Strawberry wine ideas

[Ericphotoart]

I’m in the planning stage of next strawberry wine. My last one is still aging. It was just a regular strawberry wine so this time I’m thinking about adding something to make it more interesting. Maybe:
Mint leaves
Dried clementine peels
Cocoa nibs
Kiwi
Anyone did any of those and can share reviews?

 

[BigDaveK]

I made a pineapple-strawberry early this year. Not really planned, just happen to have the ingredients. Neither flavor is strong so they both shared the stage. It was very nice.

I also did a mint-raspberry. The raspberry was the dominant flavor, but the mint added a nice extra layer.

Haven't used your other ingredient ideas (yet) so I can't comment.

 

[Ericphotoart]

I did pineapple strawberry banana but I would prefer something with dominant strawberry flavor. Mint sounds good. Did you use mint during primary or aging? What amount of mint? I think about only a hint of mint flavor and I don’t want to overdo it

 

[BigDaveK]

In my short wine making adventure I've made three wines with strawberries and the flavor was noticeable and identifiable but lacked the "wow" I was hoping for. I plan to forego further attempts until I have knock-your-socks-off flavorful strawberries or have another way to heighten the flavor.

I added the mint in primary, making a strong tea with about 2 cups of fresh mint from the garden. I used "sweet mint" which I really like for cooking and as tea. It's not as powerful as spearmint or peppermint. I tried to identify it and found 4 different genus-species names for "sweet mint" so I don't know exactly what I have.

What other fruits do you have access to? Strawberry pairs well with many. Rhubarb, lemon, mango, peach and many more. Maybe use lemons and/or oranges as your acid source? And spices - maybe ginger, cloves, cinnamon in very small quantities.

I'm surprised others haven't added their thoughts.

 

[Ericphotoart]

I will need to check a few local stores for sweet mint. I am aging chocolate cherry wine and I really like the chocolate flavor in it. I used cocoa nibs so I'm thinking now about "Mint Chocolate Strawberry Wine". And maybe even with a few dried clementine peels?

 

[BigDaveK]

The most important guide is that you like it.
I experimented once with Dutch chocolate in secondary. Haven't used nibs yet. I see potential for future use but my freezer is still full of ingredients for wines in the queue.
I remember you posting about clementine peels before. I'm curious, how did that turn out?

 

[Ericphotoart]

I wasn't decided and finally I made a "cordial" with 192 proof rectified spirit, some sugar and of course the same amount of water to make it drinkable. But this is a whole different subject!

 

[hounddawg]

In my short wine making adventure I've made three wines with strawberries and the flavor was noticeable and identifiable but lacked the "wow" I was hoping for. I plan to forego further attempts until I have knock-your-socks-off flavorful strawberries or have another way to heighten the flavor.

I added the mint in primary, making a strong tea with about 2 cups of fresh mint from the garden. I used "sweet mint" which I really like for cooking and as tea. It's not as powerful as spearmint or peppermint. I tried to identify it and found 4 different genus-species names for "sweet mint" so I don't know exactly what I have.

What other fruits do you have access to? Strawberry pairs well with many. Rhubarb, lemon, mango, peach and many more. Maybe use lemons and/or oranges as your acid source? And spices - maybe ginger, cloves, cinnamon in very small quantities.

I'm surprised others haven't added their thoughts.

let your strawberry bulk for 2 years and it will knock your socks off, I double to triple the amount of strawberry most recipes call for.
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

I did pineapple strawberry banana but I would prefer something with dominant strawberry flavor. Mint sounds good. Did you use mint during primary or aging? What amount of mint? I think about only a hint of mint flavor and I don’t want to overdo it

try using pure apple juice in place of water, and strawberry needs aged to be really good,,,
Dawg

 

[winemaker81]

In my short wine making adventure I've made three wines with strawberries and the flavor was noticeable and identifiable but lacked the "wow" I was hoping for. I plan to forego further attempts until I have knock-your-socks-off flavorful strawberries or have another way to heighten the flavor.

While I'm not going to argue with Richard, backsweeten with strawberry concentrate.

 

[Ericphotoart]

2 years, hmmm, I will probably need to hibernate myself for the next year.

 

[BigDaveK]

While I'm not going to argue with Richard, backsweeten with strawberry concentrate.

Yes, that's a possibility, but that seems like "cheating" to me, you know what I mean. If possible I'd like to avoid that route, but if I can't. so be it.

 

[Jovimaple]

Yes, that's a possibility, but that seems like "cheating" to me, you know what I mean. If possible I'd like to avoid that route, but if I can't. so be it.

I had a conversation with a winery owner (Iowa Winemaker of the Year at least once and has won many, many awards for his wines) who said he uses the same type of juice concentrate he ferments to backsweeten the resulting wine.

If I recall correctly, he said he reserves about 10% of the concentrate for backsweetening (it may have been 1 part concentrate to 10 parts fermented). His fruit wines have incredible flavor and mouthfeel and my goal in my home winemaking is to try to come close to his!

If you backsweeten with sugar or simple syrup, you are adding volume but no flavor. Using the fruit juice or concentrate adds both sweetness and flavor, as well as improving the mouthfeel.

I made a batch of peach earlier this fall, and when I backsweeten it sometime next year, I am going to use peach nectar. I have been making kit wines and SP lately, so I haven't had a chance to try this method of backsweetening but I am looking forward to it!

 

[Arne]

If it is already clear and you backsweeten with concentrate it will most likely turn cloudy again. you will have to wait again for it to clear. Also stabalize before sweetening or it will most likely referment. Arne.

 

[Jovimaple]

If it is already clear and you backsweeten with concentrate it will most likely turn cloudy again. you will have to wait again for it to clear. Also stabalize before sweetening or it will most likely referment. Arne.

Yes to all of this!!

For my peach wine, I am letting time do its thing. It's aging with just kmeta and that's the plan for at least 9 months so all the yeastie beasties are dead, then more aging after backsweetening.

But if I wanted to do it faster, I would use potassium sorbate before backsweetening, and use clearing agents.

 

[VinesnBines]

Strawberry alone was wonderful and strawberry/rhubarb was every bit as good.

 

[hounddawg]

While I'm not going to argue with Richard, backsweeten with strawberry concentrate.

hey somebody needs to, shoot if no one chews me, i'm lost,,, lol
Dawg

 

[Ericphotoart]

try using pure apple juice in place of water, and strawberry needs aged to be really good,,,
Dawg

So basically you make apple strawberry wine. I don’t believe pure apple juice will not be a strong flavor in this wine

 

[BigDaveK]

Can I change my answer?

My previous opinion of strawberry wine was based on one bottled earlier in the year and tastes of two just before bottling. Today I opened my first bottle of a pineapple strawberry bottled a month+ ago and I was shocked. Removing the cork I immediately smelled strawberries. And the flavor - strong strawberry! I used a combination of fresh and canned pineapple and organic pineapple juice and I can't taste pineapple at all. Just strawberry. Strong strawberry. It's wonderful!

I can only surmise that the pineapple boosted the strawberry flavor. Or at least my perception of the strawberry flavor. This also tells me to play with pineapple more.

 

[hounddawg]

So basically you make apple strawberry wine. I don’t believe pure apple juice will not be a strong flavor in this wine

no very light, as is pear and peach, and @winemaker81 is correct, if you use strawberry concentrate it will keep your pure strawberry taste, i use a strawberry concentrate, but i use way less water then called for in their reconstruing the juice for a much bolder flavor, check these out
www.colomafrozen.com
Dawg