Fresh Fruit Wines and Ciders

Fruit Pressing & Custom U-Brew Services on Vancouver Island

"Turn your backyard harvest into world-class wine and cider. We are Located in Nanaimo, we provide fruit pressing services and a full U-Brew (Ferment-on-Premises) experience for Vancouver Island residents. Whether you have heritage Gravenstein apples, backyard blackberries, or a surplus of pears and grapes, our industrial-grade equipment ensures the highest juice yield and quality.

From simple 'Press & Go' juice services to complete small-batch winemaking, we help you bottle the spirit of the Islands. Book your pressing appointment starting this Fall!

Ubrew and Fruit Pressing: How It Works

Welcome to the harvest season! We are excited to help you turn your backyard bounty into delicious cider and wine.

Fruit Quality & Safety To keep our equipment and your juice safe, we strictly enforce the following:

  • No "Grounders" (Windfalls): We only accept fruit that has been hand-picked from the tree. Fruit harvested from the ground carries a high risk of E. coli and other pathogens.
  • Sound Fruit Only: Please sort your fruit before arriving. We cannot process fruit that is rotten, heavily bruised, or shows signs of bird/pest damage.
  • Pre-Washed: While we provide a sanitizing rinse, fruit should arrive free of heavy dirt, leaves, or twigs.

The Pressing Process

We use a traditional No. 40 & 45 Italian Rachet Hand press system paired with a motorized crusher for maximum yield and flavor.

  • Yield Expectation: On average, 20-25 lbs of apples will yield 1-1.5 gallons of juice. Depending on how juicy your apples or fruit are.
  • Strickly For Fermentation: Because we do not pasteurize, all juice pressed at our store is intended for fermentation into alcoholic beverages.
  • Sanitation: All fruit is treated with a food-grade Potassium Metabisulfite (KMS) wash prior to crushing to ensure a clean start for your yeast.

Take-Home Juice

Bringing your juice home to ferment? Come prepared.

  • Container Requirements: Please bring food-grade pails or glass carboys. We do not carry spare buckets or carboys at this time. Canadian Tire has 5 gallon Food Grade Buckets as Well as Industrial Plastic.
  • Stability: We add a standard dose of Potassium Metabisulfite to all take-home juice to prevent oxidation. Wait 24 hours before adding your own yeast at home.

Take Home Pressing And Ubrew: Pricing & Booking

  • take home-Per Gallon Fee: $8.50 - $10.00

Note: Take Home Pressing is by appointment only during the peak months of September and October. Please call us at 250-585-8846 to book your slot!

Ubrew Services-We Make It For You

Coolers and ciders are generally the fastest to turn over (4 weeks) and have lower ingredient costs than premium wines. General Guide for Fruit: 4 to 5 pounds per 1 gallon of wine. (Cider is 125lbs approx per 5 gallon/19L pressed juice)

  • Hard Cider $110.00 4 Weeks 5gallon/19L 5%abv(approx 125lbs apples)
  • Fruit Coolers $110.00 4 Weeks 5gallon/19L 5%abv
  • Yield: ~19 Liters (38 × 500ml bottles). Bottles not included.

WINES-Full Batches 6 gallon /Half Batches 3 gallon and 5 gallon are available. Customize Sweetness

  • Standard Fruit Wine $140 ~6 gallon/23L -6 Weeks ABV 11%-Great Table Wine for Sparkling, Sangrias or sharing with Family and Friends
  • Premium Fruit Wine ~6 gallon/23L $175.00 +8 Weeks abd 13%-14% longer aging time.
    Yield: ~23 Liters (approx. 30 × 750ml). Bottles not included.
  • Half Batch 3 gallon/11.5L $70 (15x 750ml Bottles)
  • 5 Gallon/19L $110 (24x 750ml Bottles)

IMPORTANT NOTE

We can only Bottle Sparkling Fruit Wines, Coolers and Ciders in Plastic PET Bottles or Beer Bottles. If you have other bottles you would like to use please bring them in to make sure they fit into our carbonation system.