16 Steps To Make Blueberry Wine (Step-by-Step Guide)

Wine enthusiasts know that not all wines are just made of grapes. There are various kinds of wines that you can make, which include summer fruits such as Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, and Blueberries.

Most of you may be familiar with and may have tasted grape wines, but for those who have not yet tasted a single drop of blueberry wine, we will teach you how to make blueberry wine.

What is blueberry wine?

What-is-blueberry-wine

As the name of this wine implies, blueberry wine came from the crushed and fermented juice of a blueberry. Moreover, as the name of the blueberry insinuates, it is a grape-sized berry that is dark blue in color.

A blueberry belongs to the family of summer fruits and is also considered a fruit wine most people love to drink. Though when it is processed to become wine, health buffs must not worry because Blueberries are almost always included in the list of the most healthy fruits one must eat.

If you wonder about the difference between a blueberry wine and the famous red wine, of course, it tastes like blueberry. Moreover, it has a more intense taste than red wine and is less sweet than red wine.

3 Things you need to make a blueberry wine

Things-you-need-to-make-a-blueberry-wine

Though there are a lot of things you need to prepare when making a blueberry wine, here are the three most important things you need to have when making your own blueberry wine at home. Having these three already will help you go a long way.

Fermentation Container

You need to have a main fermentation container; if it is not feasible for you to have one, then a considerable size of a bucket or a big jar will suffice.

Getting a bigger size of your fermentation container than the size of wine you intend to make is highly recommended because this will provide enough space for the yeast to do its job.

Carboy

A carboy is often used for the second fermentation process of your blueberry wine. This is much smaller than the fermentation container and is usually made out of glass that generally has a lid to ensure that it is much less exposed to oxygen.

Learn the difference between glass and plastic carboys by watching this youtube video and decide which one you should use.

Straining bag

Though a straining bag is optional, having one will make your job easier when transferring the juices of the blueberries into a fermenting container.

9 Ingredients you need to make a Blueberry Wine

Ingredients-you-need-to-make-a-Blueberry-Wine

For this, we are going to make one gallon of blueberry wine. Therefore, the correct amount of every ingredient is essential because it affects the final flavor of the blueberry wine we want to achieve.

However, when it comes to the quantity of fresh or frozen blueberries, the more, the better because you can make more blueberry wine out of it.

But in making one gallon of blueberry wine, you will need the following ingredients:

  1. 3 pounds of Blueberry
  2. 1 gallon of Water
  3. Wine yeast or the Premier Blanc Brand (yeast energizer)
  4. 4 and a half cups of sugar
  5. 1 piece of lemon
  6. 1 stong teabag
  7. Pectic Enzyme (optional ingredient)
  8. Campden Tablets (optional ingredient)
  9. French Oak Chips (Optional)

If you want to learn how to cultivate your very own wine yeast, then make sure that you watch this youtube tutorial.

16 Step-by-step guide on how to make a blueberry wine

Some of you may have been in a winery once in your life. You may have wondered if there is a chance for you to handcraft your wine according to your taste and preference with equipment that is not as extravagant as the ones you usually see in the wineries.

However, some people usually prefer watching YouTube tutorials by following a step-by-step guide because they have a higher photographic memory and find it easier to understand.

However, some still prefer following the step-by-step guide by reading the instructions. Below is the step-by-step guide on how to make 1 gallon of blueberry wine:

Step 1. Put the berries in a stainless bowl and pour the 4 and a half cups of sugar.

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Step 2. Next is to stir the sugar and berries together until you notice the sugar turns the same color as the blueberries or almost red-violet in color.

Next-is-to-stir-the-sugar-and-berries-together-until-you-notice-the-sugar-turns-the-same-color-as-the-blueberries-or-almost-red-violet-in-color

 

Step 3. After doing so, cover the mixed sugar and blueberries with a piece of cloth and let it sit for a couple of hours to let the blueberries absorb the sugar well. It is advisable to let it macerate overnight.

After-doing-so-cover-the-mixed-sugar-and-blueberries-with-a-piece-of-cloth-and-let-it-sit-for-a-couple-of-hours-to-let-the-blueberries-absorb-the-sugar-well

 

Step 4. While allowing the sugar and blueberries to sit, prepare boiling water and a strong tea. You may set aside 4 liters of Water just in case you need it for later. Then, a quarter cup of Water is used to make the strong tea using a teabag.

While-allowing-the-sugar-and-blueberries-to-sit-prepare-a-boiling-water-and-a-strong-tea

 

Step 5. Pour the macerated blueberries into the boiling hot water pot and pour the strong tea before stirring them well.

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Step 6. Moreover, let it sit for several hours until the pot’s temperature has cooled down until it reaches room temperature. Once it has cooled down, you now have blueberry juice.

Moreover-let-it-sit-for-several-hours-until-the-pots-temperature-has-cooled-down-until-it-reaches-room-temperature

 

Step 7. Once the blueberry juice has cooled down, you can transfer it to a fermenter jug using a strainer cloth so the berries will be blocked from it.

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Step 8. You should include the blueberries in a strainer inside the fermenter and let it sit for a while together with the blueberry juice.

It-is-advisable-that-you-include-the-blueberries-in-a-strainer-inside-the-fermenter-and-let-it-sit-for-a-while-together-with-the-blueberry-juice

 

Step 9. Also, make sure to squeeze out the lemon and pour its juice into the fermenter jug filled with the blueberry juice and stir it well.

Also-make-sure-to-squeeze-out-the-lemon-and-pour-its-juice-into-the-fermenter-jug-filled-with-the-blueberry-juice-and-stir-it-well

 

Step 10. Before adding the yeast, make sure that you make a hydrometer reading to check the ABV. From there, you can decide whether it is necessary to add more Water or not.

Before-adding-the-yeast-make-sure-that-you-make-a-hydrometer-reading-to-check-the-ABV

 

Step 11. Then, you can finally add the yeast by pouring it in slowly but surely. You may opt to stir it up well or leave it as it is. Afterward, you can now put the lid on the fermenter jug.

Then-you-can-finally-add-the-yeast-by-pouring-it-in-slowly-but-surely

 

Step 12. Allow the blueberry wine juice to be stored in a place without direct light. Hence, it is advisable to keep it under the kitchen sink or in a room with little to no windows and no room for sunlight to come in and leave it alone for a week.

Allow-the-blueberry-wine-juice-to-be-stored-in-a-place-without-direct-light

  1. It is advisable that every day for at least 3 days, you check the blueberry wine juice, stirring it once in a while and leaving more oxygen. Afterward, you can leave it again for half a week.
  2. After doing so, the blueberry juice can undergo the second fermentation process by transferring it to a carboy.
  3. Check it from time to time until you notice that the wine becomes clear.
  4. Once it becomes clear, then it is now ready to drink. You can also opt to transfer it to a wine bottle.

Blueberry Wine Nutrition Facts

Of course, all the food, and drinks we intake have nutrition facts, so in case you might be wondering about the nutrition facts of blueberry wine. Take a quick look at the table below to see the nutrition facts in every cup of blueberry wine.

Nutrients Amount Unit
Calories 144 kCal
Carbohydrates 19 grams
Protein 0 grams
Fat 0 grams
Alcohol 10 grams

 3 Frequently Asked Questions about Blueberry Wine Making

There might still be questions that bother you when making blueberry wine. Therefore, we will answer three frequently asked questions about blueberry wine.

Is it better to use fresh blueberries over frozen ones?

You may be debating whether to use fresh or frozen blueberries when making your homemade blueberry wine. The answer to this mind-boggling question is that it does not usually matter which one you should use.

However, most people prefer using fresh blueberries in making their wine because it usually gives off high quality and intense taste. But some people buy fresh blueberries and then let them freeze for a while before crushing them to maximize and squeeze out their juice quickly.

Regardless of whether fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries you are going to use, the outcome will still be the same.

Is it advisable that a blueberry wine is stored in a refrigerator?

It is highly recommended to have your wine stored in a refrigerator if it has more or less than 15% alcohol content, but if the percentage goes beyond that, then safely keeping it at room temperature will suffice.

If you are curious about measuring the alcohol content or your ABV, then you can use a hydrometer.

What are the potential health benefits of blueberry wine?

Blueberry wine has a lot of health benefits, even if it has some alcohol content. It consists of polyphenols that medical experts and nutritionists acknowledge help in preventing life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, dementia, heart diseases, and a lot more.

In addition to this, drinking blueberry wine is also beneficial for people who are diabetic because this helps in improving the regulation of their blood sugar and insulin resistance.

Moreover, the wine itself consists of a lot of vitamins with an average of 17 kinds of vitamins which include Vitamins A, B, and C. Thus, the people who drink this kind of wine boost their immune system as it is also rich in antioxidants, minerals, and potassium.

Summary

By this time, you already know how to make blueberry wine. Hence, you can at least make some at home and let your family and friends get a taste of your creation.

What makes it more exciting is that you can experiment on your own and try different varieties or add some twists to your handcrafted blueberry wine.

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