# My first strawberry wine from scratch



## scorpio (Jan 22, 2007)

My first attempt at a strawberry wine 1 gallon - used 4# of frozen strawberries. I just racked from the fermenter into the gallon jug. There's quite a bit of settling already. At the rate it's going it looks like there will be quite a bit of sediment. How much liquid will I lose when I rack again. What do I add to top off to add liquid? Will the final product be totally clear - seems like this is going to take several months and several racking's to get there.
Thanks for the advise *Edited by: scorpio *


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## rshosted (Jan 22, 2007)

I agree Scorpio. My strawberry is about 1/2 sediment now too. I am wising I would have done a 1.5 gal batch in order to fill my 1 gal bottle. 

Maybe we should let them drain through a coffee filter?


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## Wade E (Jan 22, 2007)

I would either get a 3 liter jug or a 1.5 litre magnum and a few
bottles. You dont really want to be topping up this wine unless you can
find some strawberry wine. You will need an assortment of bungs
for this and a few extra airlocks. This is the problem with doing fruit
wines. theyre hard to find a top off. You could also sanitize some
marbles and use them to displace the volume!


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## PolishWineP (Jan 22, 2007)

Yes, marbles are good for this. But do consider using smaller bottles. When I do scratch wines I do like to make some extra for topping up purposes.


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## Wade E (Jan 22, 2007)

Me too!


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## WineNewbie (Jan 23, 2007)

I also have my first strawberry going. I probably have an inch and a half of sediment. I was thinking when I do the next racking, I will rack into one of theCarlos Rossi 3 liter jugs I have (for some reason, in FL it's hard to come by one gallon jugs of commercial wine...only 3 liter jugs). Should eliminate the need for topping off. I'll rack whatever is left into a 375 mL and save for topping-up after next racking. You will lose 1 bottle of wine in the end, but atleast no topping up with water.


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## scorpio (Jan 24, 2007)

What do you recommend to top off with other than water?


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## sangwitch (Jan 24, 2007)

Are these pure strawberry or do they have a grape concentrate base/mix? I'm curious because I'm about to start the frozen strawberry recipe I got from Jack Keller's site, which is not pure fruit. In any case I can better prepare now.


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## scorpio (Jan 24, 2007)

sangwitch said:


> Are these pure strawberry or do they have a grape concentrate base/mix? I'm curious because I'm about to start the frozen strawberry recipe I got from Jack Keller's site, which is not pure fruit. In any case I can better prepare now.




Yes - I used 4# of frozen strawberries. I was using one of those recipes for 1 gallon. I had about12oz extra when I racked from the fermenter, but I mistakenly contaminated the extra(first time newbie). Now I am left with exactly 1 gallon jug and the sediment is rising so it looks like I will lose quite a bit.


I guess I can settle on only having 4 bottles instead of 5 or top off with something other than water.


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## WineNewbie (Jan 24, 2007)

Sangwitch,


I think you are using the same recipe I am using from Keller's site. The recipe includes a can of 100% white grape concentrate, so it is not purely fruit. One thing I noticed is the must seemed very thick both when the yeast was pitched and when transferred to secondary. It has dropped a good bit of sediment now though, so I'll be interested to see what the consistency is like when the next racking comes along.


I think the recipe says to wait 45 days before racking. Being new to this, that seems like a long time to be in contact with all that sediment (lees). 


The Strawberries here in FL are coming into season. I'm tempted to get a batch going from fresh strawberries instead of the frozenand compare the difference intaste later. The fresh ones are tasting really sweet lately, and are cheap since they are grown locally.


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## grapeman (Jan 24, 2007)

WineNewbie
Even if you use fresh berries to insure they are at their ripest, freeze them first. This helps break them down and doesn't affect flavor or anything. Prepare them(stems off and cleaned) first and put in gallon zip-lock bags. Freeze them for a few days. Take them out and thaw them good. Leave them in the bag and use a rolling pin on them, being careful not to have the bag open up. This will make them juicier to begin with. Good luck with them. They really do throw a lot of sediment in the fermenter. 


Have fun and send some berries north- I can't even imagine the berries almsot being ready. We've got about 5-6 months to wait!




*Edited by: appleman *


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 24, 2007)

appleman said:


> Have fun and send some berries north- I can't even imagine the berries almsot being ready. We've got about 5-6 months to wait!




Yes, it will be a long time before fresh berries around here...Our June Berries are ready in July...go figure!

Just started a Vintners Harvest Blackberry/Red Grape Wine...those were big black berries...a bumper crop in the can...and it's January and they were ready....


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## Wade E (Jan 24, 2007)

Get a 3 litre jug either recycled or new with wine in it, drink the wine and use the jug as your new smaller carboy!


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## sangwitch (Jan 24, 2007)

winenewbie - yes, that's the one I'm going to try. I like the idea of the grape concentrate addition rather than a straight strawberry wine. 


wade - good idea. Here's another (I hope). Get a 4-liter to start with and then rack down to a 1-gallon. You can even fermentright in the 4-liter and then top off with water (or juice, whatever) when the fermentation slows. When ready to rack, rack to a 1-gallon jug.


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## WineNewbie (Jan 24, 2007)

It is kind of odd to have berries coming into season in February. It's new to me also since I was born and raised in Pittsburgh. I'm used to scraping ice off the windshield this time of year. We've been in FL for 6 years now and I'm stillgetting accustomed to the climate down here. Doesn't seem to be much in the way of grapes growing down this way. 


They havea Stawberry festival down here every year around the end of Feb. I'veheard you can evengo into the fields and pick your own. That sounds appealing for making wine. Picking the ripest berries right from the plants. Only problem is...I don't really know if I like Strawberry wine yet!



Guess I'll know in a year or so when these batches are ready to drink.*Edited by: WineNewbie *


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## WineNewbie (Jan 27, 2007)

Here are a couple of pictures of my current batches going. From left to right - Strawberry (made with the frozen strawberries), World Vineyards Australian Shiraz in the middle, and Welches Concord Grape on the right.


One reason I'm posting. Take a look at the Strawberry on the left...2nd picture is a close-up...there are two layers of sediment on the bottom. The bottom looks fairly solid and compact, but the upper layer is sort-of suspended, or floating just above. Is this normal? Will it eventually settle down into the one solid layer? It was transferred from the primary into this jug 14 days ago. Just not sure what to expect, this being my 1st batch from actual fruit.


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## Waldo (Jan 28, 2007)

I would recommend racking it back off that sediment again john


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## grapeman (Jan 28, 2007)

That's pretty normal for strawberry. It does keep throwing a lot of lees. I would also rack it within the next week if you can. It will compact down if left, but you run the risk of imparting off flavors from the sediment. I tried leaving one small batch longer to see what happened and it took on a real off smell. To me it smelled like what the old permanents selled like-almost like a strong amonia.



It did eventually lose the smell, but I won't risk it again. 



The others look like they are doing well. Good going.


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## scorpio (Jan 28, 2007)

I have a gallon of strawberry that is one week in carboy and looks like that.


What will you use to top off after all the sediment is gone?


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## Wade E (Jan 28, 2007)

Did you have fruit in a bag or loose in fermenter.


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## OGrav (Jan 28, 2007)

Wow, that's a lot of sediment. I did a strawberry wine, check my back posts, and I don't think I had half that. I used about 16 lbs of fruit for five gallons. I ended up with about six gallons when I got all the sugar dissolved in there. I didn't freeze the berries, though I did let them a day with half the water and full dose of pectic enzyme. I wish I had took some pics early on. I think I only had an inch or so of sediment after three weeks in the carboy. *Edited by: OGrav *


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## WineNewbie (Jan 29, 2007)

Wade,


I did use a nylon straining bag for the fruit. I went ahead and racked into a 3 liter jug over the weekend. Forgot to add Campden tablet though. I guess I can add it now.


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## scotty (Jan 29, 2007)

If its your first transfer from a primary fermenter, I believe that campden tablets ARE NOT RECOEMENDED at this time




*Edited by: scotty *


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## scotty (Jan 29, 2007)

scotty said:


> If its your first transfer from a primary fermenter, I believe that campden tablets ARE NOT RECOEMENDED at this time


Even if itis not, it looks like lots of stuff is still happening in there.


Boy am I messing up today. Sorry for the doubble post*Edited by: scotty *


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## WineNewbie (Jan 29, 2007)

Scotty,


So it's ok to wait until next racking to add Campden? I think fermentation is complete on this thing. It went from 1.095 to 1.000 in the primary, and I used Red Star Montrachet yeast. I think this yeast has an alcohol tolerance of 13%, so at the transfer to secondary, I was already at 12-13%.


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## rshosted (Jan 29, 2007)

You can add campden as soon as fermentation is complete.

Most people rack mid-fermentation to get the wine off the lees. If you have tested your wine and it is .998 or lower and stays the same for two or three days you can stabilize with campden. 

Even though, I don't always follow my own advise, I recomend you stabilize (add campden) as soon as fermentation is over. The sooner you add it the less chance a bad bug has to get into your wine and change it into something you don't like. As long as it is completely done fermenting you will be fine. 

Tell us, have you tasted your strawberry? I tasted mine and am kicking myself for not making a 6 gallon batch. Especially since I accidentally spilled some and only ended up with about 1/2 gallon after racking.


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## scotty (Jan 29, 2007)

Just be sure fermentation is stopped. Any bubbles or pressure in the air lock???? 
Take the advise in Mr Hosteds post about the SG. That tells the story usually.
Im paranoid about fermentations not being finished. One thing is for sure. As waldo said rack .
My guess is that treating it wont hurt anythihg if you did the SG tests as suggested and slow down



*Edited by: scotty *


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## WineNewbie (Jan 30, 2007)

Funny you said you accidentally spilled some...I did the same. The hose pulled right out of the jug when I pushed the auto-siphon down to start the siphon



I caught it quick and was still able to fill the 3 liter jug, but I lost some future topping-off supply!


I did taste it and I think it is OK. It may need to be sweetened slightly in the end, as it is pretty dry. Taste a little strong in alcohol currently too, but I hope that will mellow with age.


I will check the S.G. for a few days straight to make sure it has finished fermenting and then add the campden.


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