Jam smells and tastes like fermenting beer

[hamesy]

I made a batch of blackberry and apple jam last night for the first time (first time making jam in fact). However I tried some this morning and it smells and tastes like fermenting beer. What could have caused it?

I didn't follow a recipe as such, I'm one of these people just chuck things in and hope for the best.

[rustylady]

OK, so what did you chuck in and what did you do with it?

[hamesy]

Around 4 handfuls of blackberries and two small apples, along with 8-10 tablespoons of sugar to make it really sweet (I have a sweet tooth) and some lemon juice.

[rustylady]

Could you be a bit more precise Hamesy. Did you chop and core the apples? Did you boil your jam?

[hamesy]

Sorry I'm tired today been a long week.

My method:
Peeled, cored and chopped the apples and put them in a pan.
Washed the blackberries and put them in the same pan as the apples.
Boiled them all together while adding the sugar for around 40 minutes (I thought it would take around 10 minutes but I think I put too much water in the pan) until it started to set.
Left it for around 15 minutes and spooned it into a sterilized jar.

[rustylady]

From what you've said your method was OK, and I have no idea why it should smell or taste of anything other than blackberries and apple. I did wonder about the jar, but if that was sterile then that wouldn't cause it.

[hamesy]

I brew my own beer so I used the same sterilizer as my beer bottles then washed them in hot soapy water, left to dry and placed in the oven for half hour.

[Two_Sheds]

Dunno either, I don't see how it could smell of beer. The fruit was good, not bruised or rotting?

[mothhawk]

Fermenting beer smells of yeast (and hops), doesn't it? Shouldn't be any yeast alive in the jam if you boiled it for 40 minutes. What did you cover the jar with? Jam pot cover or the original lid? If lid, did you sterilize that?

[hamesy]

Dunno either, I don't see how it could smell of beer. The fruit was good, not bruised or rotting?

Fruit was good.

Fermenting beer smells of yeast (and hops), doesn't it? Shouldn't be any yeast alive in the jam if you boiled it for 40 minutes. What did you cover the jar with? Jam pot cover or the original lid? If lid, did you sterilize that?

Original lid which I sterilized the same way as the jar.

I've had to chuck the jam as the smells was way too over powering. I've got some more blackberries and apples this evening so I'm going to have another bash tomorrow.

[rustylady]

Good luck. Make sure all your equipment is clean. I don't use a specific steriliser, just wash everything in hot water with washing up liquid. Jars and lids then go into the oven on 100 degrees for 20 minutes.

Rule of thumb is weigh your fruit and use the same weight of sugar. Stew your fruit till soft before adding the sugar. Use only enough water to stop the fruit burning in the pan.

Once the sugar has been added to the fruit bring up to a rolling boil, but keep stirring. It should take about 10 minutes to reach setting point.