# Fruit weight per gallon



## myakkagldwngr (Mar 28, 2010)

I know that most recommend 5 to 6 pounds of fruit to a gallon for a good flavored wine. Now are we talking 5 pounds of fresh fruit, that is then cleaned, destemmed and so on. Or are we talking 5 pounds of cleaned ready to go fruit.
My reasoning behind this is that with my strawberries, I had close to 70 pounds of cleaned, halfed berries. Sitting in a very large primary now with 10 gallons of water it's still pretty thick.
Now I plan on adding another couple gallons of water tomorrow with some additional sugar I didn't have on hand. 
But I'm talking really, really thick must. I'm sure I'll get the 10 gallons of water out of it, plus some from the berries when I strain it all out into my carboys. It's just I'm not used to seeing this thick of a soup.


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## jeepingchick (Mar 28, 2010)

i believe its prepared fruit . at least that how i do it, i clean cut then weigh and it turns out pretty good. 

it always starts really thick, then it settles and i rack it every few months till clear. takes forever but is worth it. each time i rack it i try to strain it to remove a bit of the pulp... i dont know how correct that is but its what i do.


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## Wade E (Mar 28, 2010)

I also use prepared fruit, some fruits will vary though as they are stronger in flavor and some will say to use nothing but fruit instead of diluting down. I havent had the pleasure of doing that but hopefully will this year or the next. I have a very good supply of wine now s will be doing some experimenting this year. I kow one guy on another forum who does this with elderberry which I would think would be too strong but Ill gve that try this year hopefully if the birds dont bet me to all the fruit.


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## myakkagldwngr (Mar 29, 2010)

Thanks for the information. I'll keep this at about ten gallons of water to my berries and then hope to get an additional couple gallons from the berrie juice. That will still keep me at 6 pounds per gallon.
As I stir the must, I'm noticing that I am finding more liquid down deep in the primary. It's just I'ver never done this much at one time before so I'm learning.


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## djrockinsteve (Mar 29, 2010)

As your fruit begins to ferment you'll start to get some more liquid in your must. I'll push it down twice a day and each time gently press the fruit to excrete some more juice.

Hope you put your fruit into a mesh bag or stocking, clean of course. It'll be easier to remove. If you didn't you can use a sieve with a handle to get the majority of the fruit out.

I'll remove my fruit @ 1.020 since at that time the fruit will be starting to turn. I'll let it finish fermenting then transfer to a carboy.

Good luck


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## Midwest Vintner (Mar 29, 2010)

djrockinsteve said:


> I'll remove my fruit @ 1.020 since at that time the fruit will be starting to turn. I'll let it finish fermenting then transfer to a carboy.
> 
> Good luck



we've pulled and dropped into airlock as soon as 1.030, but it depends on the yeast used. the lalvin 1116 and 1118 work fast and it doesn't seem to bother them as long as they were going good. when we transfer, there's plenty of 02 that gets in there, so the fermentation goes to dry.


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## mmadmikes1 (Mar 29, 2010)

I future you will find the berries juice out better if frozen first. The reason is the water in the cells freezes the expands, breaking down all the cells. Have fun


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## Luc (Apr 1, 2010)

myakkagldwngr said:


> I know that most recommend 5 to 6 pounds of fruit to a gallon for a good flavored wine..



That is just because most are worse cheapskates as we Dutch are !!!!

The proper way to make wine is:

- Freeze fruit and thaw it or
- crunch fruit
- add pectic enzymes and let it sit overnight

Now strain the juice and do the measurements.
Add water to lower acidity to an acceptable level.
Or add sugar to bring the SG up.

Diluting with water is only needed to bring tannins to an
acceptable level or to bring acid down.

Pure juice is the best source for any full flavored and
full bodied wine.

I make all my plum wines from pure plum juice.
I did several of my apple wines from pure juice.

Do you really think that any commercial winemaker will
water down his grape juice to make a wine ????
So why do so with other fruit.

Luc


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## Larryh86GT (Apr 1, 2010)

Luc said:


> That is just because most are worse cheapskates as we Dutch are !!!!
> 
> Luc



Hey - I resemble that remark.


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## Midwest Vintner (Apr 1, 2010)

Luc said:


> Pure juice is the best source for any full flavored and
> full bodied wine.
> 
> I make all my plum wines from pure plum juice.
> ...



exactly my sentiments. only if the pure juice is too strong to drink will the wine need some water, that or way too much acid in it for fermentation. last batch of eldeberry was so thick i could tip the glass over and not spill it. j/k lol. it was excellent.


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## myakkagldwngr (Apr 2, 2010)

With the help around here I'll learn everytime I make something new. 
If I'm lucky I'll go to a BD party for a friend this Sat. and hopefully get introduced to some Strawberry farmers he's friends with. If that's the case maybe from now on I'll have access to them better.


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