Vintners Harvest Fruit Base

[buckandbass]

Hello All, I am fairly new at wine making. I am going to try a Strawberry wine. I have 2 cans of the Vintners Harvest fruit base. I am looking at doing a 5gal batch. I was going to use both cans (for a more robust flavor) and use 12lb of sugar. I am looking for any suggestions and input.

Thank You!!!

 

[Julie]

Using the two cans for a 5g batch is a good idea. Don't just throw in 12 #'s of sugar. Take a reading first, then add enough sugar to bring your sg to around 1.080.

 

[UBB]

Hello All, I am fairly new at wine making. I am going to try a Strawberry wine. I have 2 cans of the Vintners Harvest fruit base. I am looking at doing a 5gal batch. I was going to use both cans (for a more robust flavor) and use 12lb of sugar. I am looking for any suggestions and input.

Thank You!!!

I have a strawberry going using exactly what you are doing. I used two cans to a 5gal batch. I think I ended up using 10lbs of sugar to get the starting S.G. to 1.086. It finished at approx 0.96. I'm about to rack it again and put it away for about 6 months or more.

 

[Wade E]

Yes, use the 2 cans for the 5 gallons and please dont go above 1.085 for a starting sg, you wont be happy. Some of these cans are way better then the others. Ive made most of them and aost all of them really need the 2 cans per 5-6 gallons as they are a little weak on flavor. The best one and strongest flavor 1 is the Black Currant IMO.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

And if you want to add some more body you can always add some boiled bannaners or even better stir in some extra light dried malt extract, the extract really adds a nice body and no taste and makes a huge difference. Crackedcork

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

I keep thinking one day I am going to get a plum, raspberry and strawberry Vitners, add some elderberry for color and tannin and see how it would do in a 5 gallon batch, it would have to be good, the smell of the raspberries and strawberries and the body and richness from the plum and the balance of the different acids from all 3 would be a great blend. Crackedcork

 

[harleydmn]

I want to do a strawberry also. Where do you get, extra light dried malt extract, and how much would you use?

Thanks

 

[Dougxox]

Any place that sells beer supplies, wherever you got your wine kit should have the extra light DME.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

Yes, use the 2 cans for the 5 gallons and please dont go above 1.085 for a starting sg, you wont be happy. Some of these cans are way better then the others. Ive made most of them and aost all of them really need the 2 cans per 5-6 gallons as they are a little weak on flavor. The best one and strongest flavor 1 is the Black Currant IMO.

I agree here. The black currant is good.

 

[Wade E]

Approx. 2 lbs of extra light Malt extract per 5-6 gallon recipe Harley.

 

[harleydmn]

hanks Wade, Next week will go hit my local store and pick some up.

 

[buckandbass]

Thank You

Thank You all for your help. On Monday I started the process. I about 10# of sugar. Now I am going to let it sit till Wed (3days) then add yeast. After that I will wait a week and remove the strawberries. Then rack it in 3 more weeks. I do have a couple other questions.

1. I was going to rack it after a month (1st) then I was going to rack it again and let it sit for another month before letting it clear.

2. If I wanted to infuse chocolate when, how would I do that and how much?

Thank You Again!

 

[n2tazmania]

And if you want to add some more body you can always add some boiled bannaners or even better stir in some extra light dried malt extract, the extract really adds a nice body and no taste and makes a huge difference. Crackedcork

When in the process do you add the malt?

 

[Wade E]

Right in primary.

 

[n2tazmania]

Went to MidWests website and wow!!! There are as many malt extracts as fruit bases. Any suggestions on which extract to use?

 

[Wade E]

Extra light dried malt extract. EL DME

 

[wvbrewer]

DME in wine? I did not know you could use that. Will it be make a better product than sugar?

 

[Wade E]

It will add much better body.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Not only body but a little malty flavor. I would'nt go too dark, it may overpower the fruit flavor. DME will work the same as sugar.
Another option insted of using 2 cans of fruit base, is to use one fruit base and a can of puree. Cuts the cost a bit and you can mix flavors to come up with your own creation, ie: strawberry/Kiwi. The purees are about 1/2 the cost of the furit base, but also in a 32oz can.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

THats why every time I post it I very clearly spell out Extra Light Dried Malt Extract, ELDME. We used a darker malt on one some blueberries that came with a beer kit someone gave us, ruined the whole batch, tasted like a weak beer with a lot of blueberries in it! So its got to be ELDME and not enough to replace the sugar, you just want to boost the body a little. Our last batch of strawberry malted had 25 pounds of strawberries for a 5 gallon batch and 3 pounds of ELDME made in 2007, I have to hid a few bottles from myself so we can keep tasting it every year, its still very good, maybe the malt helps keep its flavor?

Cracked