Ingredients
- 1.5–1.8kg ripe blackcurrants
- Up to 1.2kg brewing sugar, adjusted by hydrometer
- 1 teaspoon pectolase
- 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
- 1 Campden tablet
- 1 sachet Gervin GV2 Robust Wine Yeast
- Water as required for a finished batch of about 4.5 litres
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Equipment
- 10-litre fermentation bucket with lid
- 1-gallon glass demijohn
- Bored demijohn bung and airlock
- Hydrometer and trial jar
- Large fine straining bag
- Long brewing spoon
- Syphon tubing
- No-rinse sanitiser
- Five or six 750ml clear wine bottles
- Wine corks and a hand corker
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6-Bottle Wine Starter Kit
10 Litre Fermentation Bucket
1 Gallon Glass Demijohn
Demijohn Bung
Bubbler Airlock
Wine & Beer Hydrometer
Plastic Trial Jar
Large Fine Straining Bag
40cm Brewing Spoon
Syphon Tubing
No-Rinse Sanitiser
750ml Clear Wine Bottle
Premium Corks
Hand Corker
Preparation
Choose ripe, flavourful blackcurrants
Use fully ripe blackcurrants with deep colour and a clean, intense berry aroma. Remove leaves, stalks and any mouldy, rotten or fermented fruit. Fresh berries work well, and frozen blackcurrants are also excellent because freezing helps break the skins and release juice.
If using frozen fruit, thaw it in a clean covered container and keep all clean juice released during thawing. Rinse fresh fruit, drain it well and gently crush the berries just enough to split the skins. Do not blend or purée them.
Before you begin
Sanitise after cleaning
Cleaning removes dirt. Sanitising reduces unwanted microbes. Do both, and follow the sanitiser label exactly.
Measure the sugar
Blackcurrant sweetness changes with ripeness. Target OG 1.085–1.095 instead of relying on a fixed sugar weight.
Expect it to need time
Young blackcurrant wine can be firm and tart. Ageing is part of the recipe, not an optional extra.
How to Make Blackcurrant Wine
Clean and sanitise everything
Clean first, then sanitise the fermentation bucket, lid, spoon, straining bag, hydrometer, trial jar, syphon, demijohn, bung and airlock. Use no-rinse sanitiser according to its label directions.
Sort and prepare the blackcurrants
Use 1.5–1.8kg ripe blackcurrants. Remove leaves, stalks and any mouldy or damaged berries, rinse the sound fruit and drain it well. Fresh or fully thawed frozen fruit can be used.
Put the fruit into the straining bag
Place the blackcurrants in a sanitised large fine straining bag inside the fermentation bucket. Gently crush the berries to split the skins, but do not blend or purée them.
Dissolve the first sugar addition
Dissolve about 850g brewing sugar in roughly 1.5 litres of hot water. Allow the syrup to cool below 25°C, pour it over the bagged fruit and add cool water until the liquid volume is roughly four litres.
Add the Campden tablet
When the must is below 25°C, crush one Campden tablet, stir it through thoroughly, cover the fermenter and leave it for about 12 hours.
Add the pectolase
After 12 hours, stir in 1 teaspoon pectolase. Blackcurrants contain plenty of pectin, so this helps juice extraction and reduces the chance of a stubborn haze. Cover again and leave for another 12 hours.
Drain the fruit temporarily
Lift the fruit bag with sanitised hands or utensils and let it drain over the bucket for about 10 minutes without wringing it. Set it in a sanitised container while you adjust the liquid.
Set the initial liquid volume
Stir the liquid and add cool water to bring it to approximately 4.2 litres. This leaves room for any small sugar solution needed after the hydrometer reading.
Take the first hydrometer reading
Make sure the must is close to the hydrometer's calibration temperature, normally around 20°C. Use a well-mixed, 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 a little boiling water, cool it below 25°C, add it and stir thoroughly. Retest and repeat only as needed, using 25g additions when close to the target. Do not automatically use the whole sugar pack.
Make the final volume 4.5 litres
Add cool water to make the liquid volume exactly 4.5 litres, stir thoroughly and take one final hydrometer reading. Record it as the original gravity, or OG, then return the blackcurrant bag to the fermenter.
Add nutrient and Gervin GV2
Stir in 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient. Prepare the Gervin GV2 Robust Wine Yeast according to the sachet instructions and pitch the full sachet. Aim to ferment at around 18–22°C.
Manage the fruit each day
Fit the lid and airlock. Once or twice each day, sanitise the spoon, gently push the fruit bag beneath the liquid, stir briefly and replace the lid immediately. Keep the skins wet but avoid aggressive squeezing.
Start checking the gravity from day three
From about the third day, take a hydrometer reading once a day. The fruit is best removed according to fermentation progress rather than the calendar alone.
Remove the blackcurrants at about 1.040
When the specific gravity reaches around 1.040, usually after 4–6 days, lift out the fruit bag and let it drain over the fermenter. Press only lightly; hard squeezing forces fine pulp into the wine and makes clearing more difficult.
Transfer to the demijohn
Syphon the wine into the sanitised 1-gallon glass demijohn, leaving the thickest pulp and sediment behind. Avoid pouring or splashing. While fermentation is still active, fill to around the shoulder and fit the sanitised bung and airlock.
Let secondary fermentation continue
Keep the demijohn at around 18–22°C and out of direct sunlight. Fermentation will become much quieter, but airlock activity alone does not tell you when it is finished.
Confirm fermentation with stable readings
Take a hydrometer reading once activity has clearly slowed, then repeat it at least 48 hours later. Fermentation is complete only when the readings are identical. A dry blackcurrant wine may finish around 0.995–1.000, but stability matters more than one exact number.
Rack and allow the wine to clear
Once gravity is stable, syphon the wine into a clean sanitised demijohn and leave the sediment behind. Minimise splashing, top up into the narrow neck with as little headspace as practical, replace the airlock and leave the wine somewhere cool and dark to clear.
Check that the wine is ready
Leave the racked wine to clear fully. Confirm stable gravity, clear wine with no obvious haze and no meaningful new sediment for at least two weeks. Taste a small sample as well; young blackcurrant wine can be sharp and tannic, so time is often the best correction.
Bottle without splashing
Sanitise the wine bottles, syphon tubing, corks and corker. Syphon gently into each bottle and cork it. Keep the bottles upright for the first 24 hours, then store them somewhere cool and dark.
Give blackcurrant wine time to mature
Allow at least 6 months before judging the wine, with 9–12 months often giving a much rounder result. The natural acidity and tannin soften with age and the dark-fruit character becomes better integrated.
Beginner's blackcurrant wine timeline
| Approximate time | What to do | What decides the next step |
|---|---|---|
| Brew day | Prepare the blackcurrants, make the first sugar syrup and add 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 GV2 yeast | Final OG is 1.085–1.095 |
| Days 1–3 | Push the fruit down and stir once or twice daily | Keep the fruit wet and begin gravity checks from day three |
| Usually days 4–6 | Remove and gently drain the blackcurrants | Gravity has fallen to around 1.040 |
| Weeks 2–6 | Allow secondary fermentation to finish | Two identical hydrometer readings at least 48 hours apart |
| Following 1–3 months | Rack and allow the wine to clear | Minimal headspace and no meaningful new sediment |
| From about month 3–4 | Bottle only when all readiness checks are passed | Stable gravity, clear wine and no new sediment |
| Months 6–12+ | Mature, then taste | Acidity, tannin and fruit become more integrated |
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 fruit or pectin haze in a sample.
- No meaningful new sediment has formed for at least two weeks.
- The wine tastes still, not fizzy or actively fermenting.
- Any back-sweetening has been carried out only after correct stabilisation.
- Bottles, syphon, corks and corker have been prepared correctly.
Common Problems
The wine tastes too sharp
Blackcurrants naturally contain plenty of acidity and tannin. If fermentation is complete and the wine is sound, ageing is usually the first remedy. Give it several months before trying to correct a young wine.
The wine stays cloudy
Blackcurrants contain pectin. Use pectolase, avoid boiling or puréeing the fruit and give the wine enough time to settle and clear.
There is too much fine pulp
Keep the berries in a fine straining bag and crush gently rather than blending them. Drain or press lightly; hard squeezing forces fine solids through the mesh.
The airlock is not bubbling
Check the temperature and take a hydrometer reading. Bucket lids can leak a little gas, so fermentation may be active even without visible airlock bubbles.
The gravity stopped above 1.010
Do not bottle. Check that the wine is around 18–22°C, give the yeast more time and compare hydrometer readings before deciding fermentation has stopped.
The colour is becoming dull or brown
Minimise splashing after vigorous fermentation, keep headspace low after racking and protect the wine from direct light. Oxygen exposure accelerates colour and aroma loss.
FAQs
How many blackcurrants do I need for one gallon of wine?
Use about 1.5–1.8kg of ripe blackcurrants for a 4.5-litre batch.
Can I use frozen blackcurrants?
Yes. Frozen blackcurrants work very well because freezing helps break down the skins and release juice. Thaw them in a clean covered container and keep the clean juice that runs from the fruit.
Do I need to remove every blackcurrant stalk?
Remove the obvious stalks, leaves and woody material. A few tiny stem fragments are not a disaster, but large amounts can add unnecessary harshness.
Do I need citric acid in blackcurrant wine?
Not routinely. Blackcurrants are naturally quite acidic, so this recipe avoids automatically adding more acid.
Do I need wine tannin?
No routine addition is needed. Blackcurrant skins and fruit already provide plenty of tannin. Extra tannin can make a young batch unnecessarily astringent.
Why use pectolase?
Blackcurrants contain pectin, which can contribute to haze. Pectolase helps juice extraction and reduces the risk of persistent pectin haze.
Why use a hydrometer?
Fruit sweetness varies from batch to batch. A hydrometer lets you set the starting gravity accurately and later confirms whether fermentation has actually finished.
Why use Gervin GV2?
Gervin GV2 Robust Wine Yeast suits darker, fuller-flavoured fruit wines and is a good match for blackcurrant's strong berry character.
How much sugar should I add?
Start with roughly 850g brewing sugar, then use the hydrometer to adjust toward 1.085–1.095. Do not automatically add the full 1.2kg because the fruit contributes its own sugar.
What starting gravity should blackcurrant wine have?
This recipe targets an OG of about 1.085–1.095, giving a useful wine strength while keeping the fruit character prominent.
How strong will the finished wine be?
If it starts around 1.085–1.095 and finishes dry near 0.995–1.000, expect roughly 11.5–13% ABV.
How long should blackcurrants stay in the fermenter?
Usually around 4–6 days. Start checking gravity from day three and remove the fruit at about 1.040 rather than relying on the calendar alone.
How long does blackcurrant wine take to ferment?
Often around 3–6 weeks, but time alone cannot confirm completion. Use two identical hydrometer readings taken at least 48 hours apart.
How do I know fermentation is finished?
Take a hydrometer reading when fermentation appears quiet and another at least 48 hours later. If the readings are identical, fermentation has finished. Airlock activity alone is not a reliable test.
Can I make blackcurrant wine sweeter?
Yes, after fermentation has fully finished. If you are adding fermentable sugar, stabilise the wine correctly before bottling. Read our back-sweetening guide first. You can also use Wine Sweetener 50ml according to its label directions.
How long should blackcurrant wine mature?
Give it at least 6 months, with 9–12 months often giving a smoother, better-integrated wine. Its natural acidity and tannin make blackcurrant especially suited to ageing.
How long will homemade blackcurrant wine keep?
Well-made, properly bottled blackcurrant wine can keep for several years. Store it somewhere cool, dark and at a steady temperature.
Can I scale this recipe?
Yes. Keep the ingredient ratios consistent, use a suitably sized primary fermenter with enough headspace and use the hydrometer to set the starting gravity for the final batch volume.