How to Make Huckleberry Wine

A huckleberry may be any member of the Gaylussacia or Vaccinium genera. The Gaylussacia genus includes about 50 species, but only two are closely associated with winemaking: the black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) and the box huckleberry (Gaylussacia brachycera). Huckleberries are one of the few fruits that can produce a wine resembling that made from grapes. The following steps will show how to make huckleberry wine.

Things You'll Need

• 7 1/4 pts water
• 4 1/2 lbs huckleberries
• 2 1/2 lbs sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp acid blend
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1 packet Champagne wine yeast

Instructions

1. Begin boiling the water. Sort and wash the huckleberries, making sure to discard any that are not ripe. Place the huckleberries into a primary container and mash them with a potato masher.

2. Add the sugar to the huckleberries, pour in the boiling water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cover the primary container with a clean cloth and set it aside to cool.

3. Mix in the remaining ingredients, except for the yeast, when it reaches room temperature. Set the primary container aside for a full day before adding the activated yeast.

4. Stir this mixture twice a day for 10 days when the fermentation begins to proceed vigorously. Let it drain through a nylon straining bag for 30 to 45 minutes into a secondary container.

5. Attach an airlock to the secondary container and rack the wine every 60 days. After six months, rack the wine into bottles.

Resources

• Learn more about making huckleberry wine.