Finally was able to get a batch of strawberry wine started [ 3 gal. batch]...they have been in the freezer sense this past summer....Got the strawberries at a local u-pick.....the smell from steamer was awesome....32 lbs to go...
Strawberry Wine
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Cracked Cork
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Are you using 100% strawberry juice from the steamer? How much juice are you getting from your strawberries? We are thinking of steaming a batch and going 100% juice this spring. Crackedcork
Sorry for misinformation....I did a 4 lb per gallon batch....the 32 lbs to go is what I have left in the freezer...
Cracked Corks; I got 12.5 pts of juice from 12 lbs of strawberries...but I didn't spend a lot of time juicing them, as I put the remains in a straining bag and added them to the batch...Hoping to get a little more out of them and to keep the nice strawberry color it had..
Cracked Corks; I got 12.5 pts of juice from 12 lbs of strawberries...but I didn't spend a lot of time juicing them, as I put the remains in a straining bag and added them to the batch...Hoping to get a little more out of them and to keep the nice strawberry color it had..
Cracked Cork
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I want to take 30 pounds for 3 gallons. Why did you steam juice them if you are putting the pulp back into the must, you could have saved yourself the trouble of steaming them if you were going to do that? We have also had some good luck adding a little extra dried malt extract to really boost the body of strawberry.
Crackedcorks
Crackedcorks
Others have posted about losing the color when making strawberry wine....I hoping adding the pulp would help.....the extra dried malt you added, that was light malt???? and did you add it up front or too the secondary......Also how did you prep the malt before adding it???? And how much per gallon???Thanks for the help...
I believe its the adding of sulfites that makes this specific wine lose its color. Maybe you can just use more ascorbic acid on this and less sulfites to remedy this problem. I would use Extra light Dry Malt extract. Its usually used in primary right in the beginning replacing some of the sugar and since its much easier for yeast to eat it really doesnt need inverting first just pour it in with the juice but mix it oin good while doing so as it likes to clump up.
Cracked Cork
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Extra light is the only one you want to use with wine, especially with strawberry. To dissolve it we use a whisk in the hot juice, a pound in 3 gallons is about right. I was trying to figure out why you went through the trouble of steaming them just to put the pulp back in, one of the main reasons to steam is to extract the juice and keep it separated from the pulp. If you want to add a little red color some elderberries helps with that a lot. CC
Bert said:
tonyandkory
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We just started a batch of strawberry wine.
2 pounds per gallon for a 6 gallon batch 12lb
It is in secondary now and is hot pink with a strong berry odor and flavor.
we put the berries through a blender and put them in a two strainer bags.
every day we squeezed them to extract juice and color for a week.
In the end all we had left was a little pulp and a bunch of seeds.
We will see how it turns out but I think next time we will tripple the amount of berries.
this will require a bigger primary though.
here is where we started
strawberry 12 pounds strawberries, 3camden tabs, bentonite, yeast nutrient, water to 6 gal, 1/2 tsp acid blend, red star Cote des Blancs 1/30/2012 6 gallons 13.5 lb 1.104
... let us know how it turns out... I will do the same.
Tony
2 pounds per gallon for a 6 gallon batch 12lb
It is in secondary now and is hot pink with a strong berry odor and flavor.
we put the berries through a blender and put them in a two strainer bags.
every day we squeezed them to extract juice and color for a week.
In the end all we had left was a little pulp and a bunch of seeds.
We will see how it turns out but I think next time we will tripple the amount of berries.
this will require a bigger primary though.
here is where we started
strawberry 12 pounds strawberries, 3camden tabs, bentonite, yeast nutrient, water to 6 gal, 1/2 tsp acid blend, red star Cote des Blancs 1/30/2012 6 gallons 13.5 lb 1.104
... let us know how it turns out... I will do the same.
Tony
Dean
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my last batch of Strawberry wine, in 2006 I believe, was close to 36lbs of berries for a 6 gallon batch. I still have 6 bottles left from that batch, and they still do not show signs of decline. It looks like a dark rose, and smells of summer berries. I made sure they were picked in the heat of the day. That makes the berries soft. Usually those ones picked like that are called jam berries. They are very ripe, and when warm can barely hold their shape.
You are quite light on the amount of fruit. I also only brought my SG up to 1.090, as too much alcohol will make a berry wine hot.
You are quite light on the amount of fruit. I also only brought my SG up to 1.090, as too much alcohol will make a berry wine hot.
tonyandkory
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I hope you are wrong too.
Secondary fermentation is almost complete and it still smells and tastes like strawberries So here's to hoping.
I think I will definatly use alot more next batch. I was also hoping by using the Cote des Blancs that the yeast would putter out around 12-13% and leave a little sweetness.
Secondary fermentation is almost complete and it still smells and tastes like strawberries So here's to hoping.
I think I will definatly use alot more next batch. I was also hoping by using the Cote des Blancs that the yeast would putter out around 12-13% and leave a little sweetness.
Cracked Cork
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Go out right NOW and get at least 20 more pounds of strawberries and dump them into your primary and leave them for a few days, strain them out and then rack to a carboy. You are going to have a very weak flavored watery wine if you dont fix it NOW! Cracked
I was thinking about doing a full steam juice batch and adding some dried elderberries to add some richness and body. Since strawberries are so light in flavor I'm worried about oak... and I LOVE OAK!!. U thinkHungarian heavy toastwill do without overpowering it?
Strawberry wine in the secondary...Has very nice color..hope it stays....did add 1.5 cups of light extra dry malt in the first 24hrs. of fermentation.....
Tony; if your wine turns out to be weak on flavor, I'm thinking you can add a flavor pack and with your high Alc. content it will be pretty nice and not turn into a wine cooler...
Kemo; I like some oak too, but I would be worry that heavy toast oak would hide a lot of flavor....but oaking is kind of a personal thing too...have fun it's your wine
Tony; if your wine turns out to be weak on flavor, I'm thinking you can add a flavor pack and with your high Alc. content it will be pretty nice and not turn into a wine cooler...
Kemo; I like some oak too, but I would be worry that heavy toast oak would hide a lot of flavor....but oaking is kind of a personal thing too...have fun it's your wine
Cracked Cork
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A little oak goes nicely with strawberry, but not to much. Together with the extra body you get from the malt and you really have something special. We opened up a 10 year old strawberry, it filled the house with strawberry perfume, and had not taste whatsoever, I didnt use enough berries! I read in winemakermag where one winery used 100% strawberries, crushes them with rice chaff and ferments the pure juice, sounds like another good project. Cracked
