Blueberry Homemade Wine
Ingredients:
- 4 pints frozen blueberries (thawed)
- Filtered water
- 4 cups sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 package wine yeast
- Additional water, as needed
Instructions:
- Prepare Blueberry Juice:
- Thaw out the 4 pints of frozen blueberries.
- Place the thawed blueberries in a pot and add a little filtered water.
- Cook on low heat until the blueberries are soft.
- Transfer the cooked blueberries to a blender and pulse until they form a mush-like consistency.
- Add a little water to the mixture and strain it through cheesecloth, squeezing until you extract all the juice. You should have about 2 ½ quarts of juice.
- Dissolve Sugar:
- In a large pot, dissolve 4 cups of sugar in ½ cup of water over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Prepare Yeast:
- Dissolve the wine yeast in warm water according to the package instructions.
- Combine Ingredients:
- In a clean gallon jug, combine the blueberry juice, dissolved sugar mixture, and the prepared yeast solution.
- Top up with Water:
- Fill the jug with additional water, leaving about 1 inch of space from the top. This will help facilitate fermentation.
- Fermentation:
- Cover the jug opening with a balloon or an airlock to allow gas to escape while preventing contaminants from entering.
- Place the jug in a cool, dark place and let it ferment for about 5 weeks or until the fermentation process stops. You’ll notice the balloon inflating and deflating during this time.
- Filter and Bottle:
- Once fermentation is complete, carefully siphon the wine from the jug, leaving behind any sediment at the bottom.
- You can further filter the wine through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to ensure clarity.
- Rebottle the wine into clean, sterilized bottles, leaving some space at the top to allow for expansion.
- Seal the bottles tightly with corks or screw caps.
- Aging:
- Allow the wine to age for a few months in the bottles before enjoying. The flavors will mellow and develop over time.
- Enjoy:
- Serve your homemade blueberry wine chilled or at room temperature, and savor the fruits of your labor!
