# Strawberry Wine Going



## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 13, 2022)

Finally got my Strawberry Wine going.  I am so happy with my Blueberry had to do this.  Started with 16 lbs Strawberries.








Heat up a gallon water with 8 lbs sugar to 100 degrees to dissolve.  Crushed 4 lbs at a time with potato masher.  That not as much fun as it sounds!  This time made sure fruit was completely thawed!







Added to bag and zip tied.











Added water to bring up close to 5.5 gallons.  This should give me 4 gallons.  Came in at almost 1.100.  Shooting for around 1.095 so I happy.  Should be around 13%.







Added chemicals and buttoned up.  I will take some must out for back sweetening tomorrow and add yeast.  Any idea how much I should remove for sweetening 
T
 Ty520
 ?


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## Ty520 (Apr 13, 2022)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> Finally got my Strawberry Wine going.  I am so happy with my Blueberry had to do this.  Started with 16 lbs Strawberries.
> 
> View attachment 629114
> 
> ...


depends on the sweetness you want to put back in...from some quick back of the envelope math, 25.5 ounces of must in a 4 gallon batch will take you back up  to 1005 gravity (assuming you'll end at a final gravity of 1000 after fermentation stops). Note that that's 25.5 ounces of must added AFTER removing 25.5 ounces of wine, keeping you at 4 gallons (512 ounces)  in the end - you'll need to add 26.75 if you don't want to remove any wine, thus leaving you with a touch over 4 gallons.


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## clifish (Apr 13, 2022)

Looks interesting Brian,  but my A1C is starting to creep up (now 6.5) I need to watch it more.  going to stick with the 38lbs of rib roasts I just got this week along with 3 Long Island ducks...lol


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 13, 2022)

clifish said:


> Looks interesting Brian,  but my A1C is starting to creep up (now 6.5) I need to watch it more.  going to stick with the 38lbs of rib roasts I just got this week along with 3 Long Island ducks...lol


I just got done with a 6 weeks of eating carbs after blood work.  I afraid to check mine.  As usual start with just one week that turns into 2 than on to 6.  Hard once you get off to get back on.  Started back on one meal day low carb.


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## clifish (Apr 13, 2022)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> I just got done with a 6 weeks of eating carbs after blood work.  I afraid to check mine.  As usual start with just one week that turns into 2 than on to 6.  Hard once you get off to get back on.  Started back on one meal day low carb.


yeah we have been hitting breweries and going out more,  need to cut back....I can make better meals at home anyway.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 13, 2022)

Ty520 said:


> depends on the sweetness you want to put back in...from some quick back of the envelope math, 25.5 ounces of must in a 4 gallon batch will take you back up  to 1005 gravity (assuming you'll end at a final gravity of 1000 after fermentation stops). Note that that's 25.5 ounces of must added AFTER removing 25.5 ounces of wine, keeping you at 4 gallons (512 ounces)  in the end - you'll need to add 26.75 if you don't want to remove any wine, thus leaving you with a touch over 4 gallons.


Thanks again.  I just sweeten when ready to drink.  I don't want sweet but needs some it so dry.  I could hardly taste blueberry until I added what came out to 1/2 Tbsp a bottle.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 13, 2022)

I use grolsch beer bottles to bottle and no one has any right now.  The spot at Specs is gone where they usually are.  I need to go to Dallas Total Wine and check.


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## zwiller (Apr 13, 2022)

Looking like a pro!  I can tell you have been studying.  Best of luck! 

PS.  Parents have rhubarb and have made strawberry rhubarb beer.


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## tx smoker (Apr 13, 2022)

Looking good Brian. I made 5 cases of wine for our wedding reception and it was a huge hit with everybody. I'm not a wine drinker but Tracy saved one bottle which we drank on our first anniversary.

Robert


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 13, 2022)

tx smoker said:


> Looking good Brian. I made 5 cases of wine for our wedding reception and it was a huge hit with everybody. I'm not a wine drinker but Tracy saved one bottle which we drank on our first anniversary.
> 
> Robert


I like a glass with dinner.  I mostly like the higher proof stuff but really liking the Blueberry.  Our Distillery, Ironroot Republic,  put out some Irish recently that is off the charts good.  I was lucky they saved me a bottle as I had something else to do so could not stand in line the day they released.  They been having Lottery for right to purchase a bottle but I never win.  They been taking care of me though.


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## Ty520 (Apr 13, 2022)

One thing I have found is that country wines most definitely need time.

I made a blackberry wine in August 2020 that, even as of Christmas 2021, I found completely unworthy of drinking - couldn'teven force myself to drink it and dumped the rest of the bottle down the sink. I just found the last bottle in the back of the closet last weekend and popped it open expecting to dump it down the sink, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it became quite enjoyable, and worth making again.


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## indaswamp (Apr 13, 2022)

Following...


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 22, 2022)

Strawberry wine racked.  Man this 1118 yeast works to good.  Fermented all the way again.  At .995 and will be .990 when finished.  Dry!  Got 5 instead of 4 gallons.  Not much left to the strawberries.  They all turned to juice.  In the future if going for 4 gallons just fill fermenter to just over 4 gallons.  Was counting on a gallon of berry left overs.  Nice color.  I forgot to save some must when I made.  Had everything sterilized and sitting there but dumped yeast in before I took some out.


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## checkdude (Apr 22, 2022)

Just get some more strawberries before you bottle, press the juice from them and add as needed. Don't forget to stabilize as the sweet juice will want to restart the ferment. Might have to let it sit for few days to clear. Na zdravi. Love the colour! Have made many a galons using 3-5lbs. Per 1gal.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 22, 2022)

checkdude said:


> Just get some more strawberries before you bottle, press the juice from them and add as needed. Don't forget to stabilize as the sweet juice will want to restart the ferment. Might have to let it sit for few days to clear. Na zdravi. Love the colour! Have made many a galons using 3-5lbs. Per 1gal.


It amazing a huge bag of fruit turns into all most nothing in less than a week.  Been a busy day.  Installed couple 10" graphs and new transducers on the boat.  Sore all ready!  I been trying some different no carb sweeteners on my Blueberry but they just don't taste good.  No sub for real sugar on wine I think.  Got couple more to try.


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## checkdude (Apr 24, 2022)

I have tried sweetener-conditioner from wine store before. I personally did not care for it but it might be a option for you. Unfortunately the fruit wines do benefit from some sweetness. Dry just isn't right. At least to my taste buds.


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## SmokingUPnorth (Apr 24, 2022)

Love me some wine. Haha


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## bauchjw (Apr 25, 2022)

You do it all! What a cool hobby to compliment a great meal. Really incredible!


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## zwiller (Apr 25, 2022)

I think I posted in your other thread but maybe not that you can really improve the fresh flavor by using an extract.  Years ago I considered this cheating but no longer do since the extracts nowadays are natural and/or organic.  Extract helps with fruits that are mild flavored like strawberries.  Amazon carries the Olive Nation line and well known to very good.  That said, adding some fresh strawberries might work just fine but I think you gotta hit it with pectic enzyme.  I might be tempted to use jam or jelly instead.  The purist approach is to use TONS of fruit like 10lb per G.


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