Wild Grape Juice

Step 1

Remove grapes from stems and press grapes to extract juice. Strain through a strainer lined with cheesecloth, then squeeze the cheesecloth to release as much juice as possible. Discard the remaining pulp. Let juice sit in your refrigerator overnight until a sludge settles on the bottom. Pour the juice off the top and discard the sludge. You should have about 3-4 cups of juice.

Step 3

In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir water and sugar together until sugar is dissolved and syrup is hot. Add strained juice and stir to combine. Taste test for sweetness by putting a teaspoon of juice in a glass then adding water. Add sugar as needed. If you plan to can the juice, bring it back to just below boiling.

Step 5

The resulting juice concentrate can be frozen or canned in a water bath in pint jars processed for 5 minutes, adjusting for altitudes over 1000 ft. For complete canning instructions, see the link below.

Step 7

To serve, mix 2-3 tablespoons (or to taste) of concentrate with fizzy (or plain) water.