Strawberry wine
 

I'm getting ready to make this years Strawberry wine (a huge favorite
request) and I was looking for differing opinions in regards to acid
adjustment. Previously I have used Acid blend, but I was considering the use
of just Tataric Acid to eliminate the possibility of a Malolactic
fermentation. A winemaker I respect indicated that he adds citric acid as
part of his adjustment, but I am conscerned with stability issues with the
citric. Anyone have any imput through experience?
Also, I have considered the addition of a food coloring as I have not
been that pleased with the coloration of my Strawberry wine in the past
which has a yellowish oxidize color.(I know this is typical) Anyone have
any thoughts on this so as to prevent any sediment fallout or other issues
that I need to be concerned with, as I dont have much experience with
tinkering with coloration. Is it a waste of time, or have others had good
results. (typically I filter my Strawberry wine). As a final note does what
favorite yeast do you use that you have been pleased with- I have used
Lavlin D-47 with good results, but have an open mind.
Thanks,
John Dixon

Strawberry wine
 

John,
Where are you getting your strawberries (pick your own, grocery store)? And
how to extract your color? And do you freeze your berries? The reason I
ask is that I'm in the midst of my third batch of strawberry wine using
Jack's recipe - I don't have any complaints about acid or color. I do add 1
can of frozen 100% Welch's grape juice to the recipe. My strawberries are
picked at a local farm, frozen, and then thawed to make wine. I do use hot
sugar water to extract color, which I know some do not like to do. I'm
currently picking my strawberries for my next batch which I'll make in the
fall.
Darlene
G'town WI
USA

"J Dixon" > wrote in message
...
> I'm getting ready to make this years Strawberry wine (a huge favorite
> request) and I was looking for differing opinions in regards to acid
> adjustment. Previously I have used Acid blend, but I was considering the
use
> of just Tataric Acid to eliminate the possibility of a Malolactic
> fermentation. A winemaker I respect indicated that he adds citric acid as
> part of his adjustment, but I am conscerned with stability issues with the
> citric. Anyone have any imput through experience?
> Also, I have considered the addition of a food coloring as I have not
> been that pleased with the coloration of my Strawberry wine in the past
> which has a yellowish oxidize color.(I know this is typical) Anyone have
> any thoughts on this so as to prevent any sediment fallout or other issues
> that I need to be concerned with, as I dont have much experience with
> tinkering with coloration. Is it a waste of time, or have others had good
> results. (typically I filter my Strawberry wine). As a final note does
what
> favorite yeast do you use that you have been pleased with- I have used
> Lavlin D-47 with good results, but have an open mind.
> Thanks,
> John Dixon
>
>

Strawberry wine
 

I just picked 10-12 lbs of strawberries for a 3 gallon batch.
this will be my third time. My first was better than my second,
my second has a bit of harshness to it, although I was able to get some
strawberry concentrate in a "sample" from a juice supplier...I was tempted
to drink the whole thing without adding it to the wine, it was so
good...thus my second has a more pronounced strawberry flavour. Third
time's the charm? we'll see.

welches....the white? or the purple concord?

Rick

Strawberry wine
 

I used the concord grape for my most recent batch. But I did use the white
Welch's for my first batch, which was very good. The grape seems to enhance
the color already there. I'm making cranberry now, and I added the grape
Welch's - the color is much deeper than my first batch. I think it adds a
bit more body to the wine.
Darlene

"Rick Vanderwal" > wrote in message
...
> I just picked 10-12 lbs of strawberries for a 3 gallon batch.
> this will be my third time. My first was better than my second,
> my second has a bit of harshness to it, although I was able to get some
> strawberry concentrate in a "sample" from a juice supplier...I was tempted
> to drink the whole thing without adding it to the wine, it was so
> good...thus my second has a more pronounced strawberry flavour. Third
> time's the charm? we'll see.
>
> welches....the white? or the purple concord?
>
> Rick
>
>

Strawberry wine
 

Dar,
I bought half from a berry farm, and the other half I picked myself and
all are very ripe. I use 5 lbs+ per gallon and put them in a straining bag.
I have used the hot water method in the past with no complaints, but I plan
on using just warm water this time as it seems a bit fruitier. I always try
to freeze the berries first to help break them down and aid extraction. I
think that you have to be cautious not to over press or "grind up" the seeds
on the strawberrries to avoid the bitterness I think Rick is alluding to. So
I just mush up the berries in the bag and give it a kneeding type squeeze
and stir daily until I pull the berries out. Much like my raspberry I dont
wring the bag out, but rather let it drip out for a few hours and then toss
it. As a general rule I make an acid correction on all of my fruit wines to
the area of .65 TA.
In regards to the color- it isn't a problem per se, I just think a
bright red like the raspberry would be more appealing than the off red rusty
color I end up with. It looks as red as could be in the carboy, but in a
glass it just doesn't carry the color as well. Likely I wont add any
artificial coloring, but as always I am interested in other's experiences
with things I haven't tried yet. I haven't seen an appreciable difference in
the color from hot or cold extraction, so I am moving more towards the cold
side for now.
John Dixon


"Dar V" > wrote in message
...
> John,
> Where are you getting your strawberries (pick your own, grocery store)?
And
> how to extract your color? And do you freeze your berries? The reason I
> ask is that I'm in the midst of my third batch of strawberry wine using
> Jack's recipe - I don't have any complaints about acid or color. I do add
1
> can of frozen 100% Welch's grape juice to the recipe. My strawberries are
> picked at a local farm, frozen, and then thawed to make wine. I do use
hot
> sugar water to extract color, which I know some do not like to do. I'm
> currently picking my strawberries for my next batch which I'll make in the
> fall.
> Darlene
> G'town WI
> USA
>
> "J Dixon" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I'm getting ready to make this years Strawberry wine (a huge
favorite
> > request) and I was looking for differing opinions in regards to acid
> > adjustment. Previously I have used Acid blend, but I was considering the
> use
> > of just Tataric Acid to eliminate the possibility of a Malolactic
> > fermentation. A winemaker I respect indicated that he adds citric acid
as
> > part of his adjustment, but I am conscerned with stability issues with
the
> > citric. Anyone have any imput through experience?
> > Also, I have considered the addition of a food coloring as I have
not
> > been that pleased with the coloration of my Strawberry wine in the past
> > which has a yellowish oxidize color.(I know this is typical) Anyone
have
> > any thoughts on this so as to prevent any sediment fallout or other
issues
> > that I need to be concerned with, as I dont have much experience with
> > tinkering with coloration. Is it a waste of time, or have others had
good
> > results. (typically I filter my Strawberry wine). As a final note does
> what
> > favorite yeast do you use that you have been pleased with- I have used
> > Lavlin D-47 with good results, but have an open mind.
> > Thanks,
> > John Dixon
> >
> >
>
>

Strawberry wine
 

John
I make a strawberry every year and without going into recipe details ( I
use about 20 lbs for 5 gals Imp). Some years I make it into a dry sparkling
wine with a lot of effort -- and it is eventually very good.
Anyway on to the colour factor.
Two years ago I added a red wine concentrate (oh gosh where are my
records) -- from a 1 gallon wine kit type thingy --- to the must, before I
adjusted the sugar to the level I wanted. The end result in bulk looked a
bit dark but the glass "look" after a year was great -- a slightly darker
than rosé look to it without effecting the flavour at all.
An additional point -- I have always found that the strawberry flavour is
very intense and I have never made strawberry wine in total fruit. I have
also found that my strawberry wines are probably better ( for me anyway)
during their second year after initial fermentation. I always ferment to
total dryness.
When drinking I also prefer to cool the wine rather than to chill it --
about 1/2 to 1 hr in the fridge and without being too cold the strawberry
bouquet is quite delicious -- for me anyway -- my younger son & his wife
disagree ( but they tend to be wine snobs!)

Hope this is useful to you!

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire, England
Remove "PSANTISPAM" from my address line to reply.
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"J Dixon" > wrote in message
...
> Dar,
> I bought half from a berry farm, and the other half I picked myself
and
> all are very ripe. I use 5 lbs+ per gallon and put them in a straining
bag.
> I have used the hot water method in the past with no complaints, but I
plan
> on using just warm water this time as it seems a bit fruitier. I always
try
> to freeze the berries first to help break them down and aid extraction. I
> think that you have to be cautious not to over press or "grind up" the
seeds
> on the strawberrries to avoid the bitterness I think Rick is alluding to.
So
> I just mush up the berries in the bag and give it a kneeding type squeeze
> and stir daily until I pull the berries out. Much like my raspberry I dont
> wring the bag out, but rather let it drip out for a few hours and then
toss
> it. As a general rule I make an acid correction on all of my fruit wines
to
> the area of .65 TA.
> In regards to the color- it isn't a problem per se, I just think a
> bright red like the raspberry would be more appealing than the off red
rusty
> color I end up with. It looks as red as could be in the carboy, but in a
> glass it just doesn't carry the color as well. Likely I wont add any
> artificial coloring, but as always I am interested in other's experiences
> with things I haven't tried yet. I haven't seen an appreciable difference
in
> the color from hot or cold extraction, so I am moving more towards the
cold
> side for now.
> John Dixon
>
>
> "Dar V" > wrote in message
> ...
> > John,
> > Where are you getting your strawberries (pick your own, grocery store)?
> And
> > how to extract your color? And do you freeze your berries? The reason
I
> > ask is that I'm in the midst of my third batch of strawberry wine using
> > Jack's recipe - I don't have any complaints about acid or color. I do
add
> 1
> > can of frozen 100% Welch's grape juice to the recipe. My strawberries
are
> > picked at a local farm, frozen, and then thawed to make wine. I do use
> hot
> > sugar water to extract color, which I know some do not like to do. I'm
> > currently picking my strawberries for my next batch which I'll make in
the
> > fall.
> > Darlene
> > G'town WI
> > USA
> >
> > "J Dixon" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I'm getting ready to make this years Strawberry wine (a huge
> favorite
> > > request) and I was looking for differing opinions in regards to acid
> > > adjustment. Previously I have used Acid blend, but I was considering
the
> > use
> > > of just Tataric Acid to eliminate the possibility of a Malolactic
> > > fermentation. A winemaker I respect indicated that he adds citric acid
> as
> > > part of his adjustment, but I am conscerned with stability issues with
> the
> > > citric. Anyone have any imput through experience?
> > > Also, I have considered the addition of a food coloring as I have
> not
> > > been that pleased with the coloration of my Strawberry wine in the
past
> > > which has a yellowish oxidize color.(I know this is typical) Anyone
> have
> > > any thoughts on this so as to prevent any sediment fallout or other
> issues
> > > that I need to be concerned with, as I dont have much experience with
> > > tinkering with coloration. Is it a waste of time, or have others had
> good
> > > results. (typically I filter my Strawberry wine). As a final note does
> > what
> > > favorite yeast do you use that you have been pleased with- I have used
> > > Lavlin D-47 with good results, but have an open mind.
> > > Thanks,
> > > John Dixon
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Strawberry wine
 

John, You do not by chance bulk age in a lighted area do you? Color in
berry wine is very susseptible to light bleaching. There has been a lot of
discussion in the past and the general opinion is that green bottles may not
stop this.

Ray

Strawberry wine
 

No- not directly anyways as I ferment all of my wines in the basement. I'm
not pointing out a fault really as I cant say that I have ever seen a
commercial strawberry wine that was much darker than mine, just being picky.
What I did do last year was bottle the Strawberry in these cool Red bottles
that are coated on the outside, and that looked great. Thx
John Dixon
"Ray" > wrote in message
m...
> John, You do not by chance bulk age in a lighted area do you? Color in
> berry wine is very susseptible to light bleaching. There has been a lot
of
> discussion in the past and the general opinion is that green bottles may
not
> stop this.
>
> Ray
>
>

Strawberry wine
 

For what it's worth, I made Lum's strawberry wine recipe two years ago, and I
pureed the raw fruit in a blender, though it says somewhere not to do that.
Anyhow, it presented no problems, and fell perfectly clear. It did have a
thick pale cap during the primary though.
Ken