My wine is getting dark

[E-roc]

Hey I have been making wine for awhile but I tried my first batch of strawberry and everything is going great primary went fine secondary went fine now its aging/clearing in the carboy and its turning very dark It started out at a strawberry color light red and now it is darker than blood I'm just getting worried about the color any help will be much appreciated just post if you need anymore info about the batch thanks

 

[Green Mountains]

Sure, more info on the recipe and steps as well as timing of events (primary, secondary, etc) would help.

 

[Wade E]

Fruit wines will do that. Here are 2 pictures to see for yourself. The first is my raspberry when I racked from primary(a bright red, and then the second is it aging 3rd from the left(much darker. I will add that as long as its not turning brown its what happens when the solids fall out leaving just color. Actually there are 2 carboys of raspberry there separated by a crab apple.

 

[E-roc]

ok I went to a strawberry farm got berries picked the day before and chilled. I cut up the berries and dumped hot 180 degree water over them and mashed them up. poured through a straining bag. sweetened to 1.130. pitched re-hydrated lalvin 1118 with a quart of starter. added yeast nutrient. Fermented in a plastic bucket for 7-8 days sg was about 1.040 transfered to secondary and has been there for about 31/2 weeks and will be racked this weekend but wade you say its fine?

 

[Wade E]

Everything except that extremely high starting sg! Why so high? You are going to have to wait about 2-3 years for the hotness of that to mellow out to taste any fruit in that. What did it finish off at? Most fruit wines will work and taste much better with a starting sg around 1.085.

 

[E-roc]

i like them strong It fermented to dryness 0.995 I dont think it will take quite that long to be mellow. mostly I do them strong because I live in Florida strawberry heaven and I see a lot strawberry wine at 10-12% and I am bored with them so I went to 16-17%

 

[Torch404]

I think yours is closer to and 18% this might take a while. Why most of the fruit wines are 10-12% (a starting SG of around 1.085) is that is what allows you to taste the fruit and not the alcohol in the final wine.

 

[myakkagldwngr]

Hey neighbor, what part of strawberry heaven do you live in? I went to Plant City two weeks ago and lucked out getting to upick.
Mine is turning darker as the sediment drops out. At first it was pretty pale red, but is getting darker and darker.
I did a strawberry jam before the real berry wine and it also started pale looking, but after adding 6 lb of berries to it, it too is getting blood red.