Everything I have ever read on country wines is sometimes they just don't won't to clear. Hope you have clear sailing and clear wine in short order.
The Strawberry
- Thread starter Johnd
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Read the same thing in particular about strawberry, double dosed it in primary with pectic enzyme. In the same vein, had left over bentonite from some WE kits, used two of those in the fermenter as well. Have a whole bottle of chitosan at the ready, so confidence is high. The Buon Vino Super Jet is also only a cabinet door away..................
Down below 1.000, decided to go ahead and rack the strawberry. Did some straining and settling before starting the racking, got about 5 or so gallons of reasonably clear wine, and about 5 gallons of liquid with suspended particulates. Still a bit active, it’ll clear up a bunch as activity slows and the lees settle out, then we’ll see how much wine is left after racking.....
Scooter68
Fruit "Wine" Maker
That's looking really good there johnd. Bet once you get the coarse stuff to settle out a bit you'll get back to at least 5+ gallons. As to clearing I hope that goes quickly for ya.
Know you already know about it but once the coarse stuff settles a bit, I'd put the clearest of it into the fridge. I've had really good luck with that speeding up the settling out that way.
Know you already know about it but once the coarse stuff settles a bit, I'd put the clearest of it into the fridge. I've had really good luck with that speeding up the settling out that way.
Still fermenting a bit, but starting to settle a bit. Really hoping to get to 6 gallons, but will just have to take what the berries give. Once I’ve got it racked down to some relatively clean wine, it’ll get sulfited, vacuum degassed, and go into the wine room. Chitosan may get added at that time as well, and I’m not scared to whip out the super jet either.....
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Scooter68
Fruit "Wine" Maker
I wish I had the skill and nerve to build a centrifuge to separate the solids. Something that could hold a full gallon container. It could really speed up the process but all I keep visioning a gallon of sediment and wine sprayed around a room. ( I know .... negative thinking.)
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AF was pretty much at a standstill this morning, SG bottomed out on the low 90’s, so I hooked up the trusty vacuum pump and degassed the carboys to help settle them. It stirred up the previous clearing, happy to see it much further along and clearer this evening than it was previously. I’ll get it off the lees and into a right sized vessel(s) this weekend.
Scooter68
Fruit "Wine" Maker
What size are those carboys? 5, 6, 6.5 ?
Sixes, though they hold just a slight bit more than six.
The way it's looking, the strawberry wine will just barely fill a 6 gallon carboy, or be just a bit shy. Thinking a nice, dark rose' would be a good choice to top up with, any thoughts?? Don't want to add anything with sugar in it just yet...........
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John are you still using the HF vacuum pump? If so can you post a pic of your setup next time it’s in use? I have a coupon and am deciding if I should use it and need a setup to copy! Thx
Hoe
Hoe
Ignoble Grape
Senior Member
My Rose addition was amazing! I think you're on track with that train o' thought.
Racked off of the gross lees, sulfited, and degassed the strawberry this morning. Didn’t taste it, but it smelled very nice, good color as well. Ended up with 6.5 gallons of pretty clear wine, it’s got a bit of clearing to do, but it’s very clear for a wine that was started a week ago. Was going to hit it with some chitosan, but mine had some discolored, viscous blobs in it, trashed it and will order some new stuff. So 100 ponds of strawberries will get you 6 gallons of wine, no water added.
For @Jal5 , here’s some vacuum pump details. Below is the pump, you can see the black vacuum line coming off of one of the two ports on the pump, goes to a tee, where the pressure gauge is attached. The clear line goes to a reservoir, see next photo.
The reservoir came from a brake bleeder kit, you could use a bottle if you like, just something to prevent sucking wine into the pump.
The line then goes to a fitting in the hole of a universal bung.
Closeup of the fitting.
For @Jal5 , here’s some vacuum pump details. Below is the pump, you can see the black vacuum line coming off of one of the two ports on the pump, goes to a tee, where the pressure gauge is attached. The clear line goes to a reservoir, see next photo.
The reservoir came from a brake bleeder kit, you could use a bottle if you like, just something to prevent sucking wine into the pump.
The line then goes to a fitting in the hole of a universal bung.
Closeup of the fitting.
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Thx for that explanation! I think this will be my next addition to this hobby. The old back ain’t what it used to be.
Joe
Joe
looks like it's going to be an excellent batch of Strawberry wine. I had an all strawberry batch that tasted like eating a spoon full of preserves. I think my favorite thing to do with it was throw some fresh berries in a glass along with some of the wine then top with some Skeeter Pee to make up a "Strawberry Lemonade", big favorite in the summertime. Keep up the updates.
Mike
Mike
That sound good, have to give it a try!!
Few racks and some Dualfine / pectic later, the strawberry was looking pretty clear. Pulled out the BV Super Jet for a little filtering session. Ran it through the coarse pads, then the polishing pads, she’s sparkling like a diamond. Lost the 1/2 gallon to racking / filtering, but have a completely full 6 gallon carboy of 100% strawberry wine.
Had about 150 ml left over, wifey and I did some sampling, sweetening, etc, pretty good stuff. We may try to sweeten and bottle this weekend, if we do, I’m probably skipping sorbate and sterile filtering. At least that’s the current plan......
Had about 150 ml left over, wifey and I did some sampling, sweetening, etc, pretty good stuff. We may try to sweeten and bottle this weekend, if we do, I’m probably skipping sorbate and sterile filtering. At least that’s the current plan......
Cxwgfamily
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that is a beautiful carboy of wine. Remember my offer to get together to try each others wine and review recipe and procedure. probably later in the fall.
Cxwgfamily
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OH, by the way, the BR Wine Makers group place third in over all medals in this year's Winemaker Magazine homemade wine competition. We won 17 medals total. We are feeling pretty full on ourselves right now but we are getting down to our summer projects and that has a way of bringing us back to earth. Feel free to join us anytime. track our facebook page, Baton Rouge Wine Makers
