experiment to bottle later today wich is closer to 10% and i plan to carbonate it. i have degassed it in the demi too. plan to cold crash then bottle with some carbon drops.

thinking of using these bottles
https://www.bigw.com.au/product/house-home-glass-water-bottle/p/422140/

Cheers

 

[WTD]

Did this, aimed for about 10%. think it tastes more like 9. i used 4L apple juice and 1/2kg mixed berry and some campden tablets at the end. did not carbonate it. considering the cost its not too bad. taste cheap but doesnt taste bad if that makes sense. that was aged 1 day out of fermenter so maybe more time will make it better. made a tad over 4 * 750ml bottles (filled 1 750ml and rest in 330ml stubbies) and cost about $8 to make. cheap lol