On Jul 7, 10:46*am, mhorlick wrote:
Hi,

Since it is now strawberry season around my neck of the woods
(Montreal, Quebec) I froze 4 pounds of strawberries over the week-end
to be used within a couple of months to make wine.

I read somewhere that defrosting fruit helps extract the flavour of
the fruit and is actually better than using fresh fruit (your opinion
here) but is there a preferred way to defrost fruit for wine making?

Should I just put in primary fermentator and add very hot/boiling
sugar water or would it be better to have the frozen fruit first sit
in the fridge or on the counter and let it defrost slowly there? Does
it make a difference?

Also, *I was wondering if anyone could suggest where I can find
smaller primary fermentators than the 5-6 gallon ones at the wine
supply store?

Since I would like to make 1-3 gallon batches I really don't need
those big buckets (and my wife would be more annoyed with me if I had
a bunch of big buckets around the kitchen)?

Lastly, I would like to find out where I can find smaller wine bottles
(375ml or less) when it comes to bottling? I like to savor the wine
and give some out to family and good friends but a gallon isn't that
large and I want to make it last

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you,

Mike

Freezing will release the juice quicker, I never use hot or boiling
water. You should pick up some pectic enzyme too and follow the
instructions, every vendor is a little different.

If you call a few local restaurants I'm sure one of them will sell jug
wines and would be happy to set aside the 3 and 4 liter bottles if you
pick them up in a timely fashion. They work well, just don't fill
them more than 2/3's full when you ferment on pulp.

As to the 375's they sell them at Presque Isle Wine Cellars in the
States but most of those bottles come from Canada so a local
winemaking shop should be able to sell you a case of 24.

Joe