On Jul 13, 10:45*am, mhorlick > wrote:
> On Jul 13, 7:43*am, Joe Sallustio > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Jul 9, 9:37 am, mhorlick > wrote:
>
> > > On Jul 8, 5:56 pm, Joe Sallustio > wrote:
>
> > > > 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- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > > Thanks all for the info. I will check out with some restaurants and
> > > the winemaking shop.
>
> > > Joe, with frozen fruit, do you just simply defrost and then add the
> > > sugar water at any temperature it's at?
>
> > > Finally, I am a bit surprised that people use 5 to 6 pounds of
> > > strawberries to make 1 gallon of wine. I imagine that the more fruit
> > > you put into the recipe the fuller in taste it would be. The "Joy of
> > > Home Winemaking" has a recipe for strawberries using 4 pounds, on Jack
> > > Keller's web site his recipes call for 3 to 3 1/2 lbs.
>
> > > Regards,
>
> > > Mike
>
> > My strawberry *wines are pretty simple and I use 3- 3.5 pounds per
> > gallon too. *They are nothing like grape. *I use lemon juice left over
> > from making Limoncello to acidify. around 1 quart per 6 gallons. You
> > are better off making simple syrup for the sugar addition. *I mash up
> > the strawberries, add PE let it alone for a least half a day, add the
> > calculated sugar to get me to 1.085 SG, add the lemon juice and
> > balance with the water. *I use taste as a guide but measure pH and TA
> > with as goal of 1.085 SG and a TA >5 g/l.
>
> > The more strawberry the more alcohol tolerant the wine can be; some
> > make more of a brandy than wine by using *a few more pounds per
> > gallon.
>
> > Joe- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Hi,
>
> I just started my strawberry wine last night. I used 4 pounds of
> defrosted strawberries. I added 2 cups of sugar to 3 and 3/4 cups of
> spring water and brought to a boil. After adding to mashed
> strawberries I left it to cool and have now checked the SG to be
> 1.078.
>
> If I want a semi-sweet wine should I try to raise the SG to 1.090 or
> should I just leave alone? If adjusting how does one do it? Do I just
> add the granulated sugar directly to the primary or would it better to
> make another sugar syrup.
>
> For 1 Imperial gallon how much water and sugar would I would need to
> bring it up to 1.090?
>
> Thanks for the info,
>
> Mike- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Try around 6 ounces...

See here too:

http://web2.airmail.net/sgross/fermcalc/

That should help you trough this.

Joe