Started my first batch

[TARRENEL]

Ok this is my very first batch.
4lbs Frozen strawberries
4 Cups of Sugars
1 Banana (with the peel)
1 Gallon Spring Water
1 TSP Acid Blend
1 TSP Yeast Nutrient
1/8 TSP Wine Tannin
1 Campden Tablet
1/2 TSP Pectric Enzyme
1 Pack of Yeast

I added strawberries, bananas, sugar and water in bucket and got a SG of 1.060. So I added 2 1/2 cups of sugar and now its at SG= 1.090. I then added the Acid blend, Yeast Nutrient, Wine Tannin and the Tablet. Waited 15 minutes and then got a Ph of 3.6. I will wait 12 hours then add the Pectic Enzyme and then tomorrow add the Yeast. I put the whole 1 Gallon of water in so I will have two secondaries going, one main and one for topping off main.

First question is, is the SG and PH at the right levels? Second should I test the SG and PH right before I add the Yeast tomorrow? Oh and before I put the tablet into the batch, the color of the batch was reddish. When i added the tablet the batch turned a cloudy white. Will the color come back?

I also was thinking when I rack it over to the secondary to add 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder to it. What do you guys think about that? Any good brand dutch powder you guys and gals recommand?

Thanks again for all your input to my threads

 

[TARRENEL]

Well I tested the PH and SG before I put the yeast into the batch last night. PH was 3.5 and SG was 1.090. I checked the air lock this morning and about 9-13 big air bubbles escape in a row and then a pause of about 7 seconds then another 9-13 bubbles. So I assume the yeast is working.

My question now is, has anyone added chocolate to their wines before? Any tips on what type? How much to add? When to add? I am thinking about mixing 1/2 cup of Dutch processed cocoa powder and some of the must when I rack it into the Secondary. What do you guys ans gals think?

 

[JordanPond]

Chocolate should be great. I made a chocolate strawberry port last year, look in the recipe thread. It has been popular on the sight. Actually used nestle or ghiradelli dark chocolate cocoa powder + some chocolate extract during the aging process. I saw another thread active today about adding chocolate. I think you are headed down a good path. It sounds like you want to use something with a high cocoa content.

See this thead:
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17628

 

[JordanPond]

I've never added banana to wine. I understand that it is supposed to improve body. I see that you included the peel, Is that normal?

 

[TARRENEL]

I read in a couple of threads through out the internet about leaving the peels on the bananas something to do with the peel and added body to the wine so I tried one banana this time and see how it goes.

 

[Wade E]

Yeah, typically you use about 1/2 the peels as you do bananas. I dont think there is a problem with using all though.

 

[saramc]

adding chocolate

My question now is, has anyone added chocolate to their wines before? Any tips on what type? How much to add? When to add? I am thinking about mixing 1/2 cup of Dutch processed cocoa powder and some of the must when I rack it into the Secondary. What do you guys ans gals think?

When I add chocolate I add 4 oz per gallon and use a product such as Hershey's Special Dark or the basic unsweetened, and I add it when in the primary. You will rack chocolate sludge for a while. The resulting wine, fabulous. Others have also added Hershey's chocolate syrup when closer to finishing...1 cup per gallon is sticking in my head. I added the syrup to a JMAO and like it. And have used the powder in a choc-strawberry jam wine and Hershey's Dark in a ChocCherryCabSauv and a ChocRaspberryChambourcin. The last 2 wines are in their final stages and will be bottled in March, I think. I do want to make the ChocStrawberryPort recipe that is mentioned above, sounds fabulous.

 

[TARRENEL]

Ok once I move this batch to a secondary, the left overs inside the primary is called a slurry correct? If this is correct could I use this to start a batch of skeeter pee? Well this is my question, 1 gallon batch of slurry is good enough to do a 5 gallon batch of skeeter pee ?

 

[Arne]

Ok once I move this batch to a secondary, the left overs inside the primary is called a slurry correct? If this is correct could I use this to start a batch of skeeter pee? Well this is my question, 1 gallon batch of slurry is good enough to do a 5 gallon batch of skeeter pee ?

Yep, slurry from 1 gal. should be enough to start the 5 gal. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[TARRENEL]

Ok I took the SG and it was 0.984. I started with 1.090. So does that mean im 13.7 ABV? ! added 1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa powder and the smell is great hope it comes out great

 

[Flem]

I come up with 14%. 1.090 - .984 X 133 = 14.09%

 

[TARRENEL]

is that a little to high for a wine? I was looking for something near 12

 

[vschlaff]

I recieved great advice about adding chocolate just recently. I decided to order from olivenation.com and purchased star kay white chocolate extract. I ended up buying many flavors to try in the future. Good luck with your first batch!
Ginny

 

[TARRENEL]

Well I bought dutch processed cocoa powder made in italy and added 1/2 cup to my strawberry and over night puff it was all over the box i put the jug into good thing i put it in the box . Now it is calmed down a bit and about a 1/3 of the jug is really dark and thick. almost 2/3 of the jug is chocolate color but you can see it is a lot thinner then the other 1/3. Then the very top has about a 1 inch foam that has been there for about 2 days now(no bubbles coming from the airlock) . How long do you wait till you rack it off the crap on the bottom?

 

[saramc]

when using cocoa powder

Well I bought dutch processed cocoa powder made in italy and added 1/2 cup to my strawberry and over night puff it was all over the box i put the jug into How long do you wait till you rack it off the crap on the bottom?

Tarranel...can I ask at what point in your fermentation are you adding the cocoa powder? You mention you are using a jug, so I was curious exactly where you are in the process with your strawberry.

Also, Jack Keller talks about Dutch Cocoa (provides a lot of brand info), and chocolate wine in his 2/5/12 blog, has several recipes to share, one of them a Strawberry Chocolate Wine ... http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp

 

[TARRENEL]

The "mud" has settled to the bottom . My question is how long should I keep the wine on this "mud lees" before racking it off of it?