strawberry needs

[victank1]

folks I need some help. I'm putting up my strawberry wine and after the sugar my sg is 1.10 what do I need before putting in the yeast..I have put 3 cans of concentrated grape juice and only 5 lbs of sugar,. the reciepe calls for 2and 1/2 lbs per gallon but I only added 5 lbs for 3 gallons

 

[Tom]

If you are using fresh strawberry add Pectic Enzyme 24 hrs before you add yeast.

 

[victank1]

using frozen 12 lbs

 

[victank1]

can I add water to bring it down?

 

[Bert]

First make sure this is your SG......If it is I would add some water to get the SG. down to about 1.080 to 1.085....when you go to secondary , have an extra bottle for the over run and use this to top up later.....By adding water you thin you wine base, but should ferment dry..Than make a flavor pack [sweetten if you like] and add to it after fermentation...Good Luck

 

[victank1]

thanks Bert, I will do

 

[Wade E]

Im thinking thats goint to need a lot of water and might dilute the flavor too much IMO. You will probably need to add some flavor cack when it is finished. Do you plan on sweetening this wine when it is finished, if so you will probably want to make a flavor pack with fresh or frozen strawberries or a frozen concentrate or even by getting some strawberry juice and condense it in a pot by simmering down.

 

[victank1]

Can I buy a strawberry flavor pack from my wine supply store? If so I'll pick one up when I rack into secondary carbouy

 

[Bert]

I don't think you will find a flavor pack as Wade described in a store, you will have to make it...Or there is fruit flavor extracts [from the store] that can be added....The flavor pack would add some body back to your wine as the extracts won't....Good Luck

 

[victank1]

Wade, how to make a flavor pack?

 

[Casper]

I had the same problem with my raspberry and I just got more raspberries did a small batchwithout adding sugar and I added it to the other.


Advise: don't use the sugar amount from recipes, add a bit of sugar and take the SG. and alsoadd sugar about .010 below your target. After 24 hrs the must will extra more sugar from the berries, reajust the sugarjust before you pitch the yeast.

 

[uavwmn]

victank, I just made my strawberry F-Pac last week. I would suggest using frozen strawberries, put them in a pan and simmer them. I added a cup of sugar also.

I added this to my wine, tasting as I went along. Then put your wine in a big stew pot with F-pac to maturate overnight.
Then I put the wine back in the glass jug with airlock.

Hope this helps.

 

[victank1]

that will work, Thanks Guys and Gals

 

[Wade E]

That is the way to do it, I dont recommend anyone using a essence bought in a store as they really taste horrible most of the time. I have found a few at very high end Chef stores though that were pretty good but they dont come close to making your own!

 

[whino-wino]

If you have an available carboy and more strawberries there is another option you can use to lower the abv and that is to go ahead and ferment this one at 1.10 and make another batch at a much lower S.G. (like 1.060) and then blend the two when you're done. Thing is you'd probably need another 3 gallon carboy for the second batch and a 6 gallon carboyto mix them together.




Edit - Use Champagne yeast with the first one if you're going to leave the S.G. at 1.10.