Strawberry wine is on the menu

Discussion in 'Country Fruit Winemaking' started by dralarms, May 18, 2018.

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  1. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Just bought 104 lbs of strawberries. Anyone interested UGO has them for 1.00 a LB
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2018
    dralarms, May 18, 2018
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    mainshipfred and Julie like this.
  2. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    They are cleaned and in the freezer, out of 104 lbs we got about 99 lbs of useable fruit. Going to be a good batch. :db
     
    dralarms, May 22, 2018
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  3. Cxwgfamily

    Cxwgfamily Member

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    Just curious, were are you located and are the strawberries early season, middle season, or late season berries. Have you experimented with berries from different times of the growing season? I purposely waited this year for middle season berries just to compare to last years berries which were early season.
     
    Cxwgfamily, May 24, 2018
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  4. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Ea
    Eastern Tennessee , and I’m guessing mid season. They were really sweet tasting.
     
    dralarms, May 24, 2018
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  5. Arne

    Arne Senior Member

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    Sweet tasting, huh? there is part of the 5 lbs you lost. We went to a upickit patch once, they told us so much a pound for what you brought up to weigh and all the berries you can eat for free. Hope your wine comes out great. Arne.
     
    Arne, May 25, 2018
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  6. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Thanks. My last batch was too sweet after aging. Learned a lot since then.
     
    dralarms, May 25, 2018
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  7. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Final tally is 99 lbs 10 oz. pretty good for 104 lbs. my 20 gallon fermenter is full along with a 6.5 1/2 full. Plenty of pectic enzyme (guessing 4 to 5 oz), that’ break them down good. Added 3 gallons of apple juice just to have some liquid for the pectic to have some stuff to work with.
     
    dralarms, May 26, 2018
    #7
    meadmaker1 and geek like this.
  8. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Checked it this morning, still cold but no longer frozen. Mostly liquid now. Added sugar and yeast. Will update once I have it in the carboy(s) and find out what my yield is.
     
    dralarms, May 28, 2018
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  9. meadmaker1

    meadmaker1 Member Supporting Member

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    Starting e.g.?
    I like the use of apple juice rather than water.
     
    meadmaker1, May 28, 2018
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  10. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Unfortunately I couldn’t get a good measurement. I added 9 lbs of sugar to begin with an once I am able to rack it into a carboy I’ll be able to take a reading and if low add a little sugar at a time until it’s finished.
     
    dralarms, May 28, 2018
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  11. meadmaker1

    meadmaker1 Member Supporting Member

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    This sounds like a ----- THIS IS JUST HOW I DO IT ------ thing.
     
    meadmaker1, May 28, 2018
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  12. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    My starting brix is 21.9
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2018
    dralarms, May 28, 2018
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  13. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Ok, strawberry is in the carboys, 15 gallons. Sure there will be some fallout but if I end up with 12 gallons out of 99 lbs 10 oz I’ll be happy.

    The scraps left over was about the size of 2 softballs. Didn’t weight it but guessing 3 lbs at the most.
     
    dralarms, Jun 3, 2018
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  14. meadmaker1

    meadmaker1 Member Supporting Member

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    That's pretty dry scrap. Do you press, drip, squeeze ?
    I did 25lbs of frozen, that I buy from kiwanis club, in what is finishing at 5 gallons and i had at least that much.
     
    meadmaker1, Jun 3, 2018
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  15. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Hand squeeze. And yes pretty dry, when I dump it out it comes out in big clumps
     
    dralarms, Jun 3, 2018
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  16. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Just racked off the lees, ended up with 13 gal, 1.5 bottles. Still has some clearing to do but should end up with 12.5 to 13 gal. Smells wonderful.
     
    dralarms, Jun 16, 2018
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  17. jaxsoneric34

    jaxsoneric34 Junior

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    Just started a 2 gal batch yesterday in a 3 gal fastferment! Really excited to try the fastferment! He was my satrting stats

    S.G. 1.090
    pH 3.30
    Acid .60

    Will be using the premier cuvee yeast by red star. What does everyone else use and what have you had success and failure with for yeast?
     
    jaxsoneric34, Jul 1, 2018
    #17
  18. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    Racked mine off yesterday and now have 13.7 gallons of clear strawberry wine, super dry right now, going to give it a week before I stabilize and back sweeten.
     
    dralarms, Jul 1, 2018
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  19. dralarms

    dralarms Overboard as usual Staff Member Super Moderator

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    No experience with any red star yeasts. I use lavin on everything
     
    dralarms, Jul 1, 2018
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  20. Cxwgfamily

    Cxwgfamily Member

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    When you stabilize, how much Kmeta and Sorbate do you use? I have about 10 gals of strawberry ready to stabilize and back sweeten and i am want to survey what others do. cxwgfamily
     
    Cxwgfamily, Jul 5, 2018
    #20
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