Ingredients
- 1.3kg loganberries
- Up to 1kg brewing sugar
- 250ml white grape juice concentrate
- Cool water to make 4.5 litres
- 1 teaspoon pectolase
- 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
- 1 Campden tablet
- 1 sachet Gervin GV2 wine yeast
Shop the ingredients
Brewing Sugar 1kg
White Grape Juice Concentrate 250ml
Pectolase
Yeast Nutrient
Campden Tablets
Gervin GV2 Yeast
Equipment
- 10-litre fermentation bucket with lid
- 4.5-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
Shop the equipment
6-Bottle Wine Starter Kit
1 Gallon Glass Demijohn
Demijohn Bung
Bubbler Airlock
Wine & Beer Hydrometer
Plastic Trial Jar
Large Coarse Straining Bag
40cm Brewing Spoon
Syphon Tubing
No-Rinse Sanitiser
Premium Wine Corks
Hand Corker
Preparation
Choose and prepare the loganberries
Use ripe, sound loganberries with a fresh berry aroma. Discard any fruit that is mouldy, rotten, leaking or already smells fermented.
Rinse fresh fruit gently, remove leaves and stalks, then weigh out 1.3kg of prepared loganberries. Frozen fruit works well; thaw it in a clean, covered food-safe container and use all the released juice.
Crush the berries gently to release juice, but do not blend or purée them. Breaking up the seeds too aggressively can add harshness and makes the finished wine harder to clear.
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 Loganberry 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 loganberries in the large coarse straining bag
Place the prepared berries in a sanitised large coarse straining bag inside the fermentation bucket. Tie the bag loosely so liquid can circulate, then crush the fruit gently with the sanitised spoon without grinding the seeds.
Make the sugar syrup
If using the full 250ml white grape concentrate, dissolve 750g brewing sugar in about 1.5 litres of boiling water and stir in the concentrate. If omitting the concentrate, begin with 900g brewing sugar instead. Pour the syrup over the loganberries.
Add water and cool the must
Add cool water until the liquid level is roughly four litres. Stir thoroughly and let the must cool below 25°C. Do not make the final 4.5-litre volume yet.
Add the Campden tablet
Crush one Campden tablet to a powder, stir it into the cooled must 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 it in a sanitised bowl while the liquid is adjusted.
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 1.080–1.090. 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.
Stop as soon as the gravity reaches the target. Do not keep adding sugar merely to use the whole 1kg pack.
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 loganberries
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 fruit in for longer than seven days. Let the bag drain and avoid squeezing 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 between 0.990 and 0.998. 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 for four to six weeks. Rack again only when roughly 1cm or more of fresh sediment has collected.
Check that it is ready to bottle
Confirm a stable gravity of roughly 0.990–0.998, clear wine with no obvious haze, and no meaningful new sediment 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
Allow at least four months from brew day before judging the wine. Around six months usually gives the sharp berry flavours more time to integrate.
Beginner's loganberry 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 1.080–1.090 |
| 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 |
| Weeks 6–10 | Rack and allow the wine to clear | Rack only for a meaningful sediment deposit |
| From about month 4 | Bottle only when all readiness checks are passed | Stable gravity, clear wine and no new sediment |
| Months 4–6 | Mature, then taste | Longer ageing generally softens the acidity |
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
Use pectolase, avoid blending or hard squeezing, rack away from meaningful sediment and allow plenty of clearing time.
The wine tastes too sharp
Loganberries are naturally tart. Avoid unnecessary extra acid and allow four to six months of maturation before judging a young dry wine.
The flavour seems 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 loganberry flavour.
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 blue, green or white growth is not normal. Do not taste a visibly mouldy batch.
FAQs
Can I use frozen loganberries?
Yes. Frozen loganberries work well and release juice readily after thawing. Thaw them in a clean, covered container and use all the released juice.
Do I need to remove the stalks and leaves?
Yes. Remove leaves, stalks and any mouldy or damaged fruit before weighing the prepared loganberries.
How many loganberries do I need for 4.5 litres of wine?
Use about 1.3kg of prepared loganberries.
Do I have to use white grape concentrate?
No. It adds body but the recipe can be made without it. When omitted, begin with 900g brewing sugar instead of 750g, then use the hydrometer and add more only as needed to reach an OG of 1.080–1.090.
Why is a hydrometer important?
It sets the starting sugar level accurately and confirms when fermentation has genuinely finished. See our How to take a Hydrometer Reading guide for the full explanation.
Can I make loganberry wine without pectolase?
You can, but pectolase helps fruit extraction and reduces the chance of a stubborn pectin haze. Our pectolase guide explains what it does.
Can I use a different wine yeast?
Gervin GV2 is the recommended yeast for this recipe. Other suitable options include Gervin GV11, Mangrove Jack's CR51 and Lalvin K1-V1116. Follow the preparation and temperature instructions for whichever yeast you use.
How long does loganberry 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 loganberry wine be?
A starting gravity of 1.080–1.090 finishing around 0.990–0.998 normally produces approximately 10.5–12% alcohol by volume.
Can I make the finished wine sweeter?
Yes, but let it finish fermenting and clear first. Stabilise it correctly before adding sweetener, then make sure it remains stable before bottling. See our How to Back-Sweeten Wine guide.
How long should loganberry wine mature?
Allow at least four months from brew day. Around six months normally produces a rounder wine with softer acidity.
What does homemade loganberry wine taste like?
It is usually deep ruby-red with bright berry aroma, blackberry-like depth and a sharper raspberry-style edge. A dry batch can be crisp and tart, while careful back-sweetening after stabilising gives a softer fruitier finish.
How long will homemade loganberry wine keep?
Well-made, properly bottled loganberry wine can keep for several years. Store bottles somewhere cool, dark and at a steady temperature.
