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Best option for lots of blackberries?

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  • #1

    Best option for lots of blackberries?

    The field where our allotment is is edged with tons of blackberries, so I was thinking about making some blackberry wine, or perhaps just adding them to some Vodka and leavign it for a whiel to take on the flavour? There's so many I coudl probably do both actually.

    The Vodka would obviously be very simple, not sure on the ratio of berries to Vodka though?

    Any hints on the wine side of things? There's plenty of recipes to choose from online but is there anythign specific that has worked/not worked for you? Campden tablets seem to be a matter of great debate.
    My organic gardening etc blog - http://thecornflake.blogspot.com
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  • #2
    I have two litres of blackberry brandy lurking under my stairs. Couldn't be easier , 1 bottle cheap brandy , 450g blackberries, 2 cloves, small tick cinnamon, 75g sugar. Lightly crush berries, place everything in screww top bottle. Cover tightly and leave for 3-4 months shaking every day for two weeks then once a month.
    I also bung 'em in the freezer in small batches and use in muffins, puddings etc as and when.
    S*d the housework I have a lottie to dig
    a batch of jam is always an act of creation ..Christine Ferber

    You can't beat a bit of garden porn

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    • #3
      My lazy method for sloe gin should adapt.
      Pour sloes into wide-mouth jar until it is nearly full, but not even slightly packed down, add some sugar (with sloes I add a lot, but with blackberries, probably about 4-5oz per lb blackberries), leave a day or so to start the sugar drawing the juice and flavour out.
      Pour on the gin/vodka/brandy until the jar is ful (but not to overflowing) stir well, or put lid on and shake.
      Repeat stir-or-shake daily for a week, then weekly for a month (sloes take longer, blackberries should be OK that fast).
      At present I have some molasses-strawberry vodka underway. Strawberries are easier, 1lb strawbs to 5oz dark-brown sugar, cover, leave up to a week, strain and measure the syrup, add 2 parts vodka to one part syrup (use some of the vodka to 'wash the last of the syrup out of the fruit).
      I haven't done this with dark sugar before (couldn't find the white sugar the day I wanted to make it) so the taste may be a bit unexpected.....
      Strain, bottle!
      Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.

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      • #4
        Thanks for the recipe. Dark brown sugar as in Muscavado? That probably will taste a bit strange! Could work well though.
        My organic gardening etc blog - http://thecornflake.blogspot.com

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        • #5
          I heat my blackberries in the microwave and then sqish them with a potato masher. Then freeze the juice in icecubes and leave in a plastic bag in the freezer ready for when the apples start to come through.
          Brill using the cubes for adding to cheesecake mix or homemade ice cream- and yog....and smoothies.
          Instantly available for using in recipes and yet much less space taken up in the freezer.


          * wonders what a shot of vodka with a blackberry icecube would be like????
          "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

          Location....Normandy France

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          • #6
            I made raspberry vinegar; although it is actually sweet not sour....and it went down so nice the nieces took one of the bottles home; I'm going to make a blackberry one in the next few weeks.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Nicos View Post
              * wonders what a shot of vodka with a blackberry icecube would be like????
              Well I make ice cubes with mint leaves in for my Mojitos...
              My organic gardening etc blog - http://thecornflake.blogspot.com

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              • #8
                My blackberry wine has always been thin & sharp, but blackberry vodka is lush. I'm going to make them into hedgerow chutney this year.
                All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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                • #9
                  You could make some Jam
                  We have a glut of Opal Plums at the moment
                  I got home yesterday and my wife had made 5lb of plum jam and a plum cake and frozen 4lb of plums.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by thecornflake View Post
                    Thanks for the recipe. Dark brown sugar as in Muscavado? That probably will taste a bit strange! Could work well though.
                    Yeh, I'm a bit uncertain how well it will work with the dark sygar, but only time will tell. I should be bottling it over the weekend......
                    Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Hilary B View Post
                      Yeh, I'm a bit uncertain how well it will work with the dark sygar, but only time will tell. I should be bottling it over the weekend......
                      I would have though that it would taste even better with dark sugar!
                      I hope it does anyway as I utilised your jar method yesterday with white rum, blackberries and molasses sugar.
                      Thanks for the tip

                      The blackberries are abundant round here, they were virtually jumping into my tubs yesterday! I've picked about 8 kg so far.
                      Along with said blackberry rum, I've got 2 gallons of blackberry wine on the go.
                      Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post
                      My blackberry wine has always been thin & sharp, but blackberry vodka is lush. I'm going to make them into hedgerow chutney this year.
                      I read on one wine site that most recipes say 4lb per gallon but he thinks that makes a weedy wine and suggest 6lbs per gallon, so that is what I have used. I have no experience so can't comment on the taste yet.

                      As the elderberries are now ripening I'm going to make some elderberry wine boosted up with some blackberries.
                      I already have 5 jars of blackberry jam made and am going to make some blackberry and pear jam today.
                      I've made a blackberry meringue pie and a blackberry bakewell tart.
                      I've been munching them as snacks and putting on my cereal for breakfast.
                      I am going to pick some more to freeze for later in the year.

                      There are so many I want to keep picking them, but don't want to make loads of cakes just to use them and get fat!
                      http://www.keithsallotment.blogspot.com/

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                      • #12
                        Try this recipe from CJJ Berry,
                        4lb blackberries
                        3lb sugar
                        water to one gallon (eventually)
                        1tsp yeast nutrient
                        1tsp pectic enzyme
                        5g sachet "Bourgovin" yeast
                        1 campden tablet
                        mash berries and cover with cold water add pectic enzyme and crushed campden tablet, leave for 24 hours, add 3lb sugar disolved in 2pts hot water(allow to cool a little first) and nutrient, mix yeast with 1pt of the liquid and add when frothy, cover closely with a cloth and ferment for 5-6 days, strain into clean bucket and transfer to demijohn fit airlock and bung, ferment out to dry, siphon off sediment into clean jar, mature for 3 months.
                        A lighter wine can be made with the otherwise waste pulp, just add 2 1/2 lb sugar dissolved in 6pts warm water, 1tsp nutrient and ferment for 3-4 days, strain and put into demijohn make up to 1 gal with water, add bung & airlock,
                        Last edited by ohbeary; 16-08-2010, 07:26 PM.
                        Eat well, live well, drink moderately and be happy (hic!)

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                        • #13
                          I've started a batch of this today, but minus the campden tablet. Mostly because I haven't got any! But on looking it up further am hoping will be o.k. Everything was super clean. And I used just boiled water to pour over fruit in the bucket. We shall see....

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                          • #14
                            The Molasses Strawberry Vodka is ready for drinking. I find it a bit harsh tasting, but it may #soften' with keeping, or I may add some white sugar (I like my fruit liqueurs sweet!)
                            Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by thecornflake View Post
                              Well I make ice cubes with mint leaves in for my Mojitos...
                              mojitos....sooo yummy! my love for mojitos was the sole reason i started to grow mint!
                              sophie.x

                              http://www.dressedupdigger.blogspot.com/

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