quick question

[outbackmac]

We purchased a bucket of chiliean juice of Moscato sg is just now at 1.020 after 2 weeks in bucket, we would like to ad strawberries can we and if so how do you recommend this

 

[LoneStarLori]

You can still safely add them. But I would try to do it before it goes much lower. I would suggest frozen strawberries, preferably sliced. They are usually sold in a container like sour cream in the freezer section next to the frozen fruit. Buying frozen gives you a much stronger flavor because they are packed at their sweetest ripeness. At least 2 containers should work.
Put them in a strainer bag like a paint bag, or a mesh produce bag. Stir once daily and kind of squeeze the bag of strawberries with sanitized or gloved hands. Don't be brutal, you don't want a bunch of seeds.
You can find a few threads on here about adding fruit and raisins alone with some tips.

Thinking outside the box is one, and also When good wines gone bad.

Here's one I did with cherries. there are several tweaks and fpac additions on this thread if you have a few hours to read.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f84/thinking-outside-box-9155/index33.html#post493310

 

[outbackmac]

juice buckets

so i dont need to rack in glass carboy right away?

 

[sour_grapes]

You can go lower in SG before racking, if that is what you mean. You can go to 1.000 or less.

 

[cintipam]

Don't forget to add more pectin! Mine smells and tastes wonderful.

Pam in cinti

 

[LoneStarLori]

Don't forget to add more pectin! Mine smells and tastes wonderful.

Pam in cinti

Is pectin needed at this late in the game? Especially if the berries are frozen. I added triple berries and strawberries in a mist kit at
103 without issue. But this is lower so I can't say for sure.

 

[cintipam]

Of course I meant pectic enzyme. Anyway my readings here at WMT have led me to believe that PE is something that doesn't cause problems in wine like adding too late Yeast nutrient can. And since it's only gonna be there a couple days before racking I feel the PE will help get as much good out of these berries as possible. At least that is how I do fruit in wine. But there are lots of more experienced folks here (I do mean LOTS) so maybe somebody will come along and explain a new bit of need to know info that will improve my future wine. There is so much I don't know you could write a whole book about it!

STuff Pam doesn't know. Bigger than that manual on women that showed up on the joke forum.

Pam in cinti

 

[Julie]

Just a note, pectic enzyme doesn't work well during fermentation, it needs to be added prior to fermentation.

 

[SBWs]

Myself, I'd go a different way. I'd ferment dry and use the strawberries as a f-pac like the mist kits do. Doing it this was you can do bench trials to get the amount of strawberry flavor you want.

 

[cintipam]

Thank you Julie! I knew there was something I didn't know!!

Seriously I also just learned that tannin inactivates pectic enzyme. So many little nuances to finetune when making wine. I guess that's why it is called an art.

Pam in cinti

 

[LoneStarLori]

Thank you Julie! I knew there was something I didn't know!!

Seriously I also just learned that tannin inactivates pectic enzyme. So many little nuances to finetune when making wine. I guess that's why it is called an art.

Pam in cinti

Pam, I didn't think of that either. I may have known it at one time and forgot, but it eluded me too. Thanks Julie! We got free school'n today.

 

[outbackmac]

Thanks for all the helpful ideas. i addes 2 packs of frozen strawberries, and yes thawed sliced, and bagged, last night. will leave it go until SG comes down to 1.000.

Seriouslyy ou guys and gals are alot of help.

 

[sgtdean68w]

Just curious, where did you get the moscato bucket? I'd love to do a moscato batch or 2!

 

[outbackmac]

bucket

Listermans here in cincinnati

 

[outbackmac]

wine

On the directions for the juice buckets it says to add a stabilization packet but says nothing about killing the yeast. should will kill yeast before stabilizing?

 

[sour_grapes]

On the directions for the juice buckets it says to add a stabilization packet but says nothing about killing the yeast. should will kill yeast before stabilizing?

There isn't really anything in your winemaker's arsenal with which to kill the yeast. What exactly did you have in mind doing?

 

[cintipam]

Outbackmac, the usual procedure is to add both Kmeta and sorbate at the rate stated on your purchased package. Usual is 1/4 tsp of kmeta for 5-6 gals, and 1/2 tsp per gallon of Sorbate. Most folks say to dissolve sorbate in cold water then stir in, others just add the powder to the receiving carboy when racking. Technically the kmeta stuns the yeast, killing some. The sorbate prevents any remaining yeast from reproducing. so you need to wait for any live yeast to die before adding any sugar or fpak.

I actually tried to find a basic guide outlining these procedures step by step in both beginners forum and the wine makers tool box but there is soooo much there that I couldn't. Hopefully some one else will post a link as I know you really need to just read the steps over a few times to help get things straight in your head. I believe you said you had made kits, and that is great experience but they don't really teach you what you are doing, just tell you step by step what to do.

Anyone with a good link to help this newbie learn the steps?

Pam in cinti

 

[cintipam]

duplicate post

 

[fabrictodyefor]

There isn't really anything in your winemaker's arsenal with which to kill the yeast. What exactly did you have in mind doing?

Don't we "kill" the yeast when you add potasium sorbate? I may be spelling that wrong and don't want to run downstairs to look at my bag... I make a concord grape/blackberry Dragon's Blood that is my favorite. After it has fermented to dry and has sat a few weeks and after adding the potassium sorbate, I put it in a clean car boy on frozen blackberries for 6 weeks. I've made this twice and it has never started fermenting again.... I then rack to a clean car boy add clearing agent and bottle. During fermentation it has blackberries it in, but I don't re-add additional berries until it has fermented to dry.

 

[Floandgary]

Been doing some research/questioning on the topic of additives and have come to some conclusions based on input from a few, presumably more knowledgeable, winemakers than I. That is,,,, if you are making a concoction of your own design, (eg. fruits, DB, dandelion, etc.), you can feel free to experiment throughout the fermentation stages, which you may have to do anyway regarding Ph's, acids, sugars and so on. But when it comes to buckets and kits, most have been prepped to the point that they are ready for fermentation when you get them to your laboratory. To that point it has been recommended that these specific wines should be fermented typically to their own end (as dry as it will go), stabilized/degassed, and THEN toyed with. Meaning oaking, back-sweetening, flavoring, and whatever else suits the maker. This is my humble opinion and it has worked well for my taste. I just don't like messing with a pre-set product