# Blueberry wine



## Jazz (Sep 26, 2017)

I want to sweeten my blueberry wine. I don't really want to do any bench tests, and I don't want my wine to be too sweet. I like the idea of adding red grape concentrate instead of sugar. Can someone give me an idea about how much to add to make it just a little sweet? It's a 6 gallon batch. Thanks in advance.


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## Scooter68 (Sep 27, 2017)

Problem with your question is that personal tastes vary so much. What is too sweet to you may be perfect for someone else. Also the question depends on the ABV of your wine and the acidity of it. There really is no way for us to tell you how much is right. It's all done by "sweetening to taste." YOUR taste not ours.


"Bench tests" are not difficult or time consuming. Just draw out cup of your wine. Make a simple syrup (I use a mix of 2 parts sugar to 1 part Hot water) I use a measuring shot glass and typically start with 1/4 or 1/2 oz to a cup of wine. IF that's too sweet you can then draw out another cup of wine and mix that in with previously sweetened cup. When you find the right sweetness the math is pretty easy then. (16 cups per gallon and if 1/4 oz worked then for 6 gallons you will need 24 oz of the sweetening solution. Don't forget to subtract for the cup or two that you already sweetened.

It all depends on what tastes good to you. Recommend you also do an SG test after you reach the point where you like it. Document what you do for the next time.

If you add a red grape concentrate you will be adding both a sweetener and a new flavor to your wine plus the bouquet of that red grape concentrate. The cpncentrate should be well thawed out and mixed well before starting the process.


*(Hopefully it's aged at least 4-6 months before you do this. Blueberry wine often starts out with a pretty sharp edge to it and mellows out in about 8-12 months. That means what tastes just right at 4-6 months can seem much sweeter at 12 months.)*


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## Jazz (Sep 27, 2017)

This is my first attempt at winemaking from scratch. I've done nothing but kit wines up to this point. Followed the recipe. My SG was 1.1. A little high. It fermented out no problem. I haven't even tried it yet. I have no idea if it's going to be hot or not. It's almost 3 months old now. Already stabilized. Probably shouldn't have added the sorbate already. I hope if I'm going to backsweeten this I won't have to add more sorbate. If I plan on aging it 6 months or more do I need to add any more sulfites at any time before that?


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## montanaWineGuy (Sep 27, 2017)

Jazz said:


> I want to sweeten my blueberry wine. I don't really want to do any bench tests, and I don't want my wine to be too sweet. I like the idea of adding red grape concentrate instead of sugar. Can someone give me an idea about how much to add to make it just a little sweet? It's a 6 gallon batch. Thanks in advance.



I've made Blueberry wine were no additional sugar was necessary, and some where as much as a cup (per 6 gallon batch). Add according to your taste and dictated by the quality of the batch.


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## Scooter68 (Sep 27, 2017)

Since you are aging it, that permits the sulfites to decrease. I would follow the general aging guidelines of sulfite additions every 3 months when racked - unless you have a way to accurately measure the level of existing sulfitess. As to the sorbate, the greater problem could be a flavor change. That depends also on how long you keep the wine before it is all consumed. I've never tasted any sorbate 'whang' to my wines but then most of mine are gone within 2 years of fermentation. 

The amount of sugar is just something that you have to determine on your own. If your wine is 'hot' you may want to sweeten it up a bit more - turning it into a dessert wine. Regardless I'd recommend biting the bullet to do the bench trials. Using a pre-mixed simple syrup (Or the red grape concentrate) makes the process quick. Just remember that sweetening at 3-4 months age is likely to lead to the wine being sweeter tasting after it's fully aged at 13 months or later. If you already have the red grape concentrate you can try using the grape concentrate, a simple syrup, and a combination of the two by starting with 2 cups of wine for sweetening. My guess is that you will be happiest with a mix of simple syrup AND the red grape concentrate in a blended sweetner.


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## Jazz (Sep 27, 2017)

Thanks scooter! Very helpful advice. I'm going to let it age a good while and give it a taste. I like my wine on the dry side, but I also want it to taste good. Time will tell. I hope it will be good just the way it is. Thanks again!


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## Scooter68 (Sep 27, 2017)

Most fruit wines need a little more sugar than a grape wine to b ring out the real flavor of the fruit. Without it the taste can be pretty weak. BUT that doesn't mean going all the way to the sweet side. Most of mine are sweetened back to no more than 1.005 - I do sweetening to taste but then measure the SG to be sure of what I have done.


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## Stressbaby (Sep 30, 2017)

My 2 cents here - red grape concentrate will ruin blueberry wine by giving it that Concord/foxy smell and taste. Use sugar.

If you are worried about losing volume to bench trials, don't. I bench trial in very small volumes. 37.5ml samples, in which 1/8tsp gran sugar is equal to 50g/gallon. As @Scooter68 said, undershoot a little bit, because it can taste sweeter after it has aged.

Another thing I've started doing is sweetening up a couple of bottles, chilling, and sampling again. It requires extra carboys but it really helps ensure you get the level of backsweetening just the way you want it. It requires extra carboys - take your 6-gal and rack it down to a 5, 1, and two 1/2 gallon carboys. Then stabilize, backsweeten and bottle one of the 1/2 gallon carboys. You'll get two bottles, try one after it has chilled and try the second one in 30 days.


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## Scooter68 (Sep 30, 2017)

If you are set on trying a fruit concentrate for sweetening - Go with a White Grape juice concentrate. - BUT go very easy. As Stressbaby mentions, blueberry can be easily overwhelmed by other flavors. I used something like 1 oz of White Grape Frozen concentrate in a Blackberry wine (1gallon batch) and it changed things up a lot. And blackberry is not a mild flavor wine. Total sweetener added was 4 oz I believe for that batch. 

Really, I would try straight sugar sweetener, no other juice for your first batch. Let it age enjoy that flavor and ponder over future batches as you enjoy the Pure Blueberry flavor.


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## vacuumpumpman (Oct 1, 2017)

I have used blueberry concentrate - not easy to find and not cheap - but tastes the best in my eyes

and maybe a tad of sugar ?


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## Rob6578 (Oct 1, 2017)

Love all the contents hear and learned a few things, not trying to vear off the original subject but since it's a blueberry discussion I have a one gal batch of blueberry and it's as clear and done as it's getting but I feel it definitely needs to be sweetened lol but after reading this maybe I'll just do the bearer min on sweet and let it age, I do like dryer and white wines so reds are new to me but my question is, is a blueberry better dry and aged, sweetened for a mild sweet or desert wine, or mixed with another type of wine? I know to each there own but i like to hear other opinions also


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## Scooter68 (Oct 1, 2017)

It really personal taste on sweetening BUT Blueberry wine seems to be more flavorful slightly sweetened up to bring out the flavor. Not to the point of being a dessert wine but perhaps to an SG of 1.000-1.005.

Aging a blueberry wine will definitely benefit flavor as well.

As far as mixing it with another wine, Personally I would never attempt that. The Blueberry flavor will be lost.


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## Rob6578 (Oct 1, 2017)

Scooter68 said:


> It really personal taste on sweetening BUT Blueberry wine seems to be more flavorful slightly sweetened up to bring out the flavor. Not to the point of being a dessert wine but perhaps to an SG of 1.000-1.005.
> 
> Aging a blueberry wine will definitely benefit flavor as well.
> 
> As far as mixing it with another wine, Personally I would never attempt that. The Blueberry flavor will be lost.


Ok I think I'll hold off on mixing them for now thanks, last night i did take a glass and sweetened just a bit and it tasted great didn't take much either so I might do just a pinch of sweat then age it.


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## Rob6578 (Oct 1, 2017)

Ok I think I'll hold off on mixing them for now thanks, last night i did take a glass and sweetened just a bit and it tasted great didn't take much either so I might do just a pinch of sweat then age it.


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## Scooter68 (Oct 1, 2017)

Not sweat noooo! 


_
(Don't you hate it when those fingers don't behave. And even worse when someone harasses you about it.)_
Glad you got it where you wanted it,.


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## Rob6578 (Oct 1, 2017)

Scooter68 said:


> Not sweat noooo!


Back sweeten lol


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