# Wade's Chocolate Strawberry Port, attempt



## vvolf34 (Feb 10, 2010)

I finally decided to give the Chocolate Strawberry port a try. Will keep an updated record here as things progress. I just got all the ingredients and will begin tonight.


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## Wade E (Feb 10, 2010)

Be aware that all my recipes make more then the amount needed for topping off purposes later. Nothing worse then trying to find a bottle of something similar, especially something like this! I usually have about 3/4 of a gallon extra. I think youll be pleasently surprised by this concoction. It was actually a Jack Kellar's Chocolate Strawberry wine recipe that I thought was pretty nasty when finished so figured out how to make this drinkable and loved it when all was said and done along with many other people.


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## vvolf34 (Feb 11, 2010)

Well I got everything all mixed up. I don't know how... But I ended up with 6 gallons 

18 pounds of frozen strawberries from costco, they had a lot of juice when thawed. I think that added to the extra amount. I added 1 extra cup of chocolate coco, when I remove the bags of strawberries it drops down to 5 gallons. Should I increase the rest of the ingredients too? I did put another 1/8 tsp of k-meta and a lot more sugar!! Empty all the sugar I had and my corn sugar I could only get the SG to 1.090, but some of my sugar might not have desolved all the way. I gave a taste test of the must to my wife and she said... taste like chocolate covered strawberries! Score one for the home team!

Primary:







A look inside:


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## bruno (Feb 11, 2010)

Same situation here, I am making it now and ended up with 5 gal+. ?????


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## vvolf34 (Feb 11, 2010)

Yeah I am at about 5.25 if I take the bags of stawberries out. Just added liquid pectic E this morning, going to pitch Lavlin D-47 tonight.


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## Wade E (Feb 11, 2010)

Yes but when you rack off all that mud there is going to be way less!!!!!!! Yiu re going to have lots of lees with this batch. I dont remember having that much but thats fine.


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## vvolf34 (Feb 11, 2010)

Wade,

Not a problem. I have a bunch of different sizes of carboys!! The must was awsome, can't wait to try the finished product. How long do you suggest aging it?


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## grapeman (Feb 11, 2010)

As a privileged sampler, I concur this is a very tasty product. It is really chocolatey, yet has a nice strawberry nose and taste. It is very rounded and smooth. Not sure if I ever told you Thank You Wade!


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## vvolf34 (Feb 11, 2010)

Good to hear Grapeman!! Every since I read this recipe, I have been wanting to try it. Thinking about making the Orange chocolate port from the fine vines recipe section. No one reported back on a taste test though!!


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## Wade E (Feb 11, 2010)

VW, Id give it about 6 m onths for the brandy to blend really nice but it should be good a little earlier due to thye sweetening effect. Grapeman, thank you first and I still havent gotten around to drinking any of your wines but I will make sure I drink one of the whites this weekend. I dont know what it is but I stick a few bottles in my cellar and they never see daylight again, I just seem to run on one wine for awhile and then switch to beer.


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## vvolf34 (Feb 12, 2010)

HOLY FOAM Batman!!

I used D-47 on my last Apfelwein batch and it was foamy, but this morning, I had foam up to the 7 gal mark!!

Wade,
Do you for see any problems with me only get an SG 1.090? I used all the sugar I had in the house!! I figure it will just be a lower ABV, but not affect anything else?


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## Wade E (Feb 12, 2010)

It will be fine as you will be adding Brandy later anyway.


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## vvolf34 (Feb 12, 2010)

Well it has hit the lid on my 7.9 gal. I hope it mellows out!!


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## Wade E (Feb 12, 2010)

I used Cotes Des Blanc for most of my fruit wines to bring out more fruit flavor and because its a low foamer.


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## vvolf34 (Feb 12, 2010)

My LHBS doesn't carry Red Star,  Had to use D-47, thought it was similiar but wow the foam kinda reminds me of the Blob, it just keeps growing.


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## vvolf34 (Feb 13, 2010)

OK the foam is even worse and pressing up against the lid, I am afraid it is going to start leaking. I think I am going to have to resort to removing some of it. Hope this is ok!!


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## St Allie (Feb 13, 2010)

I use lalvin EC118 champagne yeast.

Allie


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## vvolf34 (Feb 13, 2010)

I usually use 1118 or 1116, but used D-47 because it is supposed to maintain fruit flavor like cotes de blanc. This morning it seems like it is under control now, I removed a huge bowl full of foam last night. Like a halloween candy bowl full


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## vvolf34 (Feb 14, 2010)

Well SG is at 1.020 foam is not a crazy as it was, but i did have a little foam forming in my test tube when I took the SG. I will rack it at 1.010 and might have to rack again soon after depending upon the the foam.


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## mainecr (Feb 17, 2010)

*Help!*

Hi Folks,
Any idea where to get Liquid Chocolate Extract and Monin Strawberry Syrup?
I brought back plant city (frozen) strawberrys from our Florida vacation....and hoping to start a batch....

Thanks....recently thawing in Maine after vacationing in Florida


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## Wade E (Feb 17, 2010)

I bought a better syrup at a orchard near me that sells all different kinds of farm made syrups but if you dont have one of these then a good chefs store or nature food store should have both, other then that do a Google search. Heres one of each I found for you. 
http://www.davincigourmet.com/products/product_details/?productID=103
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FCI6JU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


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## vvolf34 (Mar 3, 2010)

I racked, stabilized and added the extra ingredients. I ended up with 5 gallons after everything was added. I can tell you one thing; this was the stinkiest wine I have yet to encounter. 

I also have a lot of floaters in my carboy. I think it might be from the frozen strawberry daiquiri mix. Is it ok to leave it like this for a bit while it clears or should I re-rack it? 

I think I am going to add 4 oz more of chocolate extract due to the extra volume, it doesn’t have a chocolate smell like Grapeman mentioned. I might add another half pint of Brandy too; thoughts on that and the chocolate?


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## vvolf34 (Mar 4, 2010)

Well scratch that, the cap feel down as of this morning, I guess the fining agents did their job. I am slightly worried about refermentation as my airlock is bubbling slowly, maybe 1 evry 2 or 3 minutes. I don't really see signs of it, will have to take an SG reading and see. I did do K-meta and sorbate, so I am hoping it is just out gassing. I am going to go ahead and get 4 oz more of chocolate extract.


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## Wade E (Mar 4, 2010)

Did you degas this wine before adding the fining agent?


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## JDL (Mar 7, 2010)

I had the same problem with my first batch of the choc strawberry port. I reracked it and degassed it again. it is currently bulk aging in a 3 gallon carboy and I am going to bottle it in the middle of April. 

I sampled it at the last rack which made it about 2 1/2 months old and I could not taste the chocolate really but the strawberry and brandy need to mix and mellow a little bit as it was still pretty tart. 

When I bottle it will be about 4 months old and I plan on trying a bottle in august so it will make it 6-7 months at that point.

Jeff


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## vvolf34 (Mar 8, 2010)

I mixed it up a lot with each addition hoping to properly degass it. I am going to rack it soon when the extra 4 oz of choc extract come in. It is still kinda stinky and I think it might be due to the yeast. It had this same type of smell during the ferment. I hope it changes over time. It kinda reminds me of opening up a bucket of spackling, just kind of a weird smell.


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## evshro (Dec 1, 2019)

Is there a link somewhere to this recipe? My wife and I really want to give it a go! Also, any tips?

Many thanks!


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## Johnd (Dec 1, 2019)

evshro said:


> Is there a link somewhere to this recipe? My wife and I really want to give it a go! Also, any tips?
> 
> Many thanks!



https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/chocolate-strawberry-port.3494/


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