BlackBerry abundance

Mr_S_Jerusalem · Aug 20, 2020

Janulka098 said:
I think you have to leave sloe berries a little while longer :) normally after first frost... we’ll probably end of October early November time for sloe. I think with blackberries it depends where in UK you are. I am South East and they are turning mushy and dried up

I believe that used to be the case but with the seasons changing I think fruit is ready sooner generally.

Drunkula · Aug 20, 2020

I mashed up 11kg of blackberries last night with my hands. I was elbow deep in the bucket and when I pulled my arms out I looked like something from a Dario Argento film. My forearms rarely taste that good, though

Janulka098 · Aug 21, 2020

Mr_S_Jerusalem said:
I believe that used to be the case but with the seasons changing I think fruit is ready sooner generally.

Will have to check them out in that case. Never made sloe anything - wine sounds good!

CeeGee · Aug 21, 2020

Mr_S_Jerusalem said:
Mildly disappointed to hear blackberries are nearing their end, however the sloes are out now aren’t they?

Around here (North Beds, so around the middle of the UK) all the various berries are ripening very randomly. Both blackberry and elderberry bushes seem to be doing it. One bush fat and ripe berries, another one almost totally green. The black elder in my garden is half ripe, berry wise, though my missus noticed that on one branch it’s just flowered again. All very odd.

Hoping to get enough fruit together to do a big batch this year, rather than a demijohn or two.

CeeGee · Aug 21, 2020

Lots of sloes about, though will leave them for a good while yet. Would like to try a sloe wine.
Some bugger will probably come along and pinch them for gin before I get them, mind!

Janulka098 · Aug 21, 2020

Strained my big batch of blackberry/elderberry to 3gal carboy and had some left over - would be shame to waste all that juice - though of trying some ‘seconds’ rose with it. Put berry pulp (not squeezed) into straining bag with left over wine, poured 1 red fruit 100%juice added 700g sugar And topped up with water to a gallon - hopefully the yeast from the berries will carry on fermenting this one and end up with rose wine. Will strain after 5 days and transfer to demijohn to carry on (if it indeed starts fermenting)
now need a tried and tested recipe for sloe wine :)

MrRook · Aug 21, 2020

CeeGee said:
Around here (North Beds, so around the middle of the UK) all the various berries are ripening very randomly. Both blackberry and elderberry bushes seem to be doing it. One bush fat and ripe berries, another one almost totally green.

We've got a buttload of wild blackberries around our place. Some are ripe as can be and some are still green.

BottlesCansCraft · Aug 24, 2020

I used our blackberry abundance from our alotment to make a blackberry new england IPA.

I was sceptical at first and didn't know how it would all come together, but the citra hops worked great with the flavours, and some lactose balanced out the blackberries to get the right amount of sweet. Oh, and it looks brilliant in the glass of course with that pink colour. Highly recommend it

Janulka098 · Aug 24, 2020

I have actually found a new patch of blackberries :) the usual place is in the sun most of the day and those are on way out... the new batch is in the woods and those are just starting... so I was mistaken and I keep on picking! Damn. Running out of space and demijohns :)

Janulka098 · Aug 24, 2020

I suppose I have to make the jam Out of them now - I keep promising my hubby :) ...

MrRook · Aug 25, 2020

Put 20 ozs. in a 2.5 gallon batch of wheat beer.

Janulka098 · Sep 3, 2020

Running out of demijohns now. Have to report that the “seconds” brew is wonderful! Have not touched the blackberry/ elderberry demijohns other than racking and putting away for a while, but the “seconds” ferment with the Waitrose merlot and apple juice and 1kg of sugar, steeping the pulp for 5 days fermented in a week! Cleared in two days and had a half a bottle (left over after bottling it) and it’s great even now! Still strong flavour and tastes a bit like a light merlot. Will be doing this again - seconds fermenting with the pulp. Now have various DJs wrapped in black bags sitting round maturing :) . Looking forward tasting next year and will be making more batches next year for sure!

Moonraker · Sep 7, 2020

I calculated I needed just another litre of blackberry juice for my blackberry/elderberry wine so went out for a walk this afternoon, most are already gone over but then discovered a beech hedgerow full of them down a very narrow lane, but a lot out of reach overhead and I had to keep stopping picking to get out of the way of oncoming cars.

Had my bucket half-full and decided to head home, cutting across some open access land literally just across the road from us - OMG there's a huuuuge bramble patch in the middle of it just bursting with berries at optimum ripeness, no nettles and all easily accessible at waist height. (Gonna need more DJ's!)

I've already planned blackberry cider in addtion to the elderberry wine, but what other blackberry-based concoctions can anyone recommend please?

Janulka098 · Sep 7, 2020

Moonraker said:
I calculated I needed just another litre of blackberry juice for my blackberry/elderberry wine so went out for a walk this afternoon, most are already gone over but then discovered a beech hedgerow full of them down a very narrow lane, but a lot out of reach overhead and I had to keep stopping picking to get out of the way of oncoming cars.

Had my bucket half-full and decided to head home, cutting across some open access land literally just across the road from us - OMG there's a huuuuge bramble patch in the middle of it just bursting with berries at optimum ripeness, no nettles and all easily accessible at waist height. (Gonna need more DJ's!)

I've already planned blackberry cider in addtion to the elderberry wine, but what other blackberry-based concoctions can anyone recommend please?

I run out of DJs too. So froze a bunch :) so supply for when the DJs are free

Janulka098 · Nov 12, 2020

Fruit of my labour :) blackberry and elderberry wine :) done end of summer this year and cleared and all on its own. Bottled today but been left with a big glass

yum, even this young it’s excellent! Will be doing it again

Janulka098 · Nov 12, 2020

Few more demijohns in different ratios of blackberry and elder and blackcurrant being left alone... as don’t have any suitable bottles yet :)

Tanglefoot · Nov 12, 2020

Janulka098 said:
Fruit of my labour :) blackberry and elderberry wine :) done end of summer this year and cleared and all on its own. Bottled today but been left with a big glass yum, even this young it’s excellent! Will be doing it again

I'm about to bottle my blackberry ( and an apple/pear ) wine today which I made first week in september.
It too has cleared well after multiple rackings, just deciding whether to rack one last time and add a teaspoon
of campden powder before bottling - did you bother ?
I'm worried about affecting the taste, as you say it's a wine to be drunk young and I've not bothered in
the past - what does anyone else think ? ( sorry to hijack your thread ! )

Janulka098 · Nov 12, 2020

I did not bother this time... have done every other racking but not this time. I don’t recon it’s going to hang around long :) I did bother with rhubarb one as that one is going to be stored for a while but this one is good now so will probably not make it into the new year...

johncrobinson · Nov 12, 2020

No jam now jam is FORBIDDEN only wine is permitted.

Mr_S_Jerusalem · Nov 12, 2020

Janulka098 said:
Fruit of my labour :) blackberry and elderberry wine :) done end of summer this year and cleared and all on its own. Bottled today but been left with a big glass yum, even this young it’s excellent! Will be doing it again

Now that’s a beautiful thing right there.

BlackBerry abundance

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