# Blueberry Wine



## gaudet (May 30, 2009)

Here is the beginnings of another project. The missus and I went a berry pickin yesterday. Allegedly we got 5 gallons of them delicious berries. I only had my camera phone so the pictures aren't all that great. They weighed in at 32 pounds on my handy dandy fishing scale.

We picked like mad for 2 hours. We are going to have to make another trip to get more for eating. I think we need another 2-3 gallons


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## vcasey (May 30, 2009)

Boy those blueberries look good. I just bottled my blueberry wine this week. Made 3 gallons put th e case away and sat the 3 bottles on the table along with a glass so everyone could taste. Everyone loved it and hubby had a fit when he thought I only made 3 bottles. He was ready to go buy blueberries that night until one of the boys pointed out the new addition to the you better not touch stack. And yes it was a pain to get going never got below 1022 and had to work to get that. low. The up side is it did not need sweetening and it still has a wonderful blueberry taste and aroam. And not that it should shock you since I like oak - it sat on Med. American Oak for 2 1/2 months.
VC


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## smokegrub (May 30, 2009)

Blueberry is one of my favorites. Made with steamed juice it is a delight. I had not previously considered oaking a blueberry, but I will certainly give that a go with the next batch.


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## K&GB (May 30, 2009)

So you like the oak with the blueberry, huh? I have three gallons that I just cleared and stabilized. I'm considering oaking it, but I'm kind of afraid to. The American oak spirals I used in my black currant and strawberry last year kind of had a negative effect in my opinion. Can you describe the influence of the American oak on the blueberry?


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## vcasey (May 30, 2009)

I love what oak brings to wine. Adding the oak with this blueberry, which ended up a bit sweeter then I had planned, helps hide the sweet a bit and at the same time still lets the blueberry come through. The most challenging part of adding oak for me is picking the right oak. So I am trying to figure out what I want in the wine and picking my oak carefully to match the flavor profile I want instead of just using whatever I have on hand. For example I have a Black Currant that will be racked onto some oak soon. The light oak will give it a coconut flavor which it not what I think will work with this wine, so I am leaning towards a medium or heavy toast because I want a big bold wine with lots of coffee, smokey and complex flavors. Honestly I am making this for hubby to give to his wine snob work mates because they refuse to acknowledge fruit wines as wines.
What you could do is split the wine into 3 - 1 gallon carbabies and try 3 different types of oak on each and compare the wines. 
VPC


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## Wade E (May 30, 2009)

Those look nice buddy!


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## gaudet (May 30, 2009)

wade said:


> Those look nice buddy!



Thanks all, I found another place that has them you pick for $6 a gallon. Going to head there in couple hours and try to get another 4-5 gallons. Will be busy juicing in a few weeks....


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## K&GB (May 30, 2009)

Good luck with the berries Gaudet. Man that's gotta be fun picking your own! 


Thanks for the suggestion vcasey. Good idea. But I already racked the wine and popped in an American light toast white oak spiral. We'll see how that works out in a couple of months.


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## vcasey (May 30, 2009)

Good luck Ken, I'll keep my fingers crossed this one turns out well for you. The light toast will give the wine some coconut flavor. 
VC


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## smokegrub (May 30, 2009)

Six bucks a gallon is a great deal. I bought mine frozen last year because picking my own was going to cost 3 bucks a pound!


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## grapeman (May 30, 2009)

Great looking berries for a great deal. If it counts for anything, I have blossoms on mine now!



They won't be ready as quick as yours!


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## gaudet (May 30, 2009)

Went to the $6 place and although he had good berries, he looked like he had been picked thoroughly. It was harder to get a gallon than the other place we had been to before. He said he had already been open for 3 weeks. So after about an hour and a half, with some good daylight still going, we picked up paid the man for the 3 gallons we picked and headed to another place for $8 a gallon. In the next hour and a half the three of us were able to pick another 5 gallons of berries. I took home three for myself and they kept the other five. So we know have officially 50#'s of blueberries. Minus the 1/2 gallon we gave away. Tomorrow I will put them in the freezer for some quality time and juice them in a couple weeks.


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## uavwmn (May 31, 2009)

Ken &amp; Gina, started your blueberry recipe this morning. I used 8 quarts of the blueberry juice and had to use 6 cups of sugar to get the SG to 1.076. I am sure it will raise some after I put the blueberry bag in there.
I am going to use the cotes de blanc yeast. Unless of course I should need to use a different kind.


Something different, I added 1 Tblsp of tannin to mine.


So, we shall see.


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## smikes (Jun 4, 2009)

SO...
How much does a gallon of fresh berries weigh, and how many picked gallons to a 6 gallon batch?


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## gaudet (Jun 4, 2009)

Well to partially answer your question Smikes, a one gallon ziplock bag filled to the point if you put one more in then it won't close will be about 6 pounds. Last year I used 16 pounds of berries and fermented on the skins for a 6 gallon batch. Although it came out ok, it was very thin and I would say lacked body. The flavor wasn't bad. I plan to steam juice my berries this year and not ferment on the skins. But when my juice yields come in I will figure pounds per quart and try to make it at least 4-6 pounds per gallon unlike last years batch.


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## Wade E (Jun 4, 2009)

The skins would give it extra tannins and more body.


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## uavwmn (Jun 6, 2009)

Wade, I just racked my 3gal blueberry wine to the carboy. How long do I leave it in the carboy? I was thinking maybe 10 days, then start checking the SG for 2 days in a row to see if has stopped fermenting.


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## Wade E (Jun 6, 2009)

You could leave it in there for a year or more! Remember, just like any wine it should age.


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## gaudet (Jun 6, 2009)

wade said:


> The skins would give it extra tannins and more body.



I would have to save the skins/pulp after juicing. If I don't start right away then I would need to freeze the pulp until ready to begin.


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## uavwmn (Jun 6, 2009)

This is the first racking. I haven't degassed, added stabilizer or clarifying agent to it yet.


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## vcasey (Jun 6, 2009)

As long as it's topped off let it sit for a month, it will not hurt the wine and patience will help make for a better wine. I distract myself by making more wine. 
Gaudet, I use 4 lbs. per gallon for both blue &amp; black berry wines and I oak them. Then after bottling I hide them for at least a year.
VC


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## gaudet (Jun 6, 2009)

I need to do a better job of hiding them from myself. Right now I am probably going to start another six gallons of blackberry next week. So then I can start working on juicing the 10 gallons of blueberry soon to make 6-12 gallons.


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## uavwmn (Jun 6, 2009)

Ok, so I will let it sit for a month, then rack, degass, add stabilizer, etc.


Thank you.


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## vcasey (Jun 6, 2009)

Blueberry can be a bit slow sometimes so make sure you check the SG a couple of times to verify its stable. 
VC


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## uavwmn (Jun 6, 2009)

What should the SG be? I will probably check the SG at the end of the month.


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## gaudet (Jun 7, 2009)

I would guess it should be the same as any other wine you would make. Ferment it out to dry and then if you choose to backsweeten then so you shall after the k-meta and k-sorb additions.


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## uavwmn (Jun 11, 2009)

Can I top off with a bottle of the blueberry juice I got from the store? I don't want to water this down topping off with water.


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## K&GB (Jun 11, 2009)

That's what I did.


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## uavwmn (Jun 11, 2009)

Ken, do you remember your SG for the blueberry before the 2nd racking when you degas, stabilize, etc?


Mine has been in the 1st racking for a week now.


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## vcasey (Jun 11, 2009)

Don't rush the wine, believe me just cover it up and walk away. Put a reminder to check it again in 2 months. Then you can rack it and check the SG and do what ever, but when you are finished let it sit again for 2 months. Remember patience, patience, patience!
VC

And yes I know it's hard!


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## Goodfella (Jun 11, 2009)

vcasey said:


> Don't rush the wine, believe me just cover it up and walk away.




THIS MAY BE THE GREATEST LINE I HAVE EVER SEEN IN WINE MAKING!!!!


That pretty much sums up everything I have heard in my research.


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## K&GB (Jun 11, 2009)

Alas, my notes are gone




 But I think I transferred to secondary at SG 1.01 maybe. Anyway, ti took FOREVER to finish fermenting. I left it in secondary for about 5 weeks. Longest ever for me, and just a 3-gal batch. Afterwards, I racked and stabilized, added another quart of blueberry juice and a cup of water just to top up. Then I hit it with Super Kleer. I've racked it again since and put an oak spiral in it.






I'm referring to the second batch I made. The first batch was somewhat different.


Ken


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## uavwmn (Jun 12, 2009)

Thanks, Ken. You can start another set of notes......on your PC this time.



And then back it up on an external HD.


The good thing is you have made some wonderful wine!!!


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## ASAI (Jun 12, 2009)

uavwmn said:


> Thanks, Ken. You can start another set of notes......on your PC this time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Wine Puppies prefer External HD's. Last longer than paper.


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## gaudet (Aug 13, 2009)

On July 10, I started this batch. Recipe and notes to date are:

July 10, 2009
Must prepared on 7-9-09
2.5 gallons steam extracted blueberry juice
10 pounds sugar (too much, sg was 1.106) at 5.5 gallons plus the pulp in bag
Water to 6 gallon mark when bag in place
Lalvin 71b-1122 to be used

On July 10, 2009 I removed the pulp bag and added .5 gallons water (sg dropped to 1.102)

Removed .5 gallon must and replaced with .5 gallon water (sg now 1.095)
Tasted heavy blueberry. Very dark, purple must

Additions
1 tbs wine tannin 1 tbs nutrient
1 tbs energizer 1 tbs pectic enzyme

July 16, 2009
SG measured 1.020
Racked to glass today

August 13, 2009
SG measured 0.990
Racked off lees to bucket
Added ¼ tsp k-meta, 1 tbs k-sorb to stabilize
Split the batch to a 1 gallon and 5 gallon carboy
Added American Oak, House toast to each batch
Air locked with K-meta
Plan to keep the 1 gallon batch dry &amp; back sweeten the 5 gallon
Degassed @-22 for 10 minutes with vacuum pump

Tasted a glass of dry wine and must say I think this is going to be really good when it’s done. A little on the high alcohol side approximately 13% but not too hot. The clarity is pretty good as well. Going to let this one soak on the oak for 2 months then consider bottling.


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## Goodfella (Aug 13, 2009)

That looks awsome!!!


I am just getting ready to do my first blueberry. I am only doing 1 gallon. I am glad to have your thread here to help go on.


Is there a reason to only leave the pulp in the must for 1 day?


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## gaudet (Aug 14, 2009)

I removed the pulp bag because I was afraid of foaming over. I only have 1 primary fermenter. I just decided not to ferment on the skins, but if you have the room fermenting on the skins will give you more body, color, and flavor. At yesterdays first tasting I think it will be fine.


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## smokegrub (Aug 14, 2009)

Nice work, Gaudet. I invested in a 10 gallon food safe Brute trash can as a primary. Great investment.


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## Tom (Aug 14, 2009)

gaudet said:


> I removed the pulp bag because I was afraid of foaming over. I only have 1 primary fermenter. I just decided not to ferment on the skins, but if you have the room fermenting on the skins will give you more body, color, and flavor. At yesterdays first tasting I think it will be fine.


When fermenting fruit wines I use 2 6 gallon buckets. 3 gallons in each. this way the pulp will have plenty of space for the pectin and yeast to do their job.


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## Fly*guy (Aug 16, 2009)

Hey everyone, just read thru this thread start to finish love the info.

Just got blueberries of my own and want to make a batch with more body.
while reading I was wondering - if you ferment with the skins and pulp do you put them in a bag or just let them loose in the fermenter and strain the must out later? 

My last batch was very light bodied and about 12% ABV, would like to thicken it up a bit but it also fermented dry in just a few days 5 or 6 I believe (from memory), so I didn't get much use from the skins and pulp, I also had bagged them which also kept them from swimming with the rest of the juice. Only punched them down lightly once a day

Temp in the room for that batch was upper 70's, so I wondered if straining later and lower temps would help the process take longer and I would get better use of the skins and pulp that way..... what say you about this theory?


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## Tom (Aug 16, 2009)

Fly*guy said:


> My last batch was very light bodied and about 12% ABV, would like to thicken it up a bit but it also fermented dry in just a few days 5 or 6 I believe (from memory), so I didn't get much use from the skins and pulp, I also had bagged them which also kept them from swimming with the rest of the juice. Only punched them down lightly once a day
> 
> Temp in the room for that batch was upper 70's, so I wondered if straining later and lower temps would help the process take longer and I would get better use of the skins and pulp that way..... what say you about this theory?


1st use 30# (for 6 gallons)of blueberries. This will add body and flavor
2nd add 3# of bananas for more mouth feel. Don't worry will not impart flavor
3rd add a F-Pac
4th Back sweeten.
What yeast do you plan on using? I use Red Star Cote des Blancs.


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## Wade E (Aug 16, 2009)

5-6 days on the skins and pulp is really all that is needed if you used the right amount of pectic enzyme. You could also add tannin for more body or even glycerin.


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## Goodfella (Aug 16, 2009)

If you add bananas.... How do you do it? Just chop very ripe bananas? I do not have a steam juicer.


Hey Tepe... Do you recommend me to use them on the Blueberry recipe you posted for me a while back?


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## Tom (Aug 16, 2009)

I would boil them in small amount of water then cool and add the "broth"

I make blueberry all the time and use "alot" of blueberry like around 35# and big F-PAC and back sweeten.

Remember when the more # per gallon the more body.

Your call on how YOU like your wine. The thing is not what I do butt, rather what YOU like.

We are here to "guide" you.


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## Goodfella (Aug 16, 2009)

I like a fair amount of body. But I have never made a blueberry wine, Or even a fruit wine. I am still a newby. So I am going alot on your opinion for my first run, because I know you have had alot of feedback on your wines.


Thanks for the help and advise.


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## Tom (Aug 17, 2009)

Goodfella said:


> I like a fair amount of body. But I have never made a blueberry wine, Or even a fruit wine. I am still a newby. So I am going alot on your opinion for my first run, because I know you have had alot of feedback on your wines.
> 
> 
> Thanks for the help and advise.


Since fruit can be pricey its best to get it when its in season where you live. Better yet go to a U-Pick or the farm for the freshest.


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## First250 (Aug 17, 2009)

Sounds really good. I am wondering if using 5 lbs per gallon vs say, 2 or 3 as some recipes call for, significantly affects acidity ? If so, how do you adjust?


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## gaudet (Nov 29, 2009)

Update on this one....

Last time I worked on this one it was August 13. I added sulfite and oaked it. I left it in the wine oubliette (place of forgetting) for the last 3 months. I racked it this morning and snuck out a glass of dry. (decided to back sweeten to 1.015 FG). I think that will be a good level of sweetness to give it a better blueberry flavor. I'm about to resulfite it and sample the sweetened wine. Perhaps next year I will get more berries and do 6 gallons dry and 6 gallons sweet. 

Looking to bottle in another month or two. I am very impressed with the results of using the steamed juice. The body is very good, and it has some pretty good legs as well. Flavor is well, lets say I like it a lot Jenny (sorry I watched Forrest Gump last night (again))


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## Wade E (Nov 29, 2009)

Congrats on another fine wine there!


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## gaudet (Nov 29, 2009)

TYVM..... I'm going to have to send you a care package one of these days........


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## Tom (Nov 29, 2009)

First250 said:


> Sounds really good. I am wondering if using 5 lbs per gallon vs say, 2 or 3 as some recipes call for, significantly affects acidity ? If so, how do you adjust?




5#+ will give better body. As far as acidity by adding more fruit. It will be the same vs 3# to 5+# per gallon. Once you check the acidity (TA tester) I use acid blend to incerease to proper level.


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## Wade E (Nov 29, 2009)

Like tepe said, more fruit will give you a little more acidityand it depends on the fruit to say how much.


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## gaudet (Apr 13, 2010)

Put a cork in her, she's done bottled today. 31 750's and two little extra glasses. I think its going to be a killer bluesberry.

Added 1/4 tsp k-meta for good measure. Now to clean up the mess in the kitchen.......................

Pictures later..........

Looking back at my notes it finished at about 13% abv and I backsweetened it to 1.015, it also oaked with some American House toast for almost 3 months.


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## xanxer82 (Apr 14, 2010)

You'll have to let us know how it tastes when it's ready.


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