Blackberry Port Part 2 (Fortified Wine with Blackcurrant)

In this video, we complete the instructions for how to make a fortified Blackberry Port. We included techniques for stabilising, back sweetening & fortifying wine
Recipe & Ingredients list
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Opening Music credits: Artist = Earth Tree Healing
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[@davidhall529]

I’ve watched so many of your videos now and made quite a few. Thank you for doing these, you make the steps so easy to follow and the end result has always been amazing. The elderflower wine is my favourite and I will be making it every year for the rest of my life!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad you like them David!

[@Coxeysbodgering]

You don't need to stabilise if you fortify, once the abv is above 20% the yeast can't start up again. Another option is to use a yeast with a know tollerence to abv and add more sugar in the must giving a sweeter wine to begin with. Glycerin can also add sweetness without risking fermentation. As home brewers we really don't need to be adding the sulphates and sulphites as they are not being shipped jossled and be exposed to temperature changes regularly as commercial wines are. Thank you for giving the math to calculate the fortification amounts as I have under fortified in the past because the recipe said as X to X liters but didn't it didn't include the abv . Take care and stay safe, Mike.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

You are right on the stabiliisation Mike, but I prefer to do it with dessert wine since a wine using Champagne yeast restarted at a ludicrous abv!

[@tngardengirl3984]

What is an abv that work? I'm new to wine making but know that I don't want a lot of extra chems in the mix as they make me ill from store-bought wines. Thank you

[@robbettington6799]

Great Video. You smashed it out of the park there. 😊

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Rob, I was worried that it was a bit obscure & technical!

[@robbettington6799]

@@EnglishCountryLife no, you did a very good job. Going to try and start one today with just blackberrys. do you need to mature it or is it done once back sweetened and fortified?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@robbettington6799 It's ready immediately but will improve for a few months in the bottle

[@robbettington6799]

@@EnglishCountryLife thank you.

[@ashm5206]

What a smart idea to sweeten a sample first and multiply upwards! That approach could be applied to so many things in the kitchen like adding chilli to food, lemon to jam etc. delighted to learn that today - the best ideas are the simplest!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I have often been told I'm simple 😁👍

[@bendthebow]

Just finished making this. In Hebrides. I ran out of time with blackberry season so I made up the difference with blueberries. So a quarter blueberries. Got a reasonably priced Calvados and made up the rest with some basic brandy. But its come out super nice. Thanks for recipe

[@EnglishCountryLife]

So glad you like it! Tomorrow we are starting a blackberry mead recipe!

[@bendthebow]

@@EnglishCountryLife oh fantastic

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@bendthebow I hope so - there's 7kg of lime blossom honey in the kitchen!

[@bendthebow]

@@EnglishCountryLife ha! That a lot of honey!! Sounds delicious. I look forward to that

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@bendthebow Its for more than one batch 😉

[@andrewtranter448]

Currently following this using 3.5k of Victoria plums and 500 blackberries. Just strained the fruit and have the demi jon filled, got a bit more volume as plums must hold more water but so far so good.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That sounds delicious!

[@michaelodwyer5305]

last year I made blackberry wine. I still have eight bottle as i have heard the longer you keep it the better it gets. I may very well try your port wine instead this year, as I love port.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It's definitely worth a go - it's a favourite here!

[@FrankiesFire]

I made a strawberry wine which finished fermenting at 1.020 and slightly sweet, so I just added appropriate amount of a good VSOP French brandy, and put in a couple of oak chunks into a glass fermenter. I’m leaving it for a few months before I remove the oak and then bottle it. Thank you for your video!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That sounds delicious 😋

[@marypoppins2955]

Brilliant I am going to start my first brew soon. Thank you

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Have fun! Please let us know how you get on?

[@ogm19881]

I'm going to attempt this, but I will be using Mr Boston blackberry Brandy to fortify. Cheers 🍷

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That sounds delicious 😋

[@dtvking]

Hi Hugh, you are an inspiration for this hobby. I started out in the deep-end last year making your Elderflower wine which I experimented with and carbonated the day before my daughter's wedding this week, transferred it into Champagne bottles & tops and everyone loved it. Now for the Port. I have lots of blackberries in the garden so no better way to make use of them but for this. Thanks for explaining everything in detail, I look forward to visiting your Amazon shop for some extra items I will need. Thanks again, keep safe.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Absolute genius with carbonating elderflower Mark. What a lovely thing to do for your daughter. So personal!

[@dtvking]

@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Hugh, You recommended using GV2 yeast but GV4 is listed as the High Alcohol type, up to 21% ABV. is this ok to use? Thanks

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@dtvking Should be absolutely fine Mark, probably better 🙂

[@fabbricaitalianaautomobili5859]

Yea, port, Sherry and rice wine 🍶 sounds delish, especially rice wine 🤤

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Rice wine is fascinating it's starch brewing not fruit sugars so more akin to beer in some ways. It's on the list !

[@fabbricaitalianaautomobili5859]

@@EnglishCountryLife sounds good my friend, I have seen so many you tubers making moonshine with rice, so I would love to see how something normal is made

[@ginahill503]

So delighted to have found your channel!! I have been stashing blackberries in the freezer, and will make a 6 gallon carboy of wine. Which I have done, very successfully, before. But now, you've inspired me to perhaps be more adventurous and try this port! I have a stash of half-bottles too, which makes me think it's a perfect idea. Thanks, and cheers! Also just putting in my raised bed garden, and starting to learn about and consider adding chickens, and other things. Thanks! Your instruction is perfect! So clear. So precise. So easy.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm so glad you found us - you are doing a huge amount!

[@jimhinchliffe8211]

Brilliant mate enjoyed watching this

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Jim 👍

[@jeffmathieu6267]

Cheers mate

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Slainte 😉

[@orlaithmcg]

This looks *phenomenal*

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Orlaith, it is very nice 🙂

[@sylvanwoods5271]

Thanks for sharing this recipe! I can't wait to try it!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂

[@val6112]

Thank you so much for this I'm going to pick more blackberries today and start the process 🙌

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It really is worth the effort

[@micheleeastmond9552]

That looks lush, rich and amazingly tasty🍷

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It is wonderful Michele. A little more time consuming to make, but worth it!

[@teewizz3787]

wow man, this randomly came up in my recommended videos, sat through both back to back! now I want to make my own port! lol liked and subbed, you're great!!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you so much - do give it a go - its a wonderful flavour!

[@hawkmoon1704]

Hi Hugh, that was incredible haha. I could almost taste that port. Well done

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks, we'll definitely have some over Christmas

[@billienomates1]

Just found your videos. Really great and have encouraged me to make homemade wines again

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm delighted! We have a ginger wine on the go right now from ginger we grew ourselves - it smells amazing!

[@Quinny1394]

Hey! Deffinatley liked and subscribed! I'm not a fan of port, per se, but my step father loves it and I have the equipment to brew but maybe not to fortify as I mainly brew beer, mead, cider, seltzer etc, but these videos were very helpful! When I brew 100% of my brews are bottle conditioned, so sparkling, I brew alot of hydromels (meads under 7%) and hard apple ciders (6-10%) as well as beers, which mostly are carbonated besides maybe an ice beer (freeze distilled) but I will look at your download file and see what I need to get to make a port for my stepdad, maybe for his birthday, next July, I was thinking of using a small toasted oak spiral to give it more of a barrel aged taste to the port! Anyways cheers from south australia! 👍🍻🥃🥂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Oak aging would really add something I think!

[@clivegreen6114]

Hi Hugh, thanks for your help and recipe, Port all done and bottled, slowly, slowly sweetening and boy very nice, ready for Xmas and see how it gets better with time. Clive

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Excellent, I'm glad you like the flavour. I think blackberries and blackcurrants are highly underrated for dark, sweet luscious drinks 🙂

[@strongandco]

Yep...love to hear about more complex wine recipes, ta.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Then that's what we will do!

[@valparry4648]

I'm getting on the first available ✈️ Have a bottle of that waiting 🤣

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Will do Val 🙂. As a dessert wine?

[@valparry4648]

@@EnglishCountryLife It just looks really lush even as just the wine stage without the fortifying. Waiting for the elderberries to ripen, to give that wine a go.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@valparry4648 Ours are just starting to turn

[@martink9785]

It’s almost blackberry time, I’m definitely going to have a go at this! I’ve made simple turbo ciders before so this looks achievable. Thanks for your great videos 🙂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Oh its super simple. If you get any problems just leave a comment on here and I'll try to help

[@corabaarde760]

Thank you. I started halfway and tasting it and they love it. I'm about to do the back sweetening and fortifying. I will try your other recipe.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

So glad you like it Cora

[@Qraze69]

I don't use those chemicals to stop the yeast, so I do multiple siphon filter rackings and now a cold crash. I did 5 gallons of wild blackberry mead now cold crashing after a july start.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

There's certainly more than one way to do it, but stabilisation is important to prevent fermentation restarting when back sweetening

[@benslidel2379]

Yay been waiting for this. Time to go and pick some blackberries. What other fruits would it work with? Sloes!!! I would love to see what Gins you make.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Ben, started a couple of sloe recipes today! Hugh

[@RidgeRunner5-]

I'd like to see your Rice wine making recipes, I have been making country wines, I have 5gals of strawberry bottled and 5gals of peach in secondary. Would really love to learn Rice wine. Great channel!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'll try to do a video over Winter. I've got Creme de Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) coming shortly

[@moniquem783]

I’m surprised you didn’t have a homemade apple brandy! If you ever do make that, I’d love to see a video. Definitely interested in sherry too. Another video suggestion. How to make a small batch of Marmite/Vegemite/yeast extract from the lees. Really interesting. Your videos are so helpful when I want to try something completely new. Thank you 😊

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Monique. Sadly the production of home made apple brandy would be illegal for a home producer in this country (without a complex and expensive licence that would cost more than the savings). New Zealand has a more enlightened outlook to home made spirits I believe. I love the idea of home made Marmite!

[@jacquiehahn4910]

Looks amazing, and that's a lovely glass ( the bigger one). Sherry and rice wine ahoy!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you! We found a pair of those glasses in a Horncastle junk shop for a few pounds. They are lovely!

[@jacquiehahn4910]

@@EnglishCountryLife look like Jacobean ones I saw in a little antique shop in Chichester.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I think these are repop but nice for all that

[@pfswalter]

Well Hugh 32 half bottle of port finished your oh does every taste delicious can’t wait to see what it’s like in 6 months. Cheers

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Fantastic! It's worth waiting but ...well....an early sample is important 😁👍

[@pfswalter]

@@EnglishCountryLife definitely have to sample all the way.

[@flowerpowervideo]

Berries are beginning here in california starting with Ollie berries - then raspberries then blackberries. I’ll be making your blackberry port later this year but any ideas for Ollie berries? Rasberries? So I have 2 demijohns of elderflower wine going!!! So much fun. Now my goat years, for now are on hold, fermenting is satisfying the supreme natural processes of nature. Thank you for the encouragement you have a fabulous screen presence. X pat living far away for now.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Sue, if you follow our strawberry wine recipe but use raspberries you will get a delicious dry rose wine . Sadly, I've never seen an Ollie berry 😥

[@raymond-wk2gp]

I just found your video, very good explaining the process. It sounds intimidating to new brewers but it's really not. Just follow the recipe and have patience it will work out. As far as the chemicals go, I've done some research and there basically harmless to us. The real danger is alcohol.😂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Especially tasty alcohol 😋😉

[@unkjason]

I really enjoyed your video. Normally I hate background music. But I liked yours, as it wasn't constant nor overly loud. I am a over the road truck driver, so I watch a lot of KZbin videos. After watching the first video, I called my wife. Will we ever make our own wine? IDK but I loved your video very much. Cheers as you Brits say

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I really hope you try it Jason, it's a very special treat and one that people who are "all cash but no effort" will never get to try! Stay safe on the roads. Hugh

[@GenineNeale]

Hiya 😊 loving this. Do you need to sterilise the syphon tube and measuring spoons?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

A hot wash sterilises both 😉

[@SteveW1985]

Going blackberry picking tomorrow to make this. Great video. Wish me luck 🙏 😅

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Good luck!! Let me know how it goes?

[@SteveW1985]

@@EnglishCountryLife is there any specific reason you abandon the plastic bucket and use glass demijohns ? Thanks 👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@SteveW1985 They form a better seal with the air lock to keep our vinegar flies

[@SteveW1985]

@@EnglishCountryLife ah didn't think of that. Glad I asked. Picked 3kilos of berries so almost ready to start

[@SteveW1985]

Hey Hugh I'm only on day 9 but the hydrometer is reading below 1 already!!... Should I wait a few extra days until I go to your day 16 ?

[@sevenowls7776]

I'll be trying this one with the blackcurrants from the garden (presently in the freezer). I found blackberry puree online which I believe would serve in lieu of berries, with due adjustment in added sugar. PS: the parsnip wine l made with parsnips from the garden, after watching your video, is racking away nice and clear, with some oak added. Cheers!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Fantastic! I can't see why blackberry puree wouldn't work so long as it has no preservatives in it?

[@jacquiehahn4910]

If you're in the UK, hedges should be loaded with brambles around now. They're free!

[@sevenowls7776]

I went down the blackberry purée route. The blackberry wine has sojourned and the Calvados has been added; the sweetening has been done. It's now sojourning again to let the flavour sort itself out. I'm not sure I'd use blackberry juice again: it's a bit too astringent-tasting, even sweetened: but we'll see. Using purée means the must clarifies quickly without help but it involves an extra racking stage to separate it out. Cheers!

[@waveman69]

Want to see more of the odd wines

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Then I will film some!

[@adamr4115]

👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

🍷

[@RidgeRunner5-]

Sounds like David Attenbourgh.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'll take that as a compliment 🙂

[@RidgeRunner5-]

@@EnglishCountryLife it's meant to be a compliment. I like your channel. Question, I have a five gallon batch of strawberry wine in secondary and I forgot to add tannin in the primary, can I add it now, or do I need it?

[@justdoingit.43]

Another thing is if you want a sweet wine then you just add enough sugar to defeat your yeast and have enough sweetness leftover. No need to back sweeten.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's one way to do it certainly, but I do like the certainty of back sweetening & the ability to adjust the sweetness

[@jonathancollins9431]

Fantastic work. Can I ask is this method similar to how you would proceed with the elderberry wine? Such as the use of Campden tablets etc. With thanks.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I can't see any reason why you couldn't use exactly the same method with elderberry wine - or parsnip wine for sherry

[@pumpkineater69seven17]

That looks amazing how long do you keep it in the bottles ? Does it take on a different flavour with age have to add this to my recipe list.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It's delicious immediately but will mellow and develop if kept for a few year 🙂

[@larry_melindagantner6800]

How about a chocolate orange port for the next one

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Blimey I'll have to think about that one! 😁

[@garyballared2077]

another great video - thanks -- would the alcohol content of the calvados not kill the yeast?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It probably would Gary yes. I show stabilisation as well as back sweetening because it then offers the choice of fortifying or not 😉

[@garyballared2077]

@@EnglishCountryLife that makes sense! i mainlt do all grain beer but bought a premium wine kit the other day and have just added the grape juice to my turbo ciders - couple have come out well nice.keep up the good work - Gaz

[@carmelsings6620]

Great video as always 👍 I have just found some sloes and crap apples growing in our field any ideas what to do with them

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Definitely try sloe jelly 🙂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHSxnYGeaM53eas

[@carmelsings6620]

Thank you I'll give that a go. Keep up the good work

[@cbcarmack128]

Wonder if you rapid aged it on a little American white oak if that would make it even better?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It would be great fun to try!

[@abrad3061]

Great video I have a question so what would happen if you added more sugar after it has already completed its fermentation, would it increase the alcohol levels?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

At a certain level of alcohol all yeast dies so, if the yeast had not already died, fermentation would restart

[@eastboundanddown5872]

Great video , I'm new to brewing and I need to ask about the massive headspace you left in the demi and will that oxidize the wine or encourage mould growth ?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi , its extremely unlikely to oxidise the wine as fermentation gives off carbon dioxide that covers the wine. If you don't leave reasonable headspace with vigorously fermenting wine it can foam through the airlock.

[@eastboundanddown5872]

@@EnglishCountryLife thankyou for the swift reply and the advice

[@chelseagarrett7142]

Thank you for this wonderful demonstration to make this wine. I've watched both parts, but at what step do you degas the wine? Is this done before clarifying and stabilizing? Or did the filtering process take care of this already? I don't own a filter, so I'll need to degas by hand. Just curious when would be the best time to do this step.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Chelsea repeated racking usually degasses fine but definitely do it when fermentation is complete, prior to adding finings. Hope that helps? Hugh

[@chelseagarrett7142]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thanks for the speedy response. It's a huge help :)

[@clivegreen6114]

Hi Hugh love the recipe. Can’t wait to try it for Xmas. However I’m now at fortifying point. I started at 1.096 finished at 0.998 giving just under 13% I have 1.5ltr of apple brandy at 42% would I still add 1.2lts as per your video. Great fun for your help.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Clive, is this for a volume of 1 Demijohn?

[@clivegreen6114]

@@EnglishCountryLife hi yes just one demi 4.5ltr

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Perfect. If you add the full 1.5 litres of brandy you will get almost a perfect 20% ABV. Do let me know what you think of the taste when you try it! Hugh

[@clivegreen6114]

@@EnglishCountryLife thanks will let you know

[@clivegreen6114]

Hello Hugh, the blackberry port I made is very nice and gets better in time, however need to ask, I’ve decided to make some more but using Tayberry I have left from the garden, I have one demijohn full which came out at just over 14.5% I have two bottles apple brandy how much of that would you add, thanks for your help

[@EnglishCountryLife]

So about 4.5 litres of Tayberry wine? Is the brandy 40%ABV and the bottle size 70cl? If so, if you add both bottles you will get an ABV in the port of 20.2% before sweetening. Hope that helps.

[@clivegreen6114]

Hi yes 42%. 75cl bottle thought I need put both in just needed to make sure many thanks clive

[@JosExotics]

Hi Hugh, love these vids. I have a question. Last year I made wine for the first time, several different ones. Banana, pear, whitecurrant and grape (rose). Now all these apart from the banana were made from my own grown fruit. But, I am not keen on them, They are bottled up (screw top) the banana and pear are sweet, the currant and grape are dry. They are not bad, I just dont like them. They range from 12.5 - 13.5% Can I turn these into port, I know you can get white port, but wasnt sure if it was possible to do once bottled, can I decant into a vessel and add the brandy, and the sugar on the dry ones. Also is there a way you can thicken them to add viscosity like a nice port has? I have heard you can add glycerine to do this but have never done it, I didnt know if you had? I have a load of blackberries on my bushes at the farm, all green at the moment, but I will be making this port when they are ripe and picked..

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi! Yes, you can definitely stabilise, back sweeten and fortify the wines you have and yes, you can add vegetable glycerin to smooth, thicken and sweeten. If you didn't add stabilisers at the time of making, you could also make really interesting vinegar.

[@JosExotics]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thanks Hugh, I used a crushed camden tablet. So I need to get the A & B finings to stabilise and go from there. Many thanks, looking forward to doing my blackberry port. Again many thanks Hugh

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@JosExotics Hi, Finings are just for clearing, If your wine is clear, you can go straight to potassium sorbate 🙂

[@JosExotics]

@@EnglishCountryLife yes its crystal clear. I will follow carefully your instructions.

[@jartotable]

Will pasteurising the filled bottles in heated water negate the need for a Campden tablet?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Pasteurising the filled bottles will boil the alcohol with dangerous results. Very high alcohol caused by the addition of brandy should prevent further fermentation so if you want to avoid stabilizing then just leave it out

[@SteveW1985]

Hey Hugh, have you ever added tannin to this recipe ? Just wondering cheers

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I haven't Steve .. it's an interesting thought...

[@brentvarnado]

Hello, after secondary fermentation, is it normal for the wine to taste a little sour/sharp? I followed the recipe pretty closely using only blackberries as I didn’t have the other fruit. My finished SG is .999.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Brent, it can be very dry until you stabilise and back sweeten because all the fruit sugar has been fermented out. Hugh

[@PaulSmith-jr1qe]

Hi Hugh, not a big fan of using stabilisers if I can avoid them would this work if you step feed up to the yeast tolerance before filtering back sweetening and fortifying ?.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That absolutely will work Paul but of course pay close attention to the SG at each feed and ensure the yeast has completely stopped. To be honest, fortifying should ensure that it doesn't restart with most yeasts. Hugh

[@PaulSmith-jr1qe]

@@EnglishCountryLife Cheers Hugh.

[@nickyphoenix2470]

Does it have the same velvety mouth feel as a wine I'd buy in the supermarket ?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Much fruitier and richer. Very dark and lush - somewhere between port & madeira but you still taste blackberry

[@l.j.nielsen7594]

How long do you want to let it mature in the bottle before enjoying it, ideally?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Honestly it's delicious immediately but will improve for several years if you can wait!

[@ryang5668]

Good morning (here in oz). Just after some advice from an expert, I have a mulberry wine with SG of 1080. Assuming it finished as 1.000, how much brandy do you think i will need to fortify it? Brandy will be at 40%. Just need to know now if need crate load of brandy. Oh yes have started with 20L of wine, just started active (very) fermentation last night. Thanks in advance 🙏🙏🙏

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Given the parameters you have given, your wine will ferment out to around 10.5% ABV. If you want to achieve a 20% ABV you would need to add 1L of 40% brandy to 2L of wine.

[@ryang5668]

At that rate will the brandy kill off the flavours of the mulberry wine though?

[@valparry4648]

Hi Hugh, did you use all of the 1kg syrup? You mentioned keeping some to use at another time, but then text comes up saying we might need 2kg mix. I will only need enough for this recipe & don't really want to have a lot left over.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Val, it does vary by batch as the fruit has different sweetness each year. You could always make up half the syrup and then more if you need it but I generally find that I need most of it

[@valparry4648]

Thanks Hugh

[@tylerstout1549]

What is the filter you used and do you like it?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi - it's a Vinbrite filter, over 20 years old. They still make them - I love them, they give a cristal clear finish amzn.to/3UXo3RV

[@drewhjc]

When you add the extra alcohol, wouldn’t that kill any leftover yeast and prevent them from coming back to life when you back sweeten it?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It probably would (depending on the yeast variety) but I do like to be sure 😊

[@drbell26]

If your fortifying the ABV far above the yeast tolerance do you need to stabilize it?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Logically, no it shouldn't be necessary, it's just added reassurance when back sweetening, by all means omit the stage if you prefer

[@janemariawilliams]

I’ve got to the stage where the violent fermentation has stopped and it’s gone into a demijohn… but it’s only just over half full…what can I add to fill it up?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Did you make the original to the part one recipe with the given weight of fruit & sugar?

[@nickyphoenix2470]

I'd like to be able to take port up to the strength and feel of a liquor... is that possible

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi, you would need a still for that - which is illegal here

[@richardj.dambrosio3376]

I make 190+ high proof. So there is no need for me to use a store bought brandy correct? I can just use the high proof to get to the 20%. So if thats true then I can back sweeten and still add the high proof to get back to my 20% without worrying about the flavor change. Is this correct? Thanks for the video and for the advice. Friends in spirit, Rick

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Definitely Rick, sounds amazing stuff!

[@TheChug]

So that gives a port that the final ABV is around 15,7% right?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It varies by batch. This started around 20% but was reduced somewhat by sweetening

[@shaunborg9149]

Can the blackcurrant be substituted with grapes ?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I've not tried it but port was originally grape based - so why not?

[@spacegatsby3895]

Hi hugh could you tell me where to purchase wine finings A and B thank you

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi, this is the stuff in new packaging amzn.to/3tPhQeB

[@spacegatsby3895]

@@EnglishCountryLife You absolute star. Thanks again

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@spacegatsby3895 😁 That's what the channel is for

[@spacegatsby3895]

@@EnglishCountryLife Hi hugh hope all is well, so im on day 9 altogether the must sat for 5 days before fermentation began today ive read 1.000 on the hydrometer so ive racked it to the demi john, theres alot of sedement by the looks of it because the bags opened and all berrys came out so i continued without the bag.. how long do you think i should let it sit before racking it AGAIN to another demjohn..and if the sedement consumes over a quarter of the size of both the demi johns (i done two) so do you think i should continue on with 1 clean demijohn and throw the reast as im not sure i would have enough for 2 once syphoned.. heeeelp lol... thanks hugh

[@Grandpa_RLP]

If you would have stopped the fermentation at 1.030 by adding in the spirit would that have gotten you to the same place?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Interesting. Not something that I have tried...if you ever do, let me know?

[@Grandpa_RLP]

@@EnglishCountryLife I have heard of people who stop it by adding in the spirits but I have never tried a port but that is soon changing. :)

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@Grandpa_RLP Logically, with the right yeast, a high ABV will stop it, but it's not something I've done so I'm reluctant to recommend it

[@felixdias4611]

What about bentonite instead of thos A and B clearing Agent ?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

The A & B are Chitosan and Kiesolsol. I find them the most effective finings but bentonite definitely works

[@felixdias4611]

@@EnglishCountryLife thanks alot 👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@felixdias4611 No problem. There are many options for finings, use the ones you prefer 🙂

[@justdoingit.43]

If you got to let it sit for another week after you add the finings then why add the finings in the first place? I find when I let my wine sit for another week after my initial racking it clears out pretty good on its own. Rack it one more time and you're done.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

You can rack continuously if you choose to. I find I get better and faster clearing with finings

[@ryang5668]

So started with SG 1.080, finished with 0.095. Did the calculation and ended up with 129.28125 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️. Is my wine’s alcohol 12.9%?? Thanks for the assist 🙏🙏. Also did you put the calculation to determine how much brandy somewhere?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Ryan, happy to perform the calculation for you. Do you mean your final gravity was 0.095? I suspect either 0.995 or 0.950 ?

[@ryang5668]

@@EnglishCountryLife sorry could be where went wrong, cant read a hydrometer 🤦‍♂️. Would say the .950. Thanks

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@ryang5668 Okay Ryan. 0.950 would give 17%ABV. That would taste VERY dry. 0.995 would indicate 11%ABV. Like a pleasant table wine. Have a sip and let's see if that sheds any light. If it's almost sour, it's 17% 😉

[@ryang5668]

@@EnglishCountryLife its very strong alcohol smell when lid cones off.

[@ryang5668]

@@EnglishCountryLife have photo of hydrometer but cant add to a comment 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@BrentWalker999]

Could it be aged with oak?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I've never tried but I don't see why not?

[@BrentWalker999]

@@EnglishCountryLife ill have to try it at some point. Really enjoy your videos btw :)

[@stevemilner4215]

Given that fructose is considerably sweeter than table sugar (sucrose) and that fructose brings out the flavor of fruit, why not do the final sweetening step using fructose instead of table sugar? Less dilution during the sweetening process and enhanced fruit flavor.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I've never tried using fructose is the simple answer, but I can't think why it wouldn't work.

[@chevman46]

Apple wine...???

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Now there's a thought!

[@kiennguyentrung8396]

You dont age the your blackberry port arent you?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It does age really nicely - but it's very drinkable straight away 🍷