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Farm Kitchen:  Blackberry Brandy  |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 07:49:04 AM
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| Hello everyone - I've been away for several months and hope I am welcomed back. I have been searching for a recipe for Blackberry Brandy and realized if anyone knew how to make it, it you be the girls in this chatroom. I have several good recipes for Peach Brandy, but the only Blackberry recipe I have found calls for a base of ready-made brandy. I want to make brandy, not improve on someone else's. HELP. |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 08:09:54 AM
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Welcome back! :) I'll search through my recipes and see what/if I can turn something up for you. Maybe one of the other gals will beat me to it. :) Best of luck on your search. If memory serves, my recipes start with a brandy base too, but I'll check on it.
We make a difference. http://huckleberrywine.blogspot.com |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 08:16:47 AM
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| Thank you - it's good to be back. And any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. My peach brandy made great gifts and sharing was a lot of fun. I would love to be able to do the same with blackberry and also to find another use for the many we have growing around here. |
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Cabinprincess
True Blue Farmgirl
682 Posts
Melody June
Athens
TX
USA
682 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 10:01:48 AM
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Unless I've learned incorrectly, berries don't have enough sugar to produce a wine strong enough to start with. Berry type brandies will always start with Brandy as the base. Grape Brandy is a good one to start with. If by chance you do find a way I hope you will share the info with me. I love learning things that have been said not to work.
Melody June
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
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MissDotty
Farmgirl in Training
49 Posts
Anna
Coralville
IA
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 5:21:15 PM
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| Brandy is a steam distilled product and therefor not legal to make at home in this country. (US) While freeze distillation *is* still legal in this country, unlike steam distillation, it can concentrate toxins to lethal levels that existed in the original alcohol at concentrations too low to be harmful. |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 05:49:49 AM
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I have a recipe for blackberry cordial that we made last year (and um, WOW, was it wonderful!) if you're interested.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Cabinprincess
True Blue Farmgirl
682 Posts
Melody June
Athens
TX
USA
682 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 06:20:18 AM
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Jonni, I would love to have it. I bet that would be sooo good over homemade vanilla ice cream.
Melody June
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 10:22:28 AM
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Melody, I will get it to you this week...it's in one of my favorite cookbooks called "Prairie Home Cooking" a must, if you ever see it anywhere used.
It's good over ice cream, and wonderful as a spritzer with white wine, or seltzer if you don't drink.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 2:19:43 PM
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Thanks to everyone that has responded. I would love the recipe for the Blackberry Cordial.
Anna - I'm sorry. I don't understand steam distilled and freeze distilled. My Peach Brandy is made in a 5 gal. crock with peaches, sugar, raisins, lemons and water. |
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Tapestry
True Blue Farmgirl
1223 Posts
Cheryl
Wisconsin
USA
1223 Posts |
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MissDotty
Farmgirl in Training
49 Posts
Anna
Coralville
IA
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2009 : 09:09:41 AM
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Brandy is a high proof alcohol, made by boiling wine to draw off the alcohol from the water, the vapor is cooled and the alcohol concentrates. Along with the alcohol, aromatic esters and other compounds are captured. This alcohol is usually distilled again (by boiling) then aged in wooden barrels. Cognac and Armagnac are both brandies. Apple Jack (apple brandy) used to be made by partially freezing hard cider then removing the ice periodically, since alcohol does not freeze, the alcohol concentrates, along with everything else. Including several things usually present in small quantities that can make you go blind in larger ones (this is freeze distillation).
You can't make it by fermentation alone. It sounds like you are making peach wine, which...there is nothing wrong with peach wine, but it is not brandy. Most fruit brandy recipes I've seen actually make fruit (country) wines or cordials (flavored and sweetened high proof alcohols). |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2009 : 3:26:47 PM
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Anna - thank you for the information. I guess I have been making wine, but the recipe was called "Peach Brandy". Any recipe for the apple jack, or is that illegal?
Cheryl - I will get that recipe to you this week. It makes about 2 gal. and you will need a 4-5 gal crock or similar to make it in. It takes a month to make and really gets better with age after it is bottled. |
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MissDotty
Farmgirl in Training
49 Posts
Anna
Coralville
IA
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2009 : 11:02:41 PM
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I don't have a recipe for apple jack, well I do, because I have about a zillion cider recipes. I don't recommend making it by freeze distillation, as there are several aldehydes that are formed in the cider making process that are harmful when concentrated.
Cider is fun to brew at home, though. All you need is about 5 gallons of raw cider (we have a crank press. Dad and I usually press about 20 gallons each fall), some honey to bring up the specific gravity to 1.062 and the juice of one lemon for balance (may not need if you've got a sour apple in your cider apple mix, definitely use if you are using bottled cider). Add one pitch of cider yeast (or a champagne yeast- both are available online). Allow to ferment under an air lock until the specific gravity is at 1.000 (about 2-3 weeks, this should be fermented dry, no residual sugar). Then bottle as for beer, priming with corn sugar if you'd like a sparkling cider (I use sugar tablets from a beer supply place)
I don't filter my cider and it still comes out very clear after fermenting. Dad filters his apple wine. It's amazing the difference in flavor that causes.
A great beginners book for cider is: Making Cider: Using and Enjoying Sweet and Hard Cider
ETA: the above mentioned book, *might* give you instructions for setting up a small home still, which *may* allow you to make apple brandy via the safer steam distillation method. For educational purposes only of course, because *cough* as I have said several times, home distillation is not legal in the US and I've certainly never done it because that would be wrong. (try page 164) |
Edited by - MissDotty on Jul 07 2009 11:25:40 PM |
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Tapestry
True Blue Farmgirl
1223 Posts
Cheryl
Wisconsin
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2009 : 03:12:11 AM
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Hahahahahahahaha Anna....of course you've never done that. What a hoot :) This all sounds hard to my simple brain. Wondering what the chances are I can poison myself? LOL My youngest son recently brewed some ale which wasn't bad. I just had a sip cuz.....well he's greedy LOL.
Happy farmgirl sister #353
Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles 
http://fantasm01.imagekind.com/
http://tapestrysimaginings.blogspot.com/ |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2009 : 06:05:19 AM
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Would love some recipes girls!!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 4
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Cabinprincess
True Blue Farmgirl
682 Posts
Melody June
Athens
TX
USA
682 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2009 : 06:15:54 AM
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Teresa Sue, I will share one of my mom's for Kahlua.
1 c. instant coffee
3 c. sugar
2 c. boiling water
1 large vanilla bean
1 1/2 pint vodka
Pour water over coffee and sugar, stir till dissolved. Add vanilla bean and vodka. Bottle and age for at least 30 days. The longer it ages of course the better it is. Of course we always double the recipe or triple. LOL
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
Edited by - Cabinprincess on Jul 08 2009 06:20:55 AM |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2009 : 12:55:22 PM
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Ladies - here is the recipe I use for "Peach Brandy" or wine"
2 qts peaches, cut up - 4 lbs seedless raisins - 1 1/2 pkgs cake yeast - 10 lbs sugar - 3 gal boiling water - 3 lemons, sliced with skins or you can grind them with skins. Put everything in a crock except the raisins and yeast. When lukewarm, crumble yeast over the top. Stir every morning and night for seven days, then add the raisins and let stand for 3 weeks without stirring. After 3 weeks, syphon and put in gallon jugs with lids on loosely. Let stand until clear. Pour into bottles and seal tightly. Makes 2 1/2 gallons.
Note: I learned the hard way to put a plate on top of the ingredients to keep them below the liquid and to cover with a floursack cloth (not cheesecloth) held in place with a string or large rubber band to keep gnats out. I lost one entire batch one year because the gnats got into it and I have meaty creatures drunker than a skunk in it.
Melody June: thank you for the Kahlua recipe. It sounds like one I used to make several years ago.
Jonni - still waiting to read your Blackberry Cordial recipe. Please post it.
Anna - thank you for the Cider recipe. I do not have any of the equipment to make it, but may in the future, so I will keep your instructions. |
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MissDotty
Farmgirl in Training
49 Posts
Anna
Coralville
IA
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2009 : 8:26:58 PM
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You can buy wine making kits in most hobby stores and if you make your peach wine often, you may want to look into one to use for both the cider and wine. The basic kit will contain:
1 primary fermenter w lid: 6.5 gallons is the usual size, note that it will often have both US and Imperial gallon increments marked, make sure you use the right markings if you are measuring by them. I don't like ones that are tapped for a spigot: the spigot makes the bucket hard to clean and you don't need the spigot anyway.
1 air lock and cork(buy a second, you'll want two): these let the must or mash breath while keeping out flies and spore laden air
food grade tubing: you need this to siphon your wine and cider into the secondary fermenter and into bottles (I use a flow stopper on tubing, not a bottling cane. Canes are rigid and attach the the spigot. When one fails (which they occasionally do) it is very hard to stop the flow from a cane without loosing a bunch of wine)
1 giant spoon (it is very long): handy for stirring without dipping your hand into the wine. Also good for thwacking people who try and steal samples
1 five gallon glass carboy: this is your secondary fermenter. Once you separate the wine from the lees you use this for finishing the ferment and for fineing (clearing) |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2009 : 9:21:49 PM
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| Thank you for the info. I will be on the lookout for a kit like you have described. |
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Tapestry
True Blue Farmgirl
1223 Posts
Cheryl
Wisconsin
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2009 : 01:41:38 AM
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Thank you gals for the yummy sounding let's call them medicinal recipes....giggles. I can't wait to try making these. I think they'd be great gifts for folks come holiday time. If you don't have a crock will a canner work?
Happy farmgirl sister #353
Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles
http://fantasm01.imagekind.com/
http://tapestrysimaginings.blogspot.com/ |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2009 : 10:53:03 AM
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| I don't know how the brew will react to metal. Has anyont tried it? I have always used a large crock. I think you might have better luck with a 5 gal plastic pail. Has anyone tried that? |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2009 : 11:02:02 AM
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I will post my recipe...so sorry, I have a 4 month old and the weekends (in the summer) are so very hectic!!) what with garden tending,blackberry picking and general life...putting a post-it note in my planner.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Farm Kitchen: Blackberry Brandy |
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Blackberry Brandy
