Another Strawberry Wine Question

[BobR]

Back in November, I started one gallon of strawberry wine, from frozen strawberries. The recipe called for 3 1/2 pounds and since I had close to five pounds sitting around, I used them all. The other day I racked the wine and it was pretty clear. It didn't smell too bad at all, so I just had to try a little. Oh...My..Gosh, that was some nasty tasting "stuff." My questions are: I plan on adding sugar to it, but not sure when to add. With maybe a 1/4 cup of sugar, will it ever mellow out? The juice has an orange tint to it. Is there anything that can be done to give it more of a red color? Even a pinkish tint would help to make it look better. Any ideas on when it could be bottled?
Thanks!

 

[Scott]

BobR,
You can sweeten anytime after it's stabilized, just adding little at a time depending on how you like your wine. I like my kinda tart so I don't add very much if any at all.
Let it sit a year at least and it should lose the nasty rating!
Can't help ya on the orange color, that is how mine turn out too. Maybe some add a flavor concentrate to help with the color and sweetness.

Good Luck

 

[CrimsonRose]

with my strawberry wines they tend to have an orange color as well... so I take just a touch of pomegranate juice or cranberry and add it to the wine... (Like 1 cup for a whole large carboy) and that will help the color... I have notice I do not like strawberry wine dry at all.. but after stabilizing it and sweetening it I really love it!

 

[mmadmikes1]

adding beet juice will add red color.

 

[BobR]

Thanks Scott, Crimson Rose and mmadmikes1 for all of your input! I'll give the juice thing a try. Nice to hear that others turn out orange too. With the taste and color, I was beginning to wonder if it was messed up. Only made one gallon to try, but if it turns out, I might make 5 - 6 gallons next time around....one gallon will not last long.

Wow Scott, you are in Boone? When my son was at Iowa State seven years ago, I always wanted to visit the Boone Scenic Valley Railroad, but I never made it there. As close as it was to Ames, I still kick myself for not taking the time to stop by and see it. My son was a member of the Iowa State Railroad Club and they would visit in the fall. Really enjoyed visiting Ames.

 

[dralarms]

I made one that was right clear looking. I added red food coloring. Then super kleer and the color held.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Next time i would up your amount - 6-7#'s per gallon.

Check your acid - a lot of times with strawberry you have a higher acid level - and when dry if your acid is not adjusted will taste bad.

I also don't care for a dry strawberry - i like to blend mine with peach wine to give it some body, depth, and more character....

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Beet juice will turn orange just as fast as strawberry. If you want to boost the color naturally you can always add some dried elderberries, a few ounces/gallon, not to much to make it a deep red wine but enough to boost the color a little and add some tannins to make the color last a long time. WVMJ

 

[BobR]

Elderberries? Can you buy dried elderberries? Ya just throw a few in the jug and let them sit and then filter them out on the next racking? Do you think that dried cranberries would do the same?

 

[skyrat]

I like to add some pure vanilla extract to my SB wine after fermentation when back sweetening. IMHO The vanilla really smooths out the flavor. But be careful not to add too much. 1- 2 tsp / gallon is what I have used tasting along the way.


I also think SBW is best NOT dry. You really loose the berry taste with most berries when there is no residual sugar. I target finish (backsweeten) most of my berry wines to around 1.010. After that I'll taste test to where I think it's right.

 

[BobR]

skyrat,

So along with your vanilla to smooth out the flavor you will also use sugar to sweeten the wine? I agree with you on the fact that strawberry is not good dry, or at least in my case, after three months, it is horrible tasting right now. This is my first time for strawberry and only my third time overall, so I don't know if given another 6 to 8 months it would mellow out on its own. I enjoy messing with my grapes more than I do making wine. I have found that they are more enjoyable and forgiving.

 

[skyrat]

Yes I will back sweeten Strawberry wine to take away the dry finish. My last batch cooked down to .992 SG and it was like drinking lighter fuel at testing.

Very Important...As Scott mentioned. The wine has to be stabilized IE: Sorbate and Kmeta treated to prevent re-fermentation.

For backsweetening you can use invert sugar or just plain sugar dissolved (completely) in water or even brown sugar. My primary fermentation is done with brown.

Go easy on the vanilla if you use it. Stir / taste test (bench trial if you will) along with your sugar additions. Forgot to record final SG at bottling on that batch but I like to get to around 1.010SG on most berry wines. . I added a 1/2 tsp at a time and only used 1tsp per gallon on last batch.

I'm rambling now but must add. IMO Strawberry wine should taste the way you want it prior to bottling and maybe just a little bit "less than" desired sweetness when ready to bottle. As others have noted on Strawberry. Time in bottle = better & better.

 

[BobR]

Yes I will back sweeten Strawberry wine to take away the dry finish. My last batch cooked down to .992 SG and it was like drinking lighter fuel at testing.


Go easy on the vanilla if you use it. Stir / taste test (bench trial if you will) along with your sugar additions. Forgot to record final SG at bottling on that batch but I like to get to around 1.010SG on most berry wines. . I added a 1/2 tsp at a time and only used 1tsp per gallon on last batch.

I hear ya on the lighter fluid! So about a 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp would be enough vanilla for a one gallon batch? 1.010 sounds good and maybe even 1.012, but once I get there, I'll have to taste it to make sure it's going to be drinkable. Is there an advantage to using brown sugar?

 

[novalou]

I hear ya on the lighter fluid! So about a 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp would be enough vanilla for a one gallon batch? 1.010 sounds good and maybe even 1.012, but once I get there, I'll have to taste it to make sure it's going to be drinkable. Is there an advantage to using brown sugar?

Try a sample with table sugar and another same with brown sugar, see which one you like better.

 

[skyrat]

Brown Sugar was used during Primary ferment. Did not try it in my backsweetening.

Like novalu suggested... try both. See which one you like.

On the Vanilla if you use it... 1/2 a tsp at a time then stir / taste. I wound up putting 1tsp in and initially it does not do much but after sitting in the bottle .... OMG did people rave about it. I thought it was pretty good myself.

 

[skyrat]

Concerning the use of brown sugar. Frequently use brown sugar in my lighter colored fruit wines. Seems to really do well when using Cotes De Blanc. Just my experience talking there.

 

[BobR]

Thanks guys! I plan on just letting sit for now, since it is only 3 months old. I recently rushed and bottled a 4 month old Concord and ended up with tartaric acid crystals in all of the bottles. I'll have to dump 65 bottles and re-bottle.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Why would you dump out your bottle just because of a few crystals? It wont hurt anything, just tell people that fine wines age and drop wine crystals and improve in taste. They really wont hurt anything if left in there and it is not worth exposing your finished wine to oxygenation just because of a few crystals. One little newbie mistake is about to be turned into a much bigger one that cant be cured. WVMJ

Thanks guys! I plan on just letting sit for now, since it is only 3 months old. I recently rushed and bottled a 4 month old Concord and ended up with tartaric acid crystals in all of the bottles. I'll have to dump 65 bottles and re-bottle.

 

[BobR]

Not doubting you at all on the wine crystals. I have talked with two enologists and a local winery owner and all three have said that the crystals are not bothering anything, but to me, it's just the fact that it looks like "crap." It's just not a perfect bottle of wine. Their only options were, leave it and drink, or re-bottle. Just another mistake to be added to the list of things to do, or not to do next year. Appreciate your input!

 

[skyrat]

I wound up with crystals in one of my Catawba wines. Left e'm there as it it a lot if work to get rid of something that is hurting nothing.

If you drink / serve a whole bottle of wine why not just decant into a carafe for serving?? 65 bottles is a lot a redo and there is always potential for ruining a perfectly good product. It is tasty isn't it???