Blueberry Wine Ingredients

Blueberries - 15 lbs
Sugar - 8 lbs
Red Grape Concentrate - 9 oz
Muslin Fruit Straining Bag - 1 each
Acid Blend - 2½ tsps
Pectic Enzyme - 2½ tsps
Yeast Nutrient - 3 tsps
Campden Tablets - 3 each
Super-Kleer Finings 2 fluid oz
Potassium Sorbate 1½ tsps
Tannin - 1 tsp
Wine Yeast - 1 pkg

All About Fruit Wine

With Summer just around the corner, we're forecasting lazy hot days by the ocean or in the yard. It's a perfect time for picnics and refreshing sips of fruit wines. Traditionally lighter in alcohol and full of seasonal flavor, a quality fruit wine can be a great addition to any afternoon.

Wine is not from grapes alone! There are so many new tastes and textures that can be found in wines created from other fruits. Once you think "outside the grape" you can explore wines made from pears, blueberries or even exotic berries such as gooseberry. You can use fresh fruits, fruit wine base, fruit puree or a fruit wine concentrate kit to get you started.

Fruit wines have a long and respected history. Plum wine has been made in China and Japan for centuries. People from Ireland talk about making plum wine as a typical pastime. Many people who have fruit trees or berry bushes in their back yard have turned those into wine just as they would make a blueberry pie or apple tart. The process is quick, simple and fun.

How are fruit wines made? The winemakers use many of the same techniques used on grape wines. For our fruit wine this month, we looked to create an amazing blueberry wine full of summer flavor and rich in antioxidants. Here's how we did it.

Blueberry Wine Recipe

Ingredients for 5 US Gallons

Winemaker's Tip
If you freeze your fruit for 1 - 5 days prior to fermenting it will be more flavor enhancing that fresh picked fruit.

Step No 1 - Primary Fermentation - Day 1

Prepare the blueberries by crushing them, placing inside the nylon straining bag. In a Food Grade plastic fermenter pour in 2 gallons (7.5 Liters) of warm water. Add the blueberries (in the nylon straining bag) to the water. Add the campden tablets. Cover, and leave for 24 hours. After 24 hours add the tannin, acid blend, pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient, grape concentrate and 2/3 of the sugar. Bring the contents of your fermenter to the 5 US gallon mark using cool water. Stir well. Using your hydrometer and hydrometer test jar check for the desired starting specific gravity. This reading will determine the potential alcohol of your wine (approx. 10.5-11.5% alc/vol). If mixed properly your Specific Gravity should be between 1.065 and 1.072. Add balance of sugar as needed.

Check your acid level by using your acid testing kit. Your acid reading should be between .50 and .60. Adjust if needed.

Check the temperature of the wine must (mixture) using your floating thermometer. Open the yeast packet and gently sprinkle over the must. The temperature should be as close to 70-75°F as possible to activate the yeast. Loosely cover the primary fermenter with a plastic lid and place in a warm area (70-75°F) to maintain a constant temperature for the next few days. Fermentation will start within 24-48 hours if the temperature is kept constant. Using a mixing spoon or brewing paddle stir the floating cap of fruit pulp into the fermenting must twice a day during this period. This will ensure maximum fruit and color extraction and avoid oxidation.

Step No 2 -Secondary Fermentation - Day 6 - 8

Note: When the Specific Gravity reaches 1.020 - 1.010, usually 6 to 8 days, (it depends on the fermenting temperature; the warmer the temperature the faster the fermentation) it is time to rack (siphon) the wine into the carboy (secondary fermenter). Your must is now referred to as wine because it contains alcohol.

Carefully rack the wine into a clean and sanitized carboy (preferably glass) using a proper siphon system, leaving all the fruit pulp behind. Prepare your residual fruit pulp for juice extraction. Sterilize the muslin straining bag with sulphite solution then rinse well. Place the fruit pulp in the muslin bag to squeeze out the excess juice. Add this excess fruit juice to your carboy. Discard the spent fruit pulp.

If the wine level is not within 2 inches (5 centimeters) of the top of the carboy neck use some white, rose or red wine (use the same color as your must) to top up the carboy air space. Never use water to top up a fruit wine; it will dilute the body and flavor of your wine. It is important to reduce the amount of air space in the carboy so as to minimize oxidation (a slightly bitter taste caused by prolonged exposure to oxygen). If you fill the carboy and have extra wine, ferment it in a separate wine bottle with an air lock and stopper and reserve for topping off.

Sterilize your airlock and rubber bung. Fill the airlock with a neutral solution (preferably sulphite) and insert the airlock and bung into the carboy neck opening.

Leave the carboy at a temperature between 70-75°F for a further 18-20 days to finish fermentation. After 18 days, check the Specific Gravity. You should get a reading of 1.000 or less. If the Specific Gravity is above 1.000 allow a few more days of fermentation and then check the Specific Gravity again. BlueBerry fruit wines finish medium-dry. To make a sweet wine add a commercially prepared Wine Sweetener & Wine Conditioner to your wine just prior to bottling.

Step No 3 - Stabilizing & De-gassing

Note: To clear your wine faster you should now rack your wine into a sterilized carboy (backup carboys are very helpful for this) and let clear for 30 days before stabilization, leaving the lees (sediment)behind.

Dissolve the Potassium Sorbate into 1 cup (250 mL) of wine. The Sorbate will ensure fermentation ceases. Add this mixture to the carboy and stir vigorously (using the handle end of your mixing spoon) for 2-3 minutes to release any excess CO2 gas. This is very important.

Add the Super-Kleer finings. Super-Kleer will help your wine clear faster. Pour the Super-Kleer into the carboy and stir gently, using your spoon handle, for 2-3 minutes to mix the Super-Kleer into the wine.

Top up the carboy air space with wine (with purchased or reserved wine). Place the wine in a cooler area between 60-68°F (16-20°C) to clear faster. Stir the wine twice a day over the next two days to rid it of any excess carbonation. Always make sure the airlock and bung is secure after stirring and the airlock is full of solution.

Step No 4 - Clearing - Day 30

After 2 days of stirring, leave your wine in a cool area for 5-12 (preferably) days to clear.

Step No 5 - Filtering & Bottling - Day 42

Your wine is now ready for bottling. To give your wine a professional appearance, it is recommended to filter before bottling. We highly recommend the use of an Electric Wine Filter for this purpose.