Strawberry?

[spaniel]

I have a large volume of frozen ripe strawberries to clear from my freezer by way of winemaking. I have not attempted strawberry wine in 15 years. I was a neophyte at that time so I will discard my experience. What I got was thin on flavor and unpalatable. I think we diluted and used bread yeast.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on yeast selection and other process-related pointers.

 

[BernardSmith]

See how little water you can use. I think you want to aim for about 10 lbs of berries for each gallon. The more water you use to dilute the fruit the more you dilute the flavor. Best to use no added water whatsoever and use only the juice you can extract from the fruit. Strawberries contain citric and malic and another three of four other acids. 71B or 47 D would seem to be a reasonable choice of yeast.

 

[cmason1957]

I just started a strawberry wine. About 65 pounds of strawberries, frozen. Added 12 pounds of sugar to 3 gallons of water, brought to nearly a boil and held for 20 minutes with some lemon juice in the water. Poured over frozen strawberries added lots of pectin, waited 2 days or so, checked sg, added more sugar to 1.075. D47 yeast, some acid blend to bring the pH down to about 3.4 or so. It is in secondary now, smells wonderful, didn't taste yet. I have about 12 gallons, will lose about a gallon or so, strawberries give off loss of lees.

 

[spaniel]

Thanks, I'm a big user of both of those yeasts so familiar with their properties. I guess I'll chop them up, let the pectic enzyme chew on them for awhile, check the pH and give it a shot.

 

[hounddawg]

the fellows above are good to learn from, if your strawberries are frozen no need chopping them, i put mine in my ferment barrel and use a joint compound mixer and drill and mix the poo outta them, even for the first 6 or 7 days of ferment, yeast enzyme, nutrient, and all, i admit it is a bugger to strain out at first, but a year ater you'll have n regrets at all, and like pears and apples i use no added water, that way your fruit and berry flavors shine like a new penny,
Dawg