Ingredients
- 1.8kg fully ripe blackberries, fresh or frozen
- 900g brewing sugar to start, plus a little more only if the hydrometer reading is low
- Cool water to make 4.5 litres
- 1 teaspoon pectolase
- 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
- 1 Campden tablet
- 1 sachet Gervin GV2 wine yeast
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Equipment
- 10-litre fermentation bucket with lid
- 5-litre glass demijohn
- Bored demijohn bung and airlock
- Hydrometer and trial jar
- Large coarse straining bag (22cm base × 45cm deep)
- Long brewing spoon
- Syphon tubing
- No-rinse sanitiser
- Five or six 750ml wine bottles
- Wine corks and a hand corker
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6-Bottle Wine Starter Kit
10 Litre Fermentation Bucket
Glass Demijohn
Demijohn Bung
Bubbler Airlock
Wine & Beer Hydrometer
Plastic Trial Jar
Large Coarse Straining Bag
40cm Brewing Spoon
Syphon Tubing
No-Rinse Sanitiser
750ml Wine Bottle
Premium Wine Corks
Hand Corker
Preparation
Choose and prepare the blackberries
Use fully ripe blackberries with a deep colour and fresh berry aroma. Discard any fruit that is mouldy, rotten, leaking or already smells fermented. Fresh or frozen berries both work well.
If the fruit is foraged, collect it away from busy roads and land that may have been sprayed. Rinse it gently, remove leaves, stalks and damaged berries, then weigh out 1.8kg of prepared fruit.
Freezing and thawing the berries before brew day is optional, but it softens the fruit and improves juice extraction. Thaw them in a clean, covered, food-safe container and use all the released juice.
Before you begin
Sanitise after cleaning
Cleaning removes dirt. Sanitising reduces unwanted microbes. Do both, and follow the sanitiser label exactly.
Write down every reading
Record the date, temperature, starting gravity and later hydrometer readings.
Trust the hydrometer
Airlock bubbles can stop because of a poor seal. Stable hydrometer readings confirm fermentation has finished.
How to Make Blackberry Wine
Clean and sanitise the equipment
Wash away all visible dirt first. Prepare the sanitiser according to its label, then sanitise the bucket, lid, large coarse straining bag, spoon, measuring jug, thermometer, hydrometer, trial jar and anything else that will touch the cooled must.
Put the blackberries in the large coarse straining bag
Place the prepared berries in a sanitised large coarse straining bag inside the 10-litre fermentation bucket. Tie the bag loosely so liquid can circulate, then crush the fruit gently with the sanitised spoon. Do not blend or purée it.
Make the sugar syrup
Dissolve 900g brewing sugar in 1.5 litres of boiling water. Stir until no crystals remain, then pour the hot syrup over the blackberries.
Add water and cool the must
Add cool water until the level in the bucket is roughly four litres. Stir, then check the temperature. Do not try to reach the final 4.5-litre volume yet.
Add the Campden tablet
When the must is below 25°C, crush one Campden tablet to a powder, stir it in thoroughly and fit the sanitised lid. Leave for 12 hours.
Add the pectolase
After 12 hours, stir in one teaspoon of pectolase. Replace the lid and leave for another 12 hours.
Drain the fruit temporarily
Lift the bag with sanitised hands or utensils and let it drain over the bucket for about 10 minutes without wringing it. Place the bag in a sanitised bowl while you adjust the liquid.
Set the initial liquid volume
Stir the liquid thoroughly and add cool water to bring it to approximately 4.25 litres. This leaves room for any small sugar solution that may be needed next.
Take the first hydrometer reading
Make sure the must is close to the hydrometer's calibration temperature, normally 20°C. Use a well-mixed, mostly pulp-free sample and read the hydrometer at eye level.
Adjust the sugar only if needed
Aim for a final starting gravity of 1.085–1.095. If the reading is low, dissolve 50g brewing sugar in about 40ml boiling water, cool it below 25°C, add it and stir thoroughly. Retest and repeat only as required, using 25g portions when close to the target.
If the reading is already within or above the target range, add no more sugar.
Make the final volume 4.5 litres
Return the fruit bag, then add cool water to make the total batch exactly 4.5 litres. Stir thoroughly and take one final reading. Record it as the original gravity, or OG.
Add nutrient and yeast
Stir in one teaspoon of yeast nutrient. Prepare the Gervin GV2 according to the sachet instructions and use the full sachet. Keep the fermenter at 18–22°C.
Manage the first 5–7 days
Fit the lid and airlock. Once or twice each day, sanitise the spoon, gently push the floating fruit beneath the liquid, stir briefly and replace the lid immediately.
Remove the blackberries
Remove the fruit on day five if vigorous fermentation has clearly slowed. Leave it until day seven if it remains very active, but do not leave the berries in for longer than seven days. Let the bag drain; a gentle press is acceptable, but do not squeeze it hard.
Transfer to the demijohn
Syphon the wine into the sanitised demijohn, leaving the thickest pulp and sediment behind. Avoid pouring or splashing. Fill to around the shoulder, then fit the sanitised bung and airlock.
Let secondary fermentation finish
Keep the demijohn at 18–22°C and out of direct sunlight. Begin checking the gravity after fermentation has clearly slowed, usually a couple of weeks after the fruit is removed.
Confirm fermentation with two readings
Take a hydrometer reading, then repeat it at least 48 hours later. Fermentation is complete only when the readings are identical and normally near or below 1.000. If the gravity is above 1.010 and does not move, do not bottle it.
Rack the finished wine
Once the gravity is stable, syphon the wine into a clean, sanitised demijohn and leave the sediment behind. Minimise splashing, refill to the shoulder and replace the airlock.
Allow the wine to clear
Leave the wine somewhere cool, dark and steady. Rack again only when roughly 1cm or more of fresh sediment has collected. Blackberry wine can taste rough when young, so allow time for clearing and bulk maturation.
Check that it is ready to bottle
The wine should meet all three conditions: the gravity is stable, there is no obvious haze when viewed in a clear glass against a bright background, and no meaningful new sediment has appeared for at least two weeks.
Bottle without splashing
Sanitise the bottles, syphon tubing, corks and corker as their instructions require. Syphon gently into each bottle and cork them. Keep them upright for the first 24 hours, then store them somewhere cool and dark.
Mature before drinking
Wait at least six months from brew day before judging the wine. Blackberry wine is usually rounder and better integrated after nine to twelve months.
Beginner's blackberry wine timeline
| Approximate time | What to do | What decides the next step |
|---|---|---|
| Brew day | Prepare fruit, add sugar syrup and Campden | Must is below 25°C before Campden is added |
| 12 hours later | Add pectolase | Wait a further 12 hours |
| About 24 hours | Adjust volume and gravity; add nutrient and yeast | Final OG is 1.085–1.095 |
| Days 1–5 or 7 | Push the fruit down and stir once or twice daily | Remove fruit by day seven |
| Day 5–7 | Drain fruit and syphon into the demijohn | Fill to the shoulder and fit the airlock |
| Weeks 3–6 | Start checking gravity | Two identical readings at least 48 hours apart |
| Following weeks or months | Rack and allow the wine to clear | Rack only for a meaningful sediment deposit |
| From about month 3 | Bottle only when all readiness checks are passed | Stable gravity, clear wine and no new sediment |
| Months 6–12 | Mature, then taste | Longer ageing generally gives a smoother result |
The calendar is a guide, not a bottling instruction. The hydrometer and the condition of the wine always take priority over the date.
Final bottling checklist
- The hydrometer reading is unchanged across at least 48 hours.
- The wine is clear with no obvious haze in a sample.
- No meaningful new sediment has formed for at least two weeks.
- The wine tastes still, not fizzy or actively fermenting.
- Bottles, syphon, corks and corker have been prepared correctly.
Common Problems
The airlock is not bubbling
Check the temperature and take a hydrometer reading. Bucket lids often leak a little gas, so fermentation can continue without visible bubbles.
The wine remains cloudy
Blackberry pectin and fine pulp are common causes. Use pectolase, avoid hard squeezing and allow time for settling.
The wine tastes thin
This usually means too little fruit was used or the finished volume exceeded 4.5 litres. Extra sugar raises alcohol but does not add blackberry flavour.
The wine tastes too sharp or tannic
Do not rush to correct a young dry wine. Blackberry acidity and seed tannin can seem severe before the wine has cleared and matured.
The gravity stopped above 1.010
Do not bottle. Check that the wine is 18–22°C, gently swirl the demijohn without splashing and take another reading after 48 hours.
There is growth on the fruit
A normal fruit cap is wet and pushed down daily. Fuzzy or hairy growth, especially blue, green or white patches, is not normal. Do not taste a visibly mouldy batch.
FAQs
Can I use frozen blackberries?
Yes. Frozen berries work very well and often release juice more readily after thawing. Thaw them in a clean covered container and use all the released juice.
Should I wash foraged blackberries?
Yes. Collect away from busy roads and sprayed land, rinse the fruit gently, and discard leaves, stalks, mouldy berries and anything damaged or suspect.
How many blackberries do I need for 4.5 litres of wine?
Use 1.8kg of prepared blackberries. Weigh them after removing leaves, stalks and any damaged fruit.
Why can the brewing sugar amount vary?
The berries contribute a variable amount of natural sugar. Begin with 900g, then add measured portions only if needed to reach a final starting gravity of 1.085–1.095.
How do I use a hydrometer for this recipe?
Use it to set the starting gravity at 1.085–1.095 and to confirm fermentation has finished with two identical readings at least 48 hours apart. See our How to take a Hydrometer Reading guide for the full explanation.
Can I make blackberry wine without pectolase?
You can, but the wine is more likely to retain a stubborn pectin haze and juice extraction may be poorer. Pectolase is strongly recommended.
Can I use a different wine yeast?
Yes. Gervin GV2 is our recommended yeast for this blackberry wine recipe because it suits robust berry wines.
Gervin GV11 gives a fruitier red-wine style, Mangrove Jack's R56 suits rich, full-bodied berry wines, and Lalvin K1-V1116 is a reliable aromatic alternative.
Whichever yeast you choose, follow the manufacturer's instructions and ferment within its recommended temperature range.
How long does blackberry wine take to ferment?
Active fermentation often finishes within roughly three to six weeks, but time alone cannot confirm completion. Use two identical hydrometer readings taken at least 48 hours apart.
How strong will the wine be?
A starting gravity of 1.085–1.095 finishing near or below 1.000 normally produces approximately 11–12.5% alcohol by volume.
How do I make the finished wine sweeter?
Let the wine finish fermenting and clear before sweetening it. Do not add fermentable sugar and bottle immediately. See our How to Back-Sweeten Wine guide for the full process.
How long should blackberry wine mature?
Allow at least six months from brew day. Nine to twelve months usually gives a rounder, smoother and better-integrated blackberry wine.
What does homemade blackberry wine taste like?
Homemade blackberry wine is usually deep red, full-flavoured and dry, with ripe berry character, noticeable acidity and a little tannin. Ageing softens the sharper edges.
How long will homemade blackberry wine keep?
Well-made, properly bottled blackberry wine can keep for several years. Store bottles somewhere cool, dark and at a steady temperature.