Blueberry Wine with Oak

**If you freeze your fruit for 1 - 5 days prior to fermenting it will be more flavorful then fresh picked fruit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 1 - Primary Fermentation - Day 1 Prepare the blueberries (thawed) by crushing them, placing inside the nylon straining bag. In a Food Grade plastic fermenter, pour in 2 gallon of warm water. Add the blueberries (in the nylon straining bag) to the water. Add ¼ teaspoon Metabisulphite. Cover, and leave for 24 hours. After 24 hours, squeeze out pulp and temporally set aside. Prepare Bentonite slurry and add to must. Then add the tannin, pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and ½ of the sugar. Bring the contents of your fermenter short of the 5 gallon mark using cool water. (As fruit is squeezed liquid will leave fruit and add to must.) Stir well. Using your hydrometer, check the starting specific gravity. If mixed properly your Specific Gravity should be around 1.090. Add balance of sugar as needed. Check your acid level by using your acid testing kit. Your acid reading should be between .50 and .60. Adjust if needed using acid blend. Check the temperature of the wine must (mixture) using your thermometer. Hydrate yeast according to instructions on packet and add to must. The temperature should be as close to 70-75°F as possible to activate the yeast. Replace bag of pulp. Loosely cover the primary fermenter with a plastic lid and place in a warm area (70-75°F) to maintain a constant temperature for the next few days. Fermentation will start within 24-48 hours if the temperature is kept constant. Squeeze the nylon bag (fruit pulp) into the fermenting must twice a day during this period. This will ensure maximum fruit and color extraction and avoid oxidation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 2 -Secondary Fermentation - Day 6 - 8 When the Specific Gravity reaches 1.020 - 1.010, usually 6 to 8 days, (it depends on the fermenting temperature; the warmer the temperature the faster the fermentation) it is time to rack (siphon) the wine into the carboy (secondary fermenter). Put 1 can of Welch’s Grape Concentrate into a clean and sanitized carboy (preferably glass). Carefully rack the wine using a proper siphon system, leaving all the fruit pulp behind. Squeeze out pulp in Nylon straining bag. Add this excess fruit juice to your carboy (discard the spent fruit pulp) and attach air lock. Leave the carboy at a temperature between 70-75°F for a further 18-20 days to finish fermentation. After 18 days, check the Specific Gravity. You should get a reading of 1.000 or less. If the Specific Gravity is above 1.000 allow a few more days of fermentation and then check the Specific Gravity again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 3 -Stabilizing & Degassing Dissolve ¼ teaspoon Metabisulphite and Potassium Sorbate into 1 cup of wine. The Sorbate will ensure fermentation ceases. Add this mixture to the carboy and stir vigorously (using the handle end of your mixing spoon) for 2–3 minutes to release any excess CO2 gas. This is very important. Add Super Kleer per instructions. This will help your wine clear faster. Top off and attach air lock. Place the wine in a cooler area between 60-68°F (16-20°C) to clear faster. Always make sure the airlock and bung is secure after stirring and the airlock is full of solution. Leave your wine in a cool area for 2 weeks to clear. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 4 – Sweeten and Polish - Day 30 Rack, if sweetening do so now (I like this [1.000 - 1.010]). Add oak now. Top off and attach air lock. Check oak level every 2 weeks. Rack if oak gets overly strong else leave set for 30 days to final polish. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 5 - Filtering & Bottling - Day 60 Wine is now ready for bottling. To give your wine a professional appearance, it is recommended to filter before bottling. If aging for more than 6 months add ¼ tsp Metabisulphite.