Strawberry wine

[Wild Duk]

Fresh strawberries areavail. for picking inGeorgia so I'm gonna try to make my first 3 gallon batch. I plan on using the recipe located on this website. AmI to freeze and thaw the strawberrys a few times, I thought I read that somewhere....


Also, how does the acid tester come ito play...I don't have one yet but can pick one up at the LHBS if need be.


Thx

 

[Scott]

I did freeze mine last year then thawed to make. Don't see reason for multiple freeze thaw cycles. I didn't have an acid tester at that time but went off of taste and think it turned out very good (in my mind)! Did have it for the cherry batch and worked well.
Good luck

 

[ArdenS]

I have a strawberry-rhubarb I plan to start this evening. I froze the strawberries to help break the cell walls, but even that isn't necessary. You can make a perfectly good strawberry wine without that step. Another option is to pour some hot water over your nylon bag of strawberries. This evening, I will gently press the bag of strawberries with a sanitized potato masher.

 

[vcasey]

I'm sure tepe will chime in as I believe he makes strawberry wine, but you'll need to at least double the amount of strawberries on that recipe and a big f-pac.

 

[Wild Duk]

Are you saying to double that amount because I'm doing 3 gallons, or double it for even the 1 gallon batch???


Thx

 

[Tom]

Use 5-6 #'s of Strawberries per gallon. (reason is then contain alot of water). Freeze them. Thaw and put in a straining bag and tie off.
Add Pectic enzyme and sugar to 1.085
Wait 24hr then add Nutrient and Cote des Blancs yeast.
Like said above you will want to add a f-pac once dry ( do a search here for F-PAC)

 

[Wild Duk]

Thanks,


Do Islice them up before freezing or after....


Also, no tannin or acid blend as the3 recipe on here calls for?

 

[ArdenS]

I suppose you don't really HAVE to slice them, but I did to get smaller pieces to enhance extraction of all those good juices. I did it before freezing b/c I figured they'd be kind of mushy afterward.

 

[Tom]

Take the crown (green) off and cut in 1/2

 

[ashappar]

anybody steam juice their strawberries, or always ferment on the fruit? I got a steam juicer recently and I'd like to try it out on strawberries if it is a good idea.

 

[Tom]

anybody steam juice their strawberries, or always ferment on the fruit? I got a steam juicer recently and I'd like to try it out on strawberries if it is a good idea.

Yep got one. If I plan on making right away I take the crown off slice and freeze. 2 days later tahw .....
On the other hand I steam juice when I plan on making it later or just dont have the room. It keeps real well in canning jars.

 

[ashappar]

thanks for the tip. I'll steam strawberries and can the juice to keep it on hand. My problem is that I have one bucket but many carboys so its easier to start multiple batches if I use juice and not pulp.

 

[Wild Duk]

Tepe, how long do you usually age this wine for it to get good....


6 mo?
1 year???

 

[Tom]

Tepe, how long do you usually age this wine for it to get good....


6 mo?
1 year???

6 months min.
Fruit wines take longer than kit wines
Fruit wines also need f-pac and back sweetening

 

[vcasey]

6 months min.
Fruit wines take longer than kit wines
Fruit wines also need f-pac and back sweetening

6 months to a year or so
Kit Wines can take 3 or more years
f-pacs are a matter of personal preference like oak

 

[Guapo]

STARTING WITH A WINE MAKING LIQUEUR

To make a wine making liqueur take the chopped strawberries and put

them into a primary fermenter such as a food grade pail or stone crock.

Then add just enough water to barely cover the strawberries. Add to this

the Sodium Bisulfite, Acid Blend and Wine Tannin as called for in the

above home wine making recipes.

Do NOT add the Yeast Nutrient, Sugar or Yeast at this time.

And here is the important part: add the Pectic Enzyme as directed on the

package it came in, based on the total batch size. In other words if 1/4 tsp.

per gallon of Pectic Enzyme is called for and you are making five gallons,

add 1-1/4 tsp. even though your wine making liqueur may currently only

be around 2 gallons. This will allow the fruit’s pectin to be broken down

faster than normal.

Let the mixture stand covered with a light towel for 24 hours. You can

give it a stir from time to time. What you will notice during this period is

that the wine making liqueur will change from a thick, pasty mixture to a

thinner, “syrupy” mixture and will have a more candied appearance.

Also during this period, the Sodium Bisulfite that was added is sterilizing

the wine making liqueur.

Then add water and sugar, yeast nutrient, and yeast!