Blueberry Eau de Vie

[TDick]

First thing, apologies in advance - being American, I'm just not well versed in the Metric System and the difference in Celsius & Fahrenheit temps.

Since I'm working with a SMALL - 1 gallon 4L Vevor Water Distiller (don't hate please) this is for an 18 Liter wash
enough to fill my 5 gallon bucket while leaving some head room.

I collected a 3 gallon bucket full of berries, 10-12 pounds - 5 kilos?.
Left them in the freezer for a couple of weeks, then thawed with Pectic enzymes.
I started to hand crush them, quickly began feeling the age in my hands so put them in the blender.

Whenever I use sugar, I always invert it. It's not that much extra effort and it's SUPPOSED to be less stressful for the yeast.
Inverted 3 pounds -1.4 kg - of sugar for the 18L wash (per an AI recommendation) another story,
not nearly enough sugar - SG was 1.03 - so inverted another kilo, then still added several cups to bring the SG up 1.075.
(I was pissed off at the time :angry-banghead: so I don't remember how many more cups of sugar I added)

Pitched 1 packet of EC-1118.

[TDick]

(doing this as an update)

At Day 5 working but not exactly blowing the cap off the airlock.
A MAJOR issue - it's one of the hottest weeks of the year here in Alabama - mid to high 90s and my shed is probably staying in the mid- high 80s F range.
Day 5 - Checked inside the shed this morning at 11:00 a.m. it's already 87F - 30.55 C.
I know better than to whine about it being hot to a bunch of Aussies - I've seen movies :D

Anyone else have issues with EC-1118 in the summer?
Next year I'll leave the berries in the freezer until September at the earliest!

Anyway, day 5 pitched my first dose of Fermaid 0 - 1 tsp.

Today is Day 9 was able to get the wash temp down to 75 F - 24 C? so seeing signs of life. SG is around 1.03.
Going to monitor for another day to determine if another dose of Fermaid is required.

I mentioned I used Microsoft Copilot AI to work on this.
Too many options of what to do with these berries so it's a good sounding board.
But I learned NOT to ASSUME it's always correct.
This morning I asked it to give me a clean recipe IN METRIC for those who might be interested:

Blueberry Eau De Vie.png

to remind again, AI is a nice tool, especially in making changes, fine tuning, but don't assume it's always correct.

[TheRealMrMessy]

Nice one SH, and yeah - I'm in a comparable region, if leaning more toward Florida's humidity - far north queensland. Winter here right now, most mornings are around 20c (~68f) with days around 30c (86f). Summer would find mornings around 27c (80f) and days around 36c (97f) with the wet bulb/feels like around 43-48c (110-118f). Add in the fact my garage points south and cops all the hot afternoon sun here and is easily 10c over the outside temp, it made summer brewing all but impossible. I had to invest in a couple brew fridges - just really need them in this climate. Before that, my only hope was angel red yeast and sugar, and even it got annihilated by the temperature a few times. This summer I'll be trying a few fruit things, too!

Now your best shot short of anything like that is going to be either, or a combination of, evaporative cooling - chucking a damp towel over it and pointing a fan at it; and/or freezing a few small milk jugs (won't take a lot to drop the temp of 18L), sanitising them as best you can, and popping one in as needed.

[howard]

(doing this as an update)

Anyone else have issues with EC-1118 in the summer?
Next year I'll leave the berries in the freezer until September at the earliest!

.

from what i remember, EC-1118 is a slow starter, but finishes very clean usually. (3 weeks at least?)
the website says it's top range is 30C, so it might be ok.
i don't think varying temps are good for yeast and recommend having some sort of temp control.
i have working and non-working fridges for fermenting, linked to Inkbirds, to stabilize colder winters and 45C summers.

interesting recipe BTW
i have done a blueberry drink, sort of reverse to this method.
steeping blueberries in neutral with sugar/honey for sweetness.
i wonder what the difference would be?

[TDick]

(doing this as an update)

interesting recipe BTW
I have done a blueberry drink, sort of reverse to this method.
steeping blueberries in neutral with sugar/honey for sweetness.
i wonder what the difference would be?

You bring up a more "existential" question that I have been wondering about.
Blueberries and now I just acquired a bushel - maybe 26 kg - of freshly picked pears.
Both not a lot of sugar, and let's say very "delicate" flavors.
Trying to retain, develop and enhance the flavor is beginning to look like a huge pain in the :obscene-buttred:
Is better to do a maceration as in a Panty Dropper:

I have done a search but cannot find the recipe for that strawberry panty dropper. Can someone point me to a link please?

Here you go mate.
It sounded so good, I just couldn't resist!!
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =14&t=2199

If not a Panty Dropper, perhaps concentrate the flavors into a NON-alcoholic mixer to create cocktails with your favorite spirit -
In which case I can buy 2 liters of 100 % pear juice for under $5.00 as a mixer and save a LOT of aggravation.
Has anyone tried a Gin cocktail with a splash of Blueberry? A Pear Margarita perhaps?

Just asking questions.

[RobMichelle]

I’ve put blueberry in my gin maceration and the flavour was there, not strong but there I will do it again when the price of them come down.

[TDick]

I have done a blueberry drink, sort of reverse to this method.
steeping blueberries in neutral with sugar/honey for sweetness.
i wonder what the difference would be?

[/quote]

Well Howard, 5 months or so later, I have about 2 liters of something? - combination of blueberry must and Wineo's WPOSW - 70% -
macerating blueberries for about a month.
Actually trying to follow Sasquatch's method on Artisan:

https://www.artisan-distiller.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?p=113866&hilit=panty+dropper#p113866

Finishing the second maceration and at the same time, was gifted local honey collected by a friend.
Also considering a sipping cream with non dairy creamer.
Always looking for suggestions.