Canning Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate

Blueberry lemonade concentrate is a delicious way to preserve blueberries, and all you need is a bit of water and ice to make a refreshing ice-cold drink any time of the year.

Are you a fan of refreshing drinks that pack a major punch of flavor? Have you ever thought about canning your favorite homemade lemonade? 

If so, then we’ve got a treat for you – blueberry lemonade concentrate. 

This delicious concoction is perfect for those hot summer days when all you want is something to cool you down (ideally, something with a burst of fruity freshness). But why settle for plain old lemonade when you can elevate it to a whole new level by adding in juicy blueberries?

Not only is this concentrate absolutely delicious, but it’s also incredibly useful. By canning this tasty blend, you can have a ready-to-go drink that’s perfect for any occasion – whether it’s a backyard BBQ or a lazy day lounging on the porch.

And the best part? It’s super easy to make! Just gather your blueberries, lemons, sugar, and water, and let the magic happen. With a little bit of prep work, you’ll be sipping on a glass of pure summer bliss in no time.

Here’s how to do it. 

Ingredients for Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate

The ingredients for canning blueberry lemonade are quite simple.  To make a canner batch of seven pints, you’ll need the following:

• 6 cups cleaned blueberries
• 6 cups granulated sugar 
• 4 cups lemon juice (from 16-20 lemons)

It’s important to note that, for each pint of concentrate you can, you’ll be able to make a half gallon of blueberry lemonade. Simply add a pint of concentrate to three pints of water, then serve over ice. Easy as that!

Canning Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate

To start the process, you’ll need to juice lemons and strain them to remove any pulp and seeds. 

Next, puree six cups of fresh blueberries until smooth. It’s best to use fresh blueberries when making this concentrate, as frozen blueberries can result in a watery mixture.

In a saucepan, gently heat the blueberry puree, lemon juice, and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. You’ll want to heat the mixture to around 180 degrees, but make sure not to boil it. Boiling can cause the sugar to crystallize, which can ruin the consistency of the concentrate. Stir well during this process to make sure the sugar and blueberry mix don’t stick to the bottom of your pan. 

When the mixture is perfectly heated and dissolved, fill your jars with hot blueberry lemonade concentrate, leaving a ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars to remove any residue that might be remaining (this can cause your jars to become sticky during processing). Seal the jars with your sanitized canning lids and load them into a water bath canner. 

Add more water so that the jars are covered by about an inch of water. Then, bring the water back up to boiling and start processing.

You’ll process your pints in a water bath canner for 15 minutes (below 1,000 feet in elevation). Make sure to adjust the processing time based on the altitude, if needed. It’s important to note there that there is no approved recipe for canning quarts of blueberry lemonade concentrate, so while you could technically double the recipe to make it fill larger quart jars, it won’t necessarily be safe to can (just stick to storing it in the fridge, if that’s your goal). 

After processing, leave the jars in the canner for an additional five minutes to cool slightly before using a canning jar lifter to remove them. Place them on a towel on the counter to cool completely. 

After about 12 to 24 hours, check the seals of each jar. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated for immediate use.

(Alternately, you can strain the blueberry mixture for a smoother concentrate and just use the blueberry juice.  In that case, I’d suggest extracting the blueberry juice as you’d do for making blueberry jelly.  The yield will be a bit lower that way, as you’re removing the fiber from the mix.  Both blueberry juice and lemon juice are fine for canning as is, so they can be canned together in any proportions (with or without sugar).  Feel free to adjust the proportions of this recipe to suit your tastes.)

Serving Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate

To get started with enjoying your delicious blueberry lemonade concentrate, simply mix one part concentrate with three parts water. 

For example, if you have a one pint jar, add three pints of water to it. If you want to make it even easier, grab a half-gallon mason jar, pour a pint of concentrate into it, and then fill it up the rest of the way with cold water.

This will give you a perfectly balanced “basic lemonade” flavor that is both strong and refreshing. However, if you want to customize it to your own tastes, feel free to adjust the concentrate-to-water ratio to your liking.

Now, what should you serve your blueberry lemonade with? To start, it pairs perfectly with a variety of delicious foods, including grilled burgers, fresh salads, or even a sweet dessert. So go ahead, get creative and serve it up with whatever you like!

And the best part? You don’t have to worry about heating it up or adding any additional ingredients. It’s ready to go straight from the jar to your glass.

Cheers!

Yield: Makes 7 Pints

Canning Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 6 cups cleaned blueberries
• 6 cups granulated sugar 
• 4 cups lemon juice (from 16-20 lemons)

Instructions

1. Juice 16-20 lemons and strain them to remove any pulp and seeds. 
2. Puree six cups of fresh blueberries until smooth. 
3. In a saucepan, gently heat the blueberry puree, lemon juice, and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Heat the mixture to around 180 degrees, but make sure not to boil it. Stir well during this process to make sure the sugar and blueberry mix don't stick to the bottom of your pan. 
4. When the mixture is perfectly heated and dissolved, fill your jars with hot blueberry lemonade concentrate, leaving a ¼ inch of headspace. 
5. Seal the jars with your sanitized canning lids and load them into a water bath canner. 
6. Process your pints in a water bath canner for 15 minutes (below 1,000 feet in elevation). Adjust the processing time based on the altitude, if needed.
7. After processing, leave the jars in the canner for an additional five minutes to cool slightly before using a canning jar lifter to remove them. Place them on a towel on the counter to cool completely. 
8. After about 12 to 24 hours, check the seals of each jar. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated for immediate use.  

Drink Canning Recipes

Looking for more drink canning recipes?

• Canning Lemonade (and Lemonade Concentrate)
• Canning Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
• Canning Limeade (& Limeade Concentrate)
• Canning Berry Juice
• Canning Rhubarb Juice

Blueberry Canning Recipes

There’s more than one way to preserve blueberries in a jar!  Take a look at these blueberry canning recipes:

• Canning Blueberry Pie Filling
• Blueberry Butter
• Blueberry Syrup
• Blueberry Rhubarb Jam
• Simple Blueberry Jam (without Pectin)