New batch

[WAC4504]

Just started a batch of strawberry wine and did it right for a change. Used 21& 1/2 lbs. of strawberries for 5 gallons, this will be the first time I got the recipe right and even added extra to adjust for lack of ripeness. It smells great even while it's fermenting, can't wait to see how it turns out. Starting gravity was 1.098, 13% ABV. From the way it smells I may have to make more of this. Oh yeah, used D47 yeast, anyone have any suggestions on back sweeting? would love to hear them, saved the left over sugar syrup and planned on using that.

 

[WAC4504]

Update

Started last Sat. transferring to secondary today, SG 1.000. First time I've had that happen, might be a good sign.

 

[Tnuscan]

Congrats. I'm drinking some sweet strawberry at this very moment. It is not mine though, I just pulled the #'s and it's sitting at 1.010 Sg. Just take a sample and test to your liking. This is a little too sweet for me but everyone loves it. It's also @ 12.5% abv.

 

[hounddawg]

I tend to run my ABV higher, but I like mine around SG 1.030. But no matter how sweet or dry,,,, take out three bottles ,, come bottling time right after sorbate but before back sweetening and back sweetening with granular honey, not powdered honey that's mainly. Cane sugar, not liquid honey, don't know why,, but taste will not be right either, use grandular take SG to same as your other strawberry heaven, 3 bottles drink one at six months, drink second at one year, you'll have the third to cry over. If you loved the first two, and one little secret back sweetening with granular honey hides the taste of alcohol in hot wine (high abv)
Just my 2 CENTS
DAWG

 

[hounddawg]

You must have lost my address's I still don't have my glass off sttrawbedrry wine
Dawg






QUOTE=Tnuscan;637986]Congrats. I'm drinking some sweet strawberry at this very moment. It is not mine though, I just pulled the #'s and it's sitting at 1.010 Sg. Just take a sample and test to your liking. This is a little too sweet for me but everyone loves it. It's also @ 12.5% abv.[/QUOTE]

 

[WAC4504]

I tend to run my ABV higher, but I like mine around SG 1.030. But no matter how sweet or dry,,,, take out three bottles ,, come bottling time right after sorbate but before back sweetening and back sweetening with granular honey, not powdered honey that's mainly. Cane sugar, not liquid honey, don't know why,, but taste will not be right either, use grandular take SG to same as your other strawberry heaven, 3 bottles drink one at six months, drink second at one year, you'll have the third to cry over. If you loved the first two, and one little secret back sweetening with granular honey hides the taste of alcohol in hot wine (high abv)
Just my 2 CENTS
DAWG

Where do you find your granular honey? I'd love to try it. I have some plum that's at 15%, I sorbated and added glycerin to it and just waiting for it to finish clearing. Then, wouldn't mind trying it on that either.

 

[hounddawg]

granular honey

I get mine thrughe-bay I think I buy in bulkan for get, I'll look
In my records an get back to you, you must check ingrefteants , you need to the the one with just honey and stabilizer, that being the only two invgreteants ,
Dawg


UOTE=WAC4504;638561]Where do you find your granular honey? I'd love to try it. I have some plum that's at 15%, I sorbated and added glycerin to it and just waiting for it to finish clearing. Then, wouldn't mind trying it on that either.[/QUOTE]

 

[WAC4504]

Up date on strawberry wine, after racking to secondary I wound up with about 4 gallons in a 5 gal. carboy, I didn't top up yet 'cause I'm waiting for the remainder of the lees to give up its wine. I put 3/4 gallon of sed. into a gallon jug and left it sit , so far there is about a quart of wine? and 1/2 gal. of lees. From what I've read on the D-47 yeast it said it did well aging on the lees. Plan to siphon off the gallon jug when the lees become hard/compacted. Then add this to the wine in the carboy as long as it smells ok. If I'm wrong some one please let me know, I hate to waste my time, and resources, but since I don't drink wine I don't mind experimenting. Worse case, I give it all away and tell them to mix with ginger ale.

 

[Scooter68]

I would not recommend leaving that 4 gallons in the 5 gallon container with that much headspace - if fermentation is over you should be minimizing exposure to oxygen now. Perhaps some course filtering/straining asap of the lees. Also leaving any potential good wine in with the lees is a risk of picking up off flavors from the lees. Use Cheese cloth then muslin and get as much as you can off the lees and move on. You can even twist the muslin to squeeze out the liquid.

 

[WAC4504]

I would not recommend leaving that 4 gallons in the 5 gallon container with that much headspace - if fermentation is over you should be minimizing exposure to oxygen now. Perhaps some course filtering/straining asap of the lees. Also leaving any potential good wine in with the lees is a risk of picking up off flavors from the lees. Use Cheese cloth then muslin and get as much as you can off the lees and move on. You can even twist the muslin to squeeze out the liquid.

Thanks, I'll get that done this week, I have the cheese cloth and muslin, and even a new case of gallon jugs. Already thought about aging in 1 gallon jugs to take care of headspace. That's what I like about this forum, someone always has the answer. Thanks again, Bill