# Blueberry Wine Process



## FunkedOut (Jan 3, 2021)

After a couple of 1-3 bottle batches to figure things out, I set out to make a slightly bigger batch.
If you will partake, I plan to lay out my process, in hopes of your critique for improving the next batch.
Naturally, I will have some questions along the way...

Details:
4 gallon batch (Planning on filling a 3 gallon carboy and want to have an extra gallon for top off)
5lbs of blueberries per gallon (20lbs total)
5 campden tablets (K-meta)
6lbs table sugar
2 gallons of spring water
Pectic enzyme
Oak shavings and FT Rouge in the must prior to innoculation
Lalvin 71B yeast
yeast nutrients


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## FunkedOut (Jan 3, 2021)

The blueberries were found in the frozen section of a local Sams Club.
The label said very little: "Natural Blueberries" with a listed countries of origin, US, Argentina and Chile.
These were the largest blueberries I've ever seen, about the diameter of a quarter.
They were not very sweet either.

I smashed the blueberries 2lbs at a time, in a large bowl, using 1/2 camped tablet (K-meta) per each 2lbs bowl (5 tablets total).




The 20lbs of mashed blueberries amounted to about 2.5 gallons of very thick must.



I added 5lbs of table sugar, dissolved in enough water for the must to reach 4.5 gallons.
I measured 18 brix (1.074 SG) with a refractometer, as the must was too thick for a hydrometer.

I let this sit for a few hours, stirring again and measured the same level of sugar at 43*F.
I added another pound of sugar let it sit overnight.
Maybe this is a bit of a cold soak? cold stabilization?


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## FunkedOut (Jan 3, 2021)

I measured 1.086 SG with a hydrometer the next morning. The must thinned out when it warmed up to 63*F. 
Expecting 13.5% ABV out of this one.

Using a freshly calibrated Milwaukee MW101 pH meter, I measured a pH of 3.55.
I also titrated a small 5mL sample of the must and measure a TA of only 0.3%.
This is my first time measuring TA so, I suspect something is bogus with that measurement.
Even with a cold soak effect, that is still very low.
I opted to leave well enough alone and not make any acid adjustments.

I added pectic enzyme and let that sit all day.


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## FunkedOut (Jan 3, 2021)

That night, I stirred in 8.75g of FT Rouge tannin, which is the maximum recommended amount, and added lots of (140g) medium toast Hungarian oak shavings.

Rehydrated the 71B yeast with GoFerm Protect, tempered and inoculated the must.
The must level now sits a hair under the 4.75 gallon mark.



And now, we wait...


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## sour_grapes (Jan 3, 2021)

Looking good!


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## Scooter68 (Jan 3, 2021)

Sounds like it's working out pretty well! 

The blueberries size and the pH makes me think somehow they bloated the blueberries with extra water somehow. I grow blueberries and blueberries as large as you describe are not normally found in commercial packaging. I have some plants that produce great big quarter size blueberries, but; most commercial growers don't that size blueberry. Your comment about not being very sweet also suggests that they added water somehow.

Setting that aside once you got your pH in range (3.55 is fine) and your SG/Birx in good shape, just be sure your other additives are there, like your Yeast Nutrient, which you listed. I would also suggest that you not go below 5 lbs per gallon if you want a good solid flavor in your wine. Most folks like more fruit flavor in fruit wines than you find in traditional red and white wines. 

13.5% ABV is fine and plan on doing at least a little back-sweetening before bottling in 9-12 months. Blueberry wine normally needs a little sweetening up to bring back the flavor.

_*Your comment about the pH is also interesting because I've been on this forum for over 5 years not and this past summer season was the first time folks started reporting blueberries with pH ranging at or above 3.5. Most times folks end up fighting to raise the pH from 3.00 or lower to help the yeast get started. I've had a couple of batches with a pH significantly below 3.00. They fermented fine but others have had issues. So I suspect a different variety of blueberry is making it's way to stores and markets. That may be good or bad but as long as the wine turns out well... all is well.*_


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## jgmillr1 (Jan 4, 2021)

Scooter68 said:


> the first time folks started reporting blueberries with pH ranging at or above 3.5. Most times folks end up fighting to raise the pH from 3.00


I've encountered different varietals of blueberries from different vendors. One variety did have low acidity and high pH that required me to add acid. The other (more typical) variety had low pH that needed correction. Both made good wine in the end, but it means the winemaker needs to be on the ball and can't fall back on a recipe to follow blindly.


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## Scooter68 (Jan 4, 2021)

jgmillr1 said:


> I've encountered different varietals of blueberries from different vendors. One variety did have low acidity and high pH that required me to add acid. The other (more typical) variety had low pH that needed correction. Both made good wine in the end, but it means the winemaker needs to be on the ball and can't fall back on a recipe to follow blindly.



Exactly, as they keep hybridizing plants this is especially true. Why would they want to reduce the acid in blueberries ? I have no idea since the acidity is one of the great things about them. 

Bottom line is that you are correct. Blind adherance to any recipe is not a good thing. SG and pH should always be checked before adding Sugar or Acid/Acid Blend. I played that correction game once and never want to do it again. Especially if you over correct and raise the pH too high.


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## TyYoda (Jan 4, 2021)

I like using a paint strainer bag or similar mesh bag to hold fruit for primary fermentations. Makes it easy to remove the pulp and any seeds from the must when racking to the secondary.


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## FunkedOut (Jan 4, 2021)

This is my first time going raw (free berry). I usually bag skins on kits too. I need to see what the alternative is all about.
I plan on pouring this all into a paint strainer bag when it comes out of this fermenter.
Then I'll place that strainer bag in a new press I got to get more juice out of the skins.

Been thinking about an 8 week extended maceration. Anyone have experience with EM on blueberries?

Got good signs of fermentation this morning. First half dose of Fermaid K went in with the punch down.


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## Johnd (Jan 4, 2021)

FunkedOut said:


> This is my first time going raw (free berry). I usually bag skins on kits too. I need to see what the alternative is all about.
> I plan on pouring this all into a paint strainer bag when it comes out of this fermenter.
> Then I'll place that strainer bag in a new press I got to get more juice out of the skins.
> 
> ...


Just be careful not to use too fine a bag, or you’ll end up with a bag full of liquid that can’t penetrate the clogged openings of the bag. Have you considered draining / siphoning out the free run while the cap is up, and then pressing the skins / sludge that are left?


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## Scooter68 (Jan 4, 2021)

Regardless of how fine a bag you use (Except for actual cloth like muslin) blueberry seeds are very fine, but; they also settle out well so if you rack after fermentation and once more within the next 3-4 weeks all the seeds should be out of there. Basic paint strainer bag will do the job well enough, then just careful racking the first couple of times. 
never had a problem with blueberry seeds or bitterness in 6-7 batches over the past 5 plus years.


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## coastman49 (Jan 6, 2021)

How do you get more of a real blueberry flavor and aroma from this wine? I am trying to replicate the taste and aroma of Moody Blue, a Canadian bottled sparkling wine. Just not the sparkling part.


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## Scooter68 (Jan 6, 2021)

Flavor is base on the amount and quality of the fruit you use. Aroma is not a strong point of blueberries so what little there is pretty much is blown off during fermentation. A cooler ferment temperature might preserve the aroma that is there but having grown blueberries now for almost 15 years, I've never noticed a particularly strong aroma.

You can add a flavor concentrate as part of back-sweetening but you just need to be sure tjhat the sugar doesn't restart fermentation. Most fruit wines require at least a little back-sweetening to bring out the flavor so you might start with that and no flavor additive. Keep in mind that commercially produced fruit is often picked too early and manipulated to maximize profit. In the case of blueberries - they don't ripen after picking and the size you mentioned is NOT normal for most store bought berries. Frozen fruit is the last source I would use for wine for this reason. I think the figure people are going either cook or otherwise alter the fruit by mixing it with other fruit so the fruit itself is never consumed by itself - which would expose the lower quality of the fruit. Had the same problem with frozen mango chunks from Sam's club.


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## coastman49 (Jan 6, 2021)

Living in Michgan this time of the year is hard to find anything but frozen fruits. What's your recommendation for anyone shut-in for the winter, but still has the desire to make wine?


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## Scooter68 (Jan 6, 2021)

There are some good suppliers of fruit juices (Concentrated) Just be sure that the juice contains only 100% of the juice type on the label. There are a few out there that add other juices and sugar so you end up paying for sugar (Not an expensive item) and other juices like Apple/Grape/Pear juices which are all much less expensive than juices like Blackberry, Blueberry, Peach, etc.

Some concentrates may contain pulp while others may be somewhat filtered. This became a topic of a discussion when I purchased some juice from one supplier and found it to be much different that I (And others) were led to believe. 

Here is a link to that discussion on this forum: NEVER AGAIN ! This is "Black Raspberry" Flavored Concentrate? I don't think so!!!

Here are a couple that others on this site have used:
Coloma








Brewers and Vintners - fruit puree and concentrates up to 52 gallons,…


Brewers and Vintners - frozen IQF fruits, puree, and pure concentrates for beer and wine making. Available Quarts, 1.5 gallon, 3 gallon, 5 gallon, and 52 gallon drums.



colomafrozen.com




Vintner's Harvest


Amazon.com : vintners harvest fruit base


(This is just an amazon listing and I'm not suggesting their prices are the best)

I'm sure that there are a few others who can supply excellent juice concentrates. If you read the thread I linked, you can see a couple to stay away from. One issue is that unless you buy a large quantity, many of the commercial companies aren't even going to sell to you. Many deal in 5 gallon containers (4 or more or even a pallet of them, 55 gallon drums and all the way up to tanker trucks. So for the majority of us home wine makers that's way over our needs and capacity to handle. If you have freezer then the best thing is what Raptor 99 posted after I initially posted this comment. Buy in season, freeze and then make wine throughout the year.


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## Raptor99 (Jan 6, 2021)

This year I made a batch of wine from frozen cherries from Costco and another from 100% tart cherry juice concentrate. I was very disappointed in the bland flavor of the frozen cherries, but the concentrate was good. As @Scooter68 said, frozen fruit is usually of inferior quality. The even worse quality fruit is used to make cheap commercial jam.

I am trying to work with the flow of the seasons. During the spring and summer I am busy in my garden. The late fall and winter is brewing time. Traditionally, that is when brewing took place. We have a farm store nearby that has an annual sale for bulk quantities berries and another for peaches and pears. Since I can't always start a batch when the fresh fruit is ripe, I often sort/wash/freeze it for use later. The fruit that I freeze at peak ripeness is much better than frozen fruit from the grocery store. If you don't have any fruit this time of year, a good quality concentrate is your best bet.


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## Rembee (Jan 7, 2021)

I agree @Raptor99, freezing fresh fruit that one can grow is the optimal way of ensuring that you have your own ripened fruit on hand when needed. My wife and I grow Blueberries, Muscadines, Peaches, Pears, Apples and various Citrus trees. We vacuum seal enough fruit every year to produce our own country wines. I just started yesterday a 2 gal. blended batch of blueberries and noble muscadines. 5 lbs of each. Today I pitched the yeast (EC 1118).
I've been wanting to try a blended wine using the blueberries and muscadines for sometime now. Can't wait to see how this comes out.


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## FunkedOut (Jan 8, 2021)

Looks like this batch was doomed from the start!
The last few small batches I’ve made have all been with frozen fruit. 
To me and everyone that’s tried them, have found the wines to be great.

I can’t wait to try this with fresh fruit next time to see the difference. 
I’ve always read the recommendation to freeze the fruit first to help break down the flesh structure, so I figured why not just buy it frozen?
Next batch, I’ll make the trip to u-pick farms and get some fresh berries to freeze and process. 
That should be top of the heap in terms of fruit quality, no?

If the comercial frozen product is the lowest quality, then the commercial fresh product should be lower than the local farms, no?
If that is the case, then the prices follow suit.


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## Scooter68 (Jan 8, 2021)

The issue is that the fruit flavor, and sugar content is often lower with frozen fruit. The fresh store bought fruit may be fine if you can pick the individual fruit in the case of larger fruit. Their suppliers pick fruit trying to time it to reach peak ripeness AFTER you buy it, because fruit that's at the very peak of ripeness in the store tends to bruise and spoil faster. Even a lot of roadside stands are still buying from the same suppliers but often their product isn't kept as cool so it hits it's peak a little sooner - maybe. Really the two best sources are 1) home grown or 2) orchard stands/pick-you-own. Third would be concentrates since those are usually produced with controls for sugar levels monitored. 
Your batch might lack some of the flavor but it still may turn out great. Comparing bottles of roughly the same age but different sources is about the only way to compare fairly. 
Don't give up hope - just try to plan ahead more. We all make do with what is available at some point.


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## Raptor99 (Jan 8, 2021)

Peaches and pears will continue to ripen after you buy them. So you can leave them out until they reach peach ripeness and then freeze them. Some/most berries will not ripen further once they are picked, so they need to be picked at peak ripeness to be at their best. At least at a store or a roadside stand you can examine the fruit to check its quality and ripeness. I have found that blueberries bought at the grocery store are almost as good as those from my own bushes, but most grocery store strawberries are very bland and lacking in flavor. So it depends on the type of fruit.

Pick your own is even better, but it is more work. The best option is to grow your own, but I don't have space to grow most of the fruit that I use for brewing.

I think that wine made from store bought frozen fruit can still be good, especially if you back sweeten it and add some oak and/or vanilla. If I had time it would be interesting to do batches with store bought frozen fruit vs. fresh fruit and compare the flavor.


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## Scooter68 (Jan 8, 2021)

You are correct about the fruit ripening process but that only holds true up to a point. A peach that has a significant amount of green to the skin - Yeah, it might ripen but it's going to be a long time doing so. (Couple of weeks if it does.) I grow apples and have no choice but to pick them early due to Birds and thieving squirrels but, they seem to do well for cider, juice and applesauce.

So yes, there is no one size fits all answer and a lot depends on how the seller offers the fruit and of course when it's picked. Some frozen fruit might work fine but for the most part, you are having to go on trust that it really is ripe enough and has enough flavor. We can always add sugar but using flavor additives is not someone i chose.

*By the way I just posted a link on another thread about really good deal on Vintner's Harvest canned wine base. The site has some the wine base cans at $25.00 for a can that makes a really good 3 gallon batch of wine. (You have to add sugar but that's fine with.) I'm going to post that here and there seems to be two sites but I think in reality it's one company. They even have/had? some blackberry wine base that is 'past sell date' and it was priced at $10.00 a can. I ordered 2 cans of that and 2 of their Black Currant wine base. Here's the links:









Vintners Harvest Wine Making Fruit Base


Wine making fruit base is for sale in many flavors at Adventures in Homebrewing. Make your favorite fruit wine with Vintners Harvest fruit puree for making wine.




www.homebrewing.org













Vintners Harvest Fruit Base and Puree


Vintners' Harvest fruit base is used to make 5 gallons of fruit wine, add flavor or can be used to make some fantastic fruit mead, similar to those of Ken Schramm the father of American Mead.




www.austinhomebrew.com




*


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## FunkedOut (Jan 14, 2021)

I sealed this fermenter up back on the 9th, with a gravity of 1.015.
Been keeping the berries cap wet my giving the fermenter a good swirl a couple times a day.
Things are starting to settle off the top onto the bottom.

I am planning on trying an 8 week EM for this batch to see if anything bad happens.
This has worked well for wine kits with skins I have made.
Any red flags for this process with blueberries instead of skin kits?


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## Scooter68 (Jan 14, 2021)

For me, blueberries seem to break down fairly quickly and I'm not sure what benefit you will see by doing an EM. When I use fresh home grown blue berries they break down to almost nothing but the fine seeds and bits of skin. Not much more to gain from that point on. My first batch (1 gallon) with 4.5 lbs of blueberries ended up with maybe a cup full of residue once the ferment was done. (I now make batches with at least 6 lbs per gallon)


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## FunkedOut (Jan 22, 2021)

Strange that I’m seeing different results. 
I still have a thin cap on top made up of inflated skins. They look like whole berries at this point. Maybe I failed to crush a few?

I've read advice on here to keep the pressed blueberry skins to make a wine with them and white grape juice.
I figure if they have enough goods in them for a second batch, surely they have something to give this batch via extended contact.

I’m just about the 3 week mark. 
Still sloshing daily to keep the floaters wet. 
Looks like clearing only happens to to about half the volume. 
The bottom half of the fermenter remain thick with lees.
Maybe it will compact more with time, and me not stirring things up...


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## Scooter68 (Jan 22, 2021)

What is the SG now? If it hasn't changed for 3 days, fermentation has stopped regardless of what the SG unless you are close to the minimum temperature for that yeast.

I've made a 1 gallon batch with the blueberry 'cake' from a 3 gallon batch. Color was good but it was really just a colored and very faintly blueberry flavored "white grape wine."

After a good ferment you will have skins and seed but there won't be much substance to the skin, no pulp really inside. 

Once you get to about 1.020 I'd stop stirring every day unless the fermentation has stuck there. Let things settle. Once your ferment is over and wine is racked to a carboy it will continue to gas-off and that's probably what's keeping the skins on the top now is the CO2 Gassing out. 3 weeks is long ferment normally only happens in cold weather or when you are trying to do a slow ferment for white wines to preserve the volatile compounds in the wine.


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## FunkedOut (Jan 22, 2021)

SG hit 1.010 inside the first week.
~70*F the whole time.

I locked it up at 1.010 and haven't stirred it since.
I've just been sloshing it around to keep the cap wet since.

I'm sure it's done now. Just letting it sit a few weeks before racking and pressing.


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## Scooter68 (Jan 22, 2021)

I'd get it off the lee and the skins. Never had to leave blueberries sitting on the skins and even if you want to do that -since they are floating I's at least skim them off then rack off the lees at the bottom and then return the skins. But really it doesn't take that long to get the color and flavor from blueberries. Not going to be much left in the pressed blueberries now for a second batch. You can't really work it both ways. If you take everything for the first batch there's not going to be any left for that second batch by now.


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## FunkedOut (Jan 24, 2021)

Makes sense. I'm not saving these skins for a second batch. Give it all to me now.
This batch is at the 3 week mark now, and I can't really call it a cap anymore.
There's about 50% coverage of the surface with berries.
Everything else has sunk to the bottom.

If an extended maceration is not in play, is the normal process to rack of the lees on the bottom and only press the floating cap?
Or does it all get pressed?

I was planning on pouring all of the contents of the fermenter into a stainless kettle lined with a paint strainer bag.
Then lift the bag up and out of the kettle and into the press.
Then rack all of the wine in the kettle and the pressings into a glass carboy with some Kmeta and some finings to see if the stuff compacts a bit better, for less loss.


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## Scooter68 (Jan 24, 2021)

Well if you have enough floating berries to press go ahead with that. I normally put berries into a fermentation bag and that keeps them separate from the yeast a little bit. I wouldn't bother with the berries on the bottom. At this point you've probably got all the good from the berries. The only reason to press is to regain volume. So you can try to press the berries on the bottom but I'd keep that juice separate from the rest until it settles out.


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## Raptor99 (Jan 24, 2021)

I use a fermentation bag as well. After 4-5 days the fermentation is usually almost complete. Then I squeeze out the bag and discard the fruit pulp. I don't have a press, and I mostly do 1 gallon batches, so squeezing out the fermentation bag by hand works for me. By that point I think that I have gotten at least 90% of the flavor out of the berries.

Recently I tried to use the leftover fruit pulp as part of a second batch. I got very little flavor or color from the spend fruit pulp.


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## FunkedOut (Jan 31, 2021)

Last night, 4 weeks after pitching yeast, I poured the entire batch into a kettle lined with a paint strainer bag.
There were maybe a few dozen berries still floating on top.

It took a while to be able to lift the bag out of the kettle. The lees had done a pretty good job of clogging up the mesh.
I had to rock the bag back and forth, squeezing with my hands as I went, until it was dry enough to tie a knot and shape it to fit my small press.
I pressed another half bottle of wine out of it and returned it to the kettle.
It all measured just under 4.5 gallons at this point.
Stirred in sulfites and some clearing agents (KC super kleer) to see if it would compact the lees.
I racked it to a 6 gallon carboy, purged the headspace a while with CO2, then plugged it with a stopper.

Today, the lees have settled down to where I may only have to leave behind a half gallon or so.
In the original fermenter, only the top half was clear wine.
I guess there was still plenty of pulp and skin bits, holding onto CO2.
In a week or two, I'll rack it to a 3 gallon carboy and a 1 gallon jug.


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## Johnd (Jan 31, 2021)

FunkedOut said:


> Last night, 4 weeks after pitching yeast, I poured the entire batch into a kettle lined with a paint strainer bag.
> There were maybe a few dozen berries still floating on top.
> 
> It took a while to be able to lift the bag out of the kettle. The lees had done a pretty good job of clogging up the mesh.
> ...


You should consider using a vented bung or airlock, the CO2 will be comin out of solution and looking to escape, the solid bung could get blown out.


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## FunkedOut (Feb 1, 2021)

For sure, Johnd! It's a vented stopper. I've had too many solid ones launch across the room.


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## FunkedOut (Feb 14, 2021)

Racked the wine this weekend. Managed to get just under 4 gallons of really clear wine out of it.

I filled a 3 gallon carboy, a half gallon jug, a 750ml bottle and used the rest for... testing. 
I need to let it sit for a bit to see if I want to oak it or not. 
Still very sour.


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