Blackberry Wine

Blackberries are a summer favorite, but this wine can be enjoyed year round. Customize it by adding more berries in your preferred combination, or mix with an acidic complement for a refreshing cocktail.
by team brewsy
thu, sep 3, 20

Do you like the taste of blackberries? If you do, then you'll love this delicious blackberry wine recipe! The dry, tannic taste of blackberries combine together to make an incredibly unique wine.

You can make it either sweet or dry. If you choose to make it dry, try pairing it with some bread, jam, and brie. If you choose to make it sweet, it makes a fantastic after-dinner treat.

So gather up some blackberries (frozen or fresh is fine!) and we'll get started with this classic summer favorite.

All the Equipment You’ll Need

First, you’ll need a 2 gallon bucket, or a glass 1 gallon carboy — this is where you'll store your blackberry wine while it ferments. If you don't have a glass carboy, any food-grade, sanitized gallon container will work.

You’ll also need an airlock and rubber stopper, which will make sure that carbonation can escape from your mead while it is fermenting, but also prevent anything bad from getting into your mead. You can grab all of this in a winemaking starter kit.

Preparing Your Blackberries

Now that you know a little bit about the history of strawberry wine and what equipment to use, let's move on to the recipe. This delicious blackberry wine recipe will yield about one gallon, or 4 standard-sized wine bottles, of delicious blackberry wine.

If your blackberries are frozen, thaw them first in a large pot. If they're fresh, wash your berries well, and remove the any stems. If there are any moldy ones, be sure to remove those and discard them.

Then, once thawed, place the berries in a large pot or bowl and crush them with a spoon or potato masher. Add the sugar and hot water, and stir well.

Step 3: Preparing for Fermentation

If you're fermenting your blackberry wine in a glass gallon jug, you'll likely want to strain out some of the blackberry mash. That way, you can easily stir your wine when it's fermenting.

You can use a cheesecloth to strain out some of the seeds (it's fine if you'd like to keep some in), and then, make sure there's at least 4 inches of space for headroom in your fermentation vessel. If there isn't, pour out a bit of the juice to avoid overflowing during fermentation.

Next, in order to start the fermentation process, you’ll need a wine yeast. In this recipe, we use the brewsy bag, which is a combination of an industry-exclusive wine yeast, nutrients for healthy yeast, energizer for a quick and hearty fermentation, potassium bicarbonate (to reduce strong, acidic flavors), malolactic culture (to make your wine smoother) and bentonite (a clarifier for sparkling clear wine). It's the only way to ensure that you have a reliably strong and successful fermentation.

Add an entire Brewsy bag in, and pop on your airlock on top (making sure it's full of water).

Step 4: Fermentation

Your blackberry wine will start to ferment within 24 to 48 hours, and will continue doing so for about 5 to 7 days(sometimes longer). You'll know it's done when the bubbling has slowed down significantly (fermentation creates carbon dioxide, which causes bubbling in the airlock), or when it starts to taste a bit dry.

When in doubt, taste-test your blackberry wine for sweetness, and then go onto the next step when your it tastes dry enough for your liking. If it still tastes too sweet, let it keep fermenting for several more days until it tastes more dry.

Step 5: Filtering Your Wine

Once the bubbling has slowed down significantly, it's time to get rid of the lees (that's the sediment that has settled at the bottom of your carboy) and prep your wine to be enjoyed!

We definitely don't want any yeasty particles in our wine, so we're going to get rid of them by first forcing any leftover yeasty bits to the bottom of the container.

A great way to do this it simply to pop your wine in the fridge! Keep it in there for at least two days. The cold forces any leftover particles to fall to the bottom of your container.

After that, you'll need to filter (or 'rack') your wine. To do this, simply pour your wine off of the lees (all that cloudy sediment that will show up at the bottom) at into another container. You can also grab a siphon for a totally mess-free transfer (which can be tricky if you're not used to it, but super effective!)

Optionally, you might want to use a clarifying agent, which works on the molecular level to bind to small particles in your mead — particles that might lead to yeasty, bitter flavors. Every Brewsy kit comes with a clarifying agent to rid your wine of any off-flavors and make it sparkling clear.

Step 6: Bottling Your Blackberry Wine

Many winemakers believe that aging helps to bring out the subtle flavors in the fruit, resulting in a more delicious final product. But some people prefer the bright flavor of young strawberry wine!

We recommend having a glass now, and saving a few bottles for later (this recipe will yield 4 750mL regular-sized wine bottles). You can compare the taste of younger and aged wine, and see which one you like better!

The most common complain we hear about strawberry wine is that it sometimes comes out too dry. Don't worry, it will get better with time. But, if yours seems to lack flavor, you'll want to backsweeten it by making a simple syrup.

We hope you enjoyed this recipe for strawberry wine! Ready to get started? Grab a Brewsy winemaking kit, which has all the tools you need to guarantee delicious and reliable strawberry wine (or cyser or whatever you'd like!) every time you make it! (and use code FRUIT15 for 15% off, too).

star
more recipes
What Are the Professions Related to Winemaking?
What Are the Professions Related to Winemaking?
by Brewsy Recipe Team
Joe's Ancient Orange Mead
Joe's Ancient Orange Mead
by Brewsy Recipe Team
How to Pair Red Wine
How to Pair Red Wine
by Brewsy Recipe Team
mango mead recipe by brewsy
Delicious, Simple Mango Mead Recipe | Homemade Mango Mead
by Brewsy Recipe Team
strawberry kiwi mead recipe by brewsy
Easy Strawberry Kiwi Mead
by Brewsy Recipe Team
Cherry Mead Recipe by Brewsy
Simple Cherry Mead - Super Easy and Tasty Homemade Cherry Mead
by Team Brewsy
Easy Blackberry Mead Recipe
Easy Blackberry Mead Recipe
by Bolle Apps
caramel apple cider
caramel apple cider
by team brewsy
caramel apples are a fan favorite as soon as the weather turns cold enough for flannels - it'll be just as much of a favorite made brewsy style! extra sweet and extra yummy topped with whipped cream.
Strawberry Kiwi Wine
Strawberry Kiwi Wine
by team brewsy
Add some tropical flair to your wine cellar with this vibrant beverage.
Pear Apple Cider Recipe by Brewsy
hard pear-apple cider
by team brewsy
apple cider is good, but bring your home brewing project to the next level with the addition of pears. add some seasonal spices for a perfect fall drink.
Apple Mead Recipe by Brewsy
How to Make Apple Cyser (Apple Mead)
by Team Brewsy

 

Mead & cider combine together to make this classic fall favorite

Blueberry Mead Recipe by Brewsy
Blueberry Mead
by team brewsy
A tangy, lively, and sharp mead recipe that will take your breath away!
Boozy Apple Pie Cider Recipe
Boozy Apple Pie Cider
by team brewsy
Brewsy Wine Spritzers
Brewsy Wine Spritzers
by team brewsy
Making a spritzer is a great way to jazz up your wine, and is pretty much the easiest thing ever. this recipe works with whatever wine you want!
New York Sour
New York Sour
by team brewsy
A step up from a whiskey sour, this cocktail is even better with wine done the brewsy way.
Strawberry Cider Recipe by Brewsy
Easy Strawberry Cider Recipe | How to make strawberry cider at home
by team brewsy
A sweet, summery twist to your classic apple cider. Best served chilled and on the sweeter side!
Homemade Cran-Apple Cider Recipe by Brewsy
Cran-Apple Cider
by team brewsy
A bold and tangy cider that's one of our absolute favorites!
Blackberry Cider Recipe by Brewsy
Blackberry Cider
by team brewsy
Apple and blackberry might not seem like the most likely pair, but we promise you'll love this recipe! You'll end up with delicious blackberry cider with a subtle berry flavor and a not-so-subtle color.
Peach Cider
Peach Cider
by team brewsy
Most people think of cider and think bonfires and sweaters, but this one's a summer treat. Peaches and apples make the perfect brewsy pair.
Ginger Cider
Ginger Cider
by team brewsy
Ginger and apple is a favorite combination among many home brewers! These flavors are used in many German recipes, and the cider will bring you right to Oktoberfest.
Vanilla Bean Cider Recipe by Brewsy
Vanilla Bean Cider
by team brewsy
soften your hard cider with a little something sweet. this one is just as good as dessert!
White Wine Mojito
White Wine Mojito
by team brewsy
Put a new spin on an original! swap out the white rum for white wine and let this cocktail take you away to sandy beaches and brighter days.
Ginger Iced Tea
Ginger Iced Tea
by team brewsy
if you like porch-sittin' and tea-sippin', this is the drink for you. make a big batch for warm summer afternoons and cool fall evenings. it's perfectly sweet with an extra fun, gingery twist.
Rasperry Lemonade Sangria Recipe by Brewsy
Raspberry Lemonade Sangria
by team brewsy
This is one of the simplest sangrias you'll find, made even better with a wine you've made yourself! It's super refreshing with the perfect amount of sour for a hot day.
mulled pomegranate hot toddy
mulled pomegranate hot toddy
by team brewsy
this is the perfect drink for when the weather starts to turn. Made in a big batch, bring this to your next bonfire to keep the crowd roasty and toasty.
Cherry Wine Recipe by Brewsy
Cherry Wine Recipe
by team brewsy
A bold fruit wine, this will pair deliciously with anything from pork chops to a cheese plate.
Grapefruit Wine
Grapefruit Wine
by team brewsy
A vibrant wine that can be made as sour or as sweet as you like!
raspberry wine by brewsy
Delicious Raspberry Wine Recipe | How To make Raspberry Wine at home
by team brewsy
This wine is full of flavor! Sweet but tart, and super refreshing on a summer evening.
Pumpkin Spice Wine
Pumpkin Spice Wine
by team brewsy
If you get excited for September 1st because it's finally *PSL* season, you will love this wine. The spices enhance the pumpkin flavor for a drink that is oh so autumn.
Rosewater Wine
Rosewater Wine
by team brewsy
You won't see this one in your average wine cellar! Take romance to the next level with this super unique wine.
Brewsy Ginger Beer
Brewsy Ginger Beer
by team brewsy
A brewsy version of a fan-favorite. a tangy, sweet beverage that's perfectly refreshing for a summer evening.
pomegranate wine recipe by brewsy
Pomegranate Wine Recipe | How to make pomegranate wine at home
by team brewsy
A delicious ripe wine that pairs well with rich foods.
hair-of-the-dog Gatorade wine
hair-of-the-dog Gatorade wine
by team brewsy
give yourself a little electrolyte boost and knock that hangover out with this unique beverage. you can use whatever flavor you'd like, but the brewsy team recommends anything blue :)
CapriSun Wine
CapriSun Wine
by team brewsy
Go back to your roots with this nostalgic wine. you can use whatever flavor you want - they're all guaranteed to be a blast from the past.
Cranberry Apple Wine Recipe by Brewsy
Cranberry Apple Wine
by team brewsy
A crisp, tart wine that will remind you of autumn leaves and bonfires.
Green Tea Wine
Green Tea Wine
by team brewsy
if you're a tea connoisseur, this is the wine for you! bittersweet, nutty, and floral, this wine will even give you a boost of caffeine.
The Bishop
The Bishop
by team brewsy
This cocktail dates back to the 1800's, but will be better than ever using wine you brewed in your own home.
Plum Wine
Plum Wine
by team brewsy
Using this beautiful, fresh stone fruit will result in an earthy, full-bodied wine. perfect for after-dinner drinks!
Apricot Wine
Apricot Wine
by team brewsy
A subtly sweet and tart wine, perfect for sipping on a warm summer evening.
Blackberry Wine
Blackberry Wine
by team brewsy
Blackberries are a summer favorite, but this wine can be enjoyed year round. Customize it by adding more berries in your preferred combination, or mix with an acidic complement for a refreshing cocktail.
honey mint melon
honey mint melon
by team brewsy
the most refreshing cocktail you’ll find, this sweet drink is perfect for hot summer nights.
Vodka Cran-Wine
Vodka Cran-Wine
by team brewsy
Sweet and bright, for anyone who wants to up the ante on a classic bar favorite.
cranberry wine in a glass
Cranberry Wine
by team brewsy
Cranberry's an all-around winner. It's a versatile, crisp wine with a bold flavor that everyone loves!
Moscow Mule
Moscow Mule
by team brewsy
the brewsy way to make a beloved cocktail! perfect all year but especially refreshing as the summer turns to fall. this recipe can be modified with any additional flavorings that are in your favorite moscow mule!
star gazer
star gazer
by team brewsy
a sweet, summery cocktail. easy to customize to your preference, and so tasty it's like sipping stars.
Devil's Margarita
Devil's Margarita
by team brewsy
Add an earthy twist to an acidic classic to make your night even more sinful.
Strawberry Lemonade Spritzer
Strawberry Lemonade Spritzer
by team brewsy
This refreshing homemade take on a classic summer drink.
How to Make Blueberry Wine
How to Make Blueberry Wine
by team brewsy
A subtle red wine that compliments red meat such as lamb, veal, and steak.
Basic Rosè
Basic Rosè
by team brewsy
A tasty, sweet wine that is perfect for girls night, date night, movie night, and everything in between.
easy mead recipe by Brewsy
How to Make Mead
by Brewsy Recipe Team
A delicious, simple mead recipe that'll get you making mead (or honey wine) just like the vikings did way back when!