2014 batch 3: Bochet (5) - Addition of blackberries

This Sunday (7/12) I measured the Oe of my Bochet to 18 degrees. The bubbling had slowed significantly, so I figured than now was the time to add the blackberries. I have saved 2 kg (2 bags of 1 kg) very ripe blackberries in our garden and store them in our freezer.

Basically I just put the frozen berries into a clean fermenter, added about 3 L of the bochet must and left it for a while to thaw while occasionally stirring and hacking with a spatula :o)

Once the berries were reasonably thawed I mashed them like you would with mash potato to increase the surface area a bit for exaction. Then I just transferred the rest of the bochet to the new fermenter leaving behind as much yeast and unwanted "chunks" as possible.

Actually, the thick layer of foam had almost completely been fermented and only a little residue was floating on the surface.

I measured the temperature shortly after I closed the new fermenter to about 14-15 C. Since the extraction had just started it did not make sense to measure Oe. next day the fermentation was running again and Oe was about 20 degree. The total volume was reduced by approximately 1.5 L but the berries corresponded to about the same volume, so no significant change - not until I remove the berries at least :o) This would means the the must had been diluted about 8%. If ABV was about 14%, then it was now about 13% and the yeast now have a little more work to do.