Ok so I am failing horribly and I'm not sure how to make it better in the future. It seems that I lucked out with my first batch but all the following batches have been iffy if not just bad! Here is where I'm at now:
I have two separate gallon batches of Strawberry (1 Strawberry and 1 Strawberry lemonade). It is ready to sweeten and bottle...but neither one tastes very good. I kind of expected this because I found out (after I started them) that the recipe I had followed told me to put in about half as much fruit as should be added; so I expect it to have little taste but it can still be good and not be bursting with flavor...or so I thought.
I stabilized each gallon last Sunday and I sweetened them today. I ended up adding 7 oz of sugar to the Strawberry and 6 oz to the Strawberry Lemonade. My husband thinks that they both kind of taste like rubber which I can't lie they have that smell but I figured it was just from the stopper so I went on. After adding the 2 parts sugar/1 part water mixtures they still don't taste very good. I decided to check their ph levels (which I just got my ph meter in the mail not long ago) and I'm not sure my ph tester is working because I don't have the stuff to calibrate it and it says that my wine has about the same ph as coca-cola...both at 7.02-7.05?!? That doesn't seem right to me so I'm confused about that too. Even if it is not calibrated it should be able to tell somewhat of a difference between the two.
I also don't really know if testing the pH would have really done anything anyways. When should the acid be tested and adjusted? Right before bottling? Right after primary before secondary? I'm just so confused on so many things. It just seems the more I try to do things more correctly I just get more confused.
I know I only asked one real question but I am confused about a lot so any help suggestions or help would be WONDERFUL!!!
Thanks so much (sorry about the long post)
I have two separate gallon batches of Strawberry (1 Strawberry and 1 Strawberry lemonade). It is ready to sweeten and bottle...but neither one tastes very good. I kind of expected this because I found out (after I started them) that the recipe I had followed told me to put in about half as much fruit as should be added; so I expect it to have little taste but it can still be good and not be bursting with flavor...or so I thought.
I stabilized each gallon last Sunday and I sweetened them today. I ended up adding 7 oz of sugar to the Strawberry and 6 oz to the Strawberry Lemonade. My husband thinks that they both kind of taste like rubber which I can't lie they have that smell but I figured it was just from the stopper so I went on. After adding the 2 parts sugar/1 part water mixtures they still don't taste very good. I decided to check their ph levels (which I just got my ph meter in the mail not long ago) and I'm not sure my ph tester is working because I don't have the stuff to calibrate it and it says that my wine has about the same ph as coca-cola...both at 7.02-7.05?!? That doesn't seem right to me so I'm confused about that too. Even if it is not calibrated it should be able to tell somewhat of a difference between the two.
I also don't really know if testing the pH would have really done anything anyways. When should the acid be tested and adjusted? Right before bottling? Right after primary before secondary? I'm just so confused on so many things. It just seems the more I try to do things more correctly I just get more confused.
I know I only asked one real question but I am confused about a lot so any help suggestions or help would be WONDERFUL!!!
Thanks so much (sorry about the long post)