Evaluate my Strawberry Dream Recipie? please

[buddha_red]

S.G. Goal - 1.120
Varietal - Strawberry Dream Wine
Brewing date - 11/20/2008



5 lbs white table sugar + 3 lbs corn dextrose sugar (simple syrup)

10 lbs Frozen Strawberries + 96 oz 100% strawberry puree
(defrosted and crushed and placed into mesh bag)

3 tsp. Citric Acid

5 tsp. Pectic Enzyme

5 tsp. GoFerm

1 1/4 tsp. Tannin

5 tsp. Fermaid K

4 gallons filtered Water or more

Yeast used: Lalvin 71B-1122




Rehydrate yeast in 1/4 cup water at 100ºF for 30 minutes with goferm.

Load bag with strawberries, Place bag in sanitised primary fermentor

Added 4 gallons water at 90ºF to fermentation bucket.

Pour water over berries



Pour approx. 8 lbs sugar into gallon of water to make simple syrup.

Stirred vigorously to dissolve sugar into simple syrup.



Added water to reach 5 gallons in primary fermentor

Measure S.G., then add simple syrup and stir until S.G. reaches 1.120



I am working from a few different recipies and trying my best to learn as i go without asking the same old questions.
My goal is to make a strawberry wine that tastes like biting a fresh one. Any and all suggestions and or comments are more than appreciated.

Question

1) camden tabs yes or no?

I have read no, its not needed as it is for grapes. there isnt the same amount of wild yeasts attached to frozen strawberries. I am not planning to use it but have to ask.

 

[vanoob]

From one noob to another.... I do a lot of strawberry as I have had lots of success with it and it doesn't need a lot of age. I use Campden on every batch I have ever made including JAO as a precaution. I am probably being paranoid but I don't ever heat anything so I like the safety net. Having an oxygen scavenger may be why I have always gotten pink-red strawberry products when lots of folks report golden and amber.

If you want that "fresh strawberry taste" you are most likely going to want to dose the secondary with more fruit. When I do primary only fruit I have people say things like, "that is good, is it peach or something". Adding a half pound or so per gallon to secondary makes the fruit source more recognizable if that is what you are after.

Oh yeah, be careful about leaving strawberry in contact with the wine for more than a week or two. Those little seeds added quite a twang to one batch that I did where I let primary go for two weeks on the fruit. Took a couple months to tame down.

 

[Angus]

Quick question. You used the past tense in your description (stirred), but are asking other questions as if you have not made this batch yet (planning). Is this one made already?

If you have not made it yet, I would not use the Campden tablets or the Citric acid. The sulfites are not necessary if you give the batch a good and healthy dose of the yeast. They should outcompete any other organism that has hitched a ride on the strawberries. And the acid can be added after the wine has aged for a while to see if it is needed to balance the sweetness. If the strawberries add any acidity themselves, you may find any additional acid makes it too tart to drink.

One last item. Why put the strawberries in a mesh bag? In my mind, although it will make it easier to remove or rack off of, it will limit the exposure of the strawberries to the Must, which will reduce some of the flavor extraction.

Angus

 

[Yo momma]

I concur with both Angus and Vanoob. If your looking for the fresh taste, add some to the secondary. Maybe 1/2 the juice up front then when the fermentation is done add the second 1/2. Just a thought.

Angus is right when it comes to the addition of camden. NO NEED! I say it this way, if the yeast your using is aggresive then there is no need. Don't desturb your yeasties, just let them work. Also with the last 4 batches I have made, I have no acid blend anywhere in my Strawberry. The berries have enough acid already and it would be very tart if you add anymore.

I put mine in a mesh bag whole. When the berries are darn near white I pull them out. Usually in about a weeks time in the primary. Good luck and keep us posted.

Wassil
YO

 

[yeastdungjunkie]

I've been making mead and cider for over 8 years now, have never used campden tablets, and have never lost a batch. So I agree, no need!

I also agree (after two of my own batches) that strawberries in the secondary is the way to get freshest flavor. Whole in the mesh bag for a week or two is good. I've always soaked them very briefly in vodka first in order to sanitize them. It incedentally makes for a nice little stash of strawberry vodka, good with tonic.