Newby question. Should I try to sweeten it up

You've got good advice on sweetening from the other posters, and you'll find if you do sweeten the blackberry flavour really comes alive. But I'd be tempted to hang on for a while yet - like another 9 months, maybe more.

Rack it again, now, to get it off the last of the lees, make sure the containers are filled to leave as little airspace as possible, and refit the airlocks. Maybe sweeten the contents of one demi-john and bottle it (or how about bottling it dry, and only sweetening when you come to drink it - that way you can experiment with adding as much or as little sugar as you please - some of your friends might prefer it dry - and you don't have the risk of fermentation starting again).

If you can spare the other carboys, leave them another 6 or even 12 months - you'll probably be surprised to find that a lot of the harsh tannin flavour has mellowed, and much more of the original fruit flavour shows. You might find that if you do sweeten then, you need to add a lot less sugar to make it palatable than you would in sweetening now.

And don't forget to keep it in the dark, or that lovely ruby colour will fade!

cheers, robin

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