The EASIEST Way To Make Grape Juice!

Grape juice and grape jelly are two of my favorite things to make when it is canning season. I used to buy the grapes at farmers markets, but my concord grape vines have finally been producing enough the last few years to make it with my own homegrown grapes. Over the past 15 years I have used a few different methods to make grape juice and this way of doing it is hand down the FASTEST and the easiest way to make grape juice. 

This post is sponsored my Digz Gardening but all ideas and opinions are 100% my own.

Picking The Grapes

Using clean, sharp pruners or snips is the best way to harvest the grapes whether you grow them yourself or you visit a U-Pick farm. It is so much better than trying to tear them from the vine. I love these new pruners from Digz Gardening. They feel great in your hands and are nice and sharp!

I wait as long as I can before I pick the concord grapes. The longer the grapes stay on the vine, the sweeter they get. Unlike some other fruit, grapes will not continue to ripen off the vine. You can taste test your grapes to see if they are sweet enough before picking them. The stems starting to dry out and turn brown are another indicator they are ready. I usually harvest them here in Utah around the beginning of October. Since my vines are relatively young, I was thrilled to get two full baskets this year! 

Types of Grapes

Before my vines were producing enough, I would add red grapes to the concord grapes so I ended up with more juice. It was still very yummy! I have also used all red grapes to make a beautiful pink grape juice. You can make grape juice out of any kind of grapes including green grapes. I just prefer concord grape varieties. 

Prepwork For Making Grape Juice

After bringing them inside, it is important to wash them really well. Especially if any were touching the ground. I soak them in water in a sanitized sink, drain, and then rinse. It is best to use fresh grapes that were just picked when making juice. But if you need to wait for some reason, you can keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready.  

Gather and sterilize your quart jars as well at this time. Have them ready to go on the counter. You can sterilize them by running them in the dishwasher with the high heat dry or by soaking them in hot soapy bleach water and then rinsing well.

Easiest Way To Make Grape Juice

I used to hate making grape juice. When I was younger and new to canning, I looked up instructions online and found a website that said to pick all the grapes off the stems and then add the grapes to a large pot. You were to mash them as they heated with a potato masher. Then you had wait until the messy mixture cooled to room temperature before you then squeezed it through cheesecloth. Skins and seeds always made their way through the cheese cloth because of the pressure of squeezing so you had to keep straining until it ran clear. I also tried using my juicer once which was a messy nightmare. I wish I would have asked others or done more searching online because once I found out about the steam juicer, I have LOVED making grape juice.

You simply place grapes (stems and all!) to the top section of the steamer and the juice will eventually come out the tube. The bottom section of the steamer is filled with water. I like to place a pitcher on a stool for the juice to collect in. I check it every so often and when it gets mostly full, I pour it into jars. It is nice to be able to do other things and let the steam juicer do all the work!

Keep adding grapes every now and then as the level of stems and skins goes down until you have added them all. There is no need to remove the old stems and skins before adding more grapes. Check the water level in the bottom of the steamer every 30-45 minutes to make sure there is enough water. If you are making a lot of juice you will eventually need to add more water so it doesn't burn. 

Once all your grapes have been added and there is no longer juice coming out of the tube. You are all done! I do like to tip the steamer forward a bit to ensure every drop comes out. TIP: Add the stems and skins to your composter! They are wonderful for making compost. 

Refrigerate & Strain The Juice

You will need to refrigerate the juice for about 24 hours before you can bottle them. This is because the juice will form natural tartrate crystals. Refrigeration also allows any sediment to sink to the bottom. In my early days of canning, I did not realize you needed refrigerate them so I had to strain each jar as we used them throughout the year. It is just easier to do the straining process all at once. 

I place cheese cloth over a fine mesh strainer which rests over a large stock pot. I then pour the cold juice through it. You will need to heat the juice back up before adding it to clean quart jars because if you added cold juice to the water bath canner, the drastic temperature change would cause the mason jars to crack. 

I do not add any sugar because the fruit juice is sweet enough as it is. I avoid added sugar in recipes when possible. 

Processing The Grape Juice

Add the heated juice to clean jars leaving about an inch headspace, clean the rims with a damp paper towel, and add new lids and rims. The quarts of hot juice are ready to go in the boiling water bath canner!

Because of the acidity of the juice, using a pressure canner is not necessary. A hot water bath canner is not very expensive and is so useful for canning a variety of things like tomatoes (and tomato based recipes) and pickled veggies. 

For elevations of 0-1,000 you only need to process pints and quarts for 5 minutes. For elevation 1,001-6,000 your processing time is 10 minutes. Above 6,000 feet it will take 15 minutes. 

When the jars come out of the water bath canner, twist the lid on as tight as you can and wait for them to seal and cool. Then you can store your homemade juice in a cool, dark place like a pantry. The deep purple color of the juice looks so pretty on your shelves! And it is so satisfying to know you made your own grape juice. Homemade grape juice will be the best grape juice you have ever tasted. 

Have you ever made your own homemade grape juice before? What method did you use and which types of grapes? I would love to hear about your experience!

*TIP: If you have a large amount of grapes, a great way to use extra juice is to make grape jelly. Just follow the instructions that come with your pectin box. It is really easy! 

Common Questions About Homemade Grape Juice

How long does grape juice last? 

Properly canned grape juice can last on your shelf pretty much indefinitely but it is recommended to use them within 3-5 years for the best flavor. All preserved food will start to lose flavor over time. 

How long does grape juice last once it's opened?

Once the jar of grape juice is opened (and refrigerated) is best to use it up within a week. 

Are there any health benefits of drinking grape juice?

Yes! Grape juice is full of antioxidants, vitamin C, manganese and other nutrients. But with most things, it is better to enjoy grape juice in moderation due to the high natural sugar content. I could easily drink the whole quart but chose to settle for one cup :)

Let me know if you have any other questions. If you want more information about preserving fruits and veggies from your garden you can read this post. Happy gardening!