Strawberry Wine Question

[mjdtexan]

I am doing one of Jack Keller's recipes for strawberry wine. His recipe is as follows

<UL>
<LI>3 lbs. fresh strawberries
<LI>2-1/2 lbs. granulated sugar
<LI>2 tsp. citric acid
<LI>water to make 1 gallon
<LI>wine yeast &amp; nutrient </LI>[/list]






Place all ingredients except yeast in crock. Crush fruit with hands and cover with 5 pints boiling water. Stir with wooden paddle to dissolve sugar and simultaneously mash the strawberries. When cooled to 85 degrees F., add yeast. Cover and stir daily. Strain on 7th day, transfer to secondary fermentation vessel, top up to one gallon, fit fermentation trap, and set aside. Rack after 30 days and again after additional 30 days. Bottle when clear. Allow to age at least 6 months. Will improve to one year.

I am not seeing anything for camden tablets or anything like that. Right now I am still a recipe follower so I am not sure when to add these things when I dont see them. Shouldn't I be using some Pectic Enzyme, Camden tablets and stuff like that? Or should I just follow the recipe to the tee? I have already got the strawberries crushed and in the primary with the correct amount of sugar and citric acid.


One more thing, I am not sure how much nutrient to put so I have not put any yet. Any ideas?


I also noticed that it will be impossible to take a SG reading because of all of the mashed up strawberries. What do you do about that?

 

[gaudet]

I am doing one of Jack Keller's recipes for strawberry wine. His recipe is as follows

<ul>
[*]3 lbs. fresh strawberries
[*]2-1/2 lbs. granulated sugar
[*]2 tsp. citric acid
[*]water to make 1 gallon
[*]wine yeast &amp; nutrient [/list]






Place all ingredients except yeast in crock. Crush fruit with hands and cover with 5 pints boiling water. Stir with wooden paddle to dissolve sugar and simultaneously mash the strawberries. When cooled to 85 degrees F., add yeast. Cover and stir daily. Strain on 7th day, transfer to secondary fermentation vessel, top up to one gallon, fit fermentation trap, and set aside. Rack after 30 days and again after additional 30 days. Bottle when clear. Allow to age at least 6 months. Will improve to one year.

I am not seeing anything for camden tablets or anything like that. Right now I am still a recipe follower so I am not sure when to add these things when I dont see them. Shouldn't I be using some Pectic Enzyme, Camden tablets and stuff like that? Or should I just follow the recipe to the tee? I have already got the strawberries crushed and in the primary with the correct amount of sugar and citric acid.


One more thing, I am not sure how much nutrient to put so I have not put any yet. Any ideas?


I also noticed that it will be impossible to take a SG reading because of all of the mashed up strawberries. What do you do about that?

As for the campden, since you are boiling the mixture that should be sufficient to kill the yeast and bacteria that are present. I would add the pectic enzyme to maximize the juice extraction and to possibly avoid a pectin haze that I have yet to experience (knock on wood).

Since this seems to be a 1 gallon batch you can get yourself a 1 gallon paint strainer bag(from Home Depot or Sherwin Williams). Sanitize it and pour your berry pulp through it straining it. Then return it to your primary vessel. You could then take a sample big enough to get a sg reading with minimal pulp. Tie off the strainer bag with some sanitized string or yarn and leave the bag in for 5-6 days of primary fermentation. You can squeeze the bag to extract the juice before you remove it (if there is anything left in there) When you check your must daily (and I know you will) make sure to push down the strainer bag with the pulp. You want it to stay wet. Use a sanitized spoon to stir and push down the strainer bag.

Hope this helps

 

[mjdtexan]

It does. I thank you. I didnt add the camden but I did ada tea spoon of the pectic enzyme. Is that enough???

 

[gaudet]

You and I get our supplies from George, so I guess that you have the same product that I do (pectic enzyme).

The LD Carlson says 1/2 tsp per gallon. But if you used a whole tsp it shouldn't hurt as your recipe should allow for a little more volume then you are shooting for (ie a little more than 1 gallon)

My yeast nutrient (which I got from George) is 1 tsp per gallon. You can add that pre fermentation

 

[mjdtexan]

You and I get our supplies from George, so I guess that you have the same product that I do (pectic enzyme).

The LD Carlson says 1/2 tsp per gallon. But if you used a whole tsp it shouldn't hurt as your recipe should allow for a little more volume then you are shooting for (ie a little more than 1 gallon)

My yeast nutrient (which I got from George) is 1 tsp per gallon. You can add that pre fermentation

Thank You for that. I didnt get my chemicals from George. I wish I had of because I would be that much closer to being in the growers club. I will be getting everything else from him for the most part. The only reason I wouldnt would be if it were not economicly (sp?) feasable. So far he is spot on most of it.


No need for tannin here?

 

[gaudet]

You could if you want to, its 1/2 tsp per gallon..... LD Carlson variety wine tannin

 

[mjdtexan]

You could if you want to, its 1/2 tsp per gallon..... LD Carlson variety wine tannin

I guess what I am getting at is do I need to do this, will it help me age the wine if I chose to?

 

[gaudet]

Adding tannin will allow you to age the wine a little longer. And if that is your intent then do it. As to how much longer, I couldn't tell you. I will be getting some flats of strawberries next week (hopefully). I plan to make a 6 gallon batch for the first time. I will add pectic enzyme and I will also add the tannin

 

[mjdtexan]

Adding tannin will allow you to age the wine a little longer. And if that is your intent then do it. As to how much longer, I couldn't tell you. I will be getting some flats of strawberries next week (hopefully). I plan to make a 6 gallon batch for the first time. I will add pectic enzyme and I will also add the tannin

Ok, thank you. I am just wanting some of it to last until Christmas so that I can give it away to family as gifts. Tannin it is then.


I did cheat a little on the recipe, I used 5 lbs of strawberries.

 

[gaudet]

That's not cheating. Just make sure to make a little more than 1 gallon worth for topping off. You could make 1.25 gallons. FYI fruit wines are supposed to last for 2-3 years without tannins.

 

[mjdtexan]

A couple of days ago I found strawberries on sale for $5 a case. Each case had four plastic containers holding 2 pounds of strawberries each for a total of eight pounds a case. I scarfed up on those cases. I have a 6 gallon batch going now that I used 24 pounds of strawberries in. I also have 24 lbs of strawberries in the freezer now. Kinda happy about that.

 

[Tom]

Midtexan,

Get some more and make a f-pac and freeze that. Add when finished fining.

 

[mjdtexan]

Midtexan,

Get some more and make a f-pac and freeze that. Add when finished fining.

I need to learn how to make fruit packs.

 

[gaudet]

Midtexan,

Get some more and make a f-pac and freeze that. Add when finished fining.</font>

Won't that cloud the wine back up? I thought you added it before fining so that you can clear out the sediment it may reintroduce.

Thats a heck of a deal on those berries. We can get em for $14 a flat which has 12 pint sized containers. They should be 12 #s a flat. I need 3 flats to make some wine and have some left over for eating purposes. This will be my first attempt at strawberry wine myself.

 

[Wade E]

That is a great deal and I usually add the f-pack before fining or after but will let that settle out for some time, dont add after if you are looking to bottle soon just in case.

 

[Tom]

You add the F-PAC after k-meta and before clearing. That way when you add the F-pac you let it sit a week or so then add clearing agent. You will need to transfer at least 2 more times. About 2 weeks before bottling backsweeten to YOUR taste. Wait and see ifit that "cloudes" it up. When clear and YOU are happy with the flavor and sweetness then bottle.

 

[joeswine]

you have learned well grasshopper

 

[Tom]

you have learned well grasshopper

I learned from a "Friend"