Strawberry wine and starting SG 1.1? is this okay?

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Well I am back and just started my next batch-strawberry wine. I hope I did okay with the ingredients here is what i did. This is based off a recipe I found online.

12#strawberry
8 # sugar
2 tablespoons citric acid
added water to 3 gallons total

Well I am a goof ball and didnt add sugar according to the hydrometer reading but just added a straight 8#s. (hence my name) and when it was all said and done the SG was 1.2 which is high? So I added more water to get the SG down and am about 3.3 gallons with a SG of 1.1. I know this is a bit high but am I still in okay shape? would it be better to add more water to it and see if I cant get it down more? or just let it go? Please let me know if you have an opinion on this. And yes i do blame aldis for that cheap strawberry sale
 
Wine. 8# IS ALOT FOR ANYTHING DONT PANICK YET. Why didnt you poip in and ask?

Strawberry likes nutrients. Have you pitched the yeast? What is youre SG? are you going to keep messing with it or wait for an answer?

What kind of yeast?

So you took it upon yourself to add more water.

Check in next time!!!!!!!!!

It'll be a little high on the ABV but you will be okay. You can alwys augment it later when you sweeten it.

Most fruit wines, especially strawberry, rhubarb, and melons dont like to be ferneted over 1.090.

But thats not the end of the world.

Post the entire recipe, than we can offer to give you qualified sheets.

I think you are fine though. have you already pitched the yeast? What kind? What temnp?

You should already know better than to come here and ask without giving us detaILS.!! lol

If you dont think you need a hydrometer than sell the thing. I only hope you arent reloading your own too!!!!

LOL
 
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That is a pretty high gravoty for Strawberry especially with a low amount of strawberry. Strawberries consist of a lot of water so 6 lbs per gallon is really recommended to have a decent flavor and a starting sg of 1.085 is really desired with weaker fruit wines like this. Id add more strawberries and adjust a few things like nutrient, pectic enzyme, acid and a little moer water to get this up to a 5 gallon batch. Do you have a 5 gallon carboy?
 
OUCH ! rocket fuel. You shoulda chwecked here 1st. Like above said there is alot that needs fixing. Maybe to much to save.
 
Yeah - i would adjust to a 5 gallon batch if you want to salvage this.

Add around 18# more - that would be sufficient for a 5 gallon batch - add water to the 5 gallon mark as well. Also adjust your other additives as well to match.

Take an SG reading - and see what it is.
 
add more strawberries is my best fix, without sugar being added it will work better than just upsizing. If you go to 5 gasllons I would add another 15 pounds of berries. If you stay at 3 gallons add about 5 pounds and get 5 more pounds to make an F-Pac. The F-Pac with reduce the alcohal content % at end. This wine is far from messed up, fixed wine have been some of my best.
 
By the number of responses I am quite concerned

Yes I should have checked here first..who the hell is posting all these crappy wine recipes on the internet anyway. That was the complete recipe

12#strawberry
8 # sugar
2 tablespoons citric acid
added water to 3 gallons total

In detail I put 12#s of strawberries (squished) in a primary fermentor added 8# sugar and 2 tablespoon citric acid and added hot water to a quantity of 3.4 gallons. The specific gravity is 1.1. I used champagne yeast and its going absolutely crazy right now. ( I mean am I dumb or what) Its smells like I am making strawberry bread or something

SO i can fix this by adding more strawberries until I get a specific gravitiy of around 1.085 and if i don't do that I will have a light tasting strawberry flavored 20% "wine"? (rocket fuel?) looks like I am going back to aldies tomorrow morning
 
get some frozen or fresh strawberries. OR!

OR, add some orange juice concentrate, (frozen) or some other frozen concentrate This IS NOT lost!

If you add more Strawberries, or anything else, you are still going to increase the ABV if you dont add water to increae the total volume of your primary must.

Personally, and thats my opinion only, if you have it fermenting, let it do its thing.

If you are in a postion to start another batch do that.

Remember the old phrase about letting the water flow under the bridge?

Nothing wrong with rocket fuel. I say....back sweeten it later by reducing some frozen strawberries and add it before you bottle it.

Good luck, keep us posted on what you do.

But what ever you decide dont dump it. Wade and the gang impose huge fines for that kind of talk!!!!!!!!!
 
Okay so can anyone makeshift a 5-6 gallon recipe that would fit in with what i have currently added.(mentioned above) I mean I dunno with pectic enzymes or any of that stuff what do you guys and gals think?
 
Personally I wouldnt FKC with it. Live and learn. Its not going to be bad!!!

If its fermenting like crazy leave it alone.

After its done fermenting, we'll fix it and turn it into a Boones Farm thing.

Ever coked something and kept FC with it and really messed it up?
I say(only my opinion) let it go.

Lets start another batch Whas next?

I would however go back to Aldis and pick up like another 8#, even 6. You can use that to backsweeten it when it is all done.

Batch is NOT ruined.

Quit talking like that!! Just not what you wanted. Life is like that.

but get some more berries, especially if theyre cheap.

In 6 months or a year you will be surprised how good it turns out.

Again, this is MY OPINION, and I dont have the qualifications of others who may tell you different.

Best luck to you.

Do you have a name WROOK. No strangers in here.
?
 
alright unless someone can come up with a solution and i decide to backsweeten how does that go. I can buy 8#s now for about 8 bucks but how do I store them until I need them?

My name is Tim. If you want to know a little about me I am in my last year of pharmacy school and apparently I like to take my repressed aggression out on my wine batches.

Thanks,

Tim
 
TIM, calm down bro!!!

Get what you can. Pluck the green leaves off the top, slice them in half and freeze them. No need to add sugar, blanch them or anything lse. Just freeze them!!!!!

You wont need to be backsweetening for several weeks.

Look through this entire forum. Be glad you have something fermenting that agressively, some of these people are freaking out becausethey have slow, stuck, or no fermentation at all.

You'll be fine buddy. Take it easy.

Nothing is lost here, you're money is not wasted.

:hug
 
Tim, Freeze them. I dont agree with Artic, adding fruit now will make it better, being said, "Knock the Panies Off" strawberry has been a hit and it is strawberry rocket fuel with taste. Personaly I would get 25 pounds of berries and make take 15 pounds, freeze and thaw. In a bucket add boiling water up to 2 gallons and 2teaspoon of pectic enzymes. let sit over night. Check sg. take it to 1.06 by adding disolved sugar. add to working wine 1/2 than 4 hours or so later add other 1/2. Take remander of berries and freeze. You will use them to make an F-Pac. the method of making an f-pac is posted. yep anyone here who thinks this wont work feel free to add in. I have been wrong before, but I think this is what I would do.
 
Thats only because you cant spell ARCTIC, but dont feel bad, I cant spell remeber either.

Thanks for jumping in. Tim is about to lose his mind and take up a more precise hobby like pharmeceutical manipulation.

I cant spell that either.
 

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