STRAWBERRY WINE     by Don Schiller 

For a batch of about 5 gallons -

Ingredients:

  • 20 lbs. frozen strawberries (Use extra if the berries are light in flavor.) 
  • 4 lbs. Sugar (approx.)
  • 3 gallons water (approx.-see recipe) 
  • Campden tablets OR potassium metabisulfite powder
  • 5 tsp. yeast nutrient 
  • 2 1/2 tsp. dry or 25 drops liquid pectic enzyme 
  • 1 pkt. general purpose wine yeast 
  • Sparkolloid 

Process:

  • Place frozen fruit in fermentor
  • Add 5 campden tablets OR 1/4 tsp. metabisulfite 
  • Add pectic enzyme 
  • Add 4 lbs. sugar
  • Leave for 3 days at room temperature. 

  • Place fruit in straining bag. 
  • Place bag and water into primary fermentor to make 5-1/2 gallons. 
  • Adjust acid to TA .65% (6.5 g/L)  with tartaric acid
  • Check S.G. and add sugar to 1.075 if needed. 
  •     (This is lower then many wines; strawberries seem to give a false S.G. reading.)
  • Add 5 tsp. yeast nutrient 
  • Add 1 pkt. yeast. 

  • While must is fermenting, make sweetened juice using 4 lbs frozen berries, 1 cup sugar  and 1/2 tsp. or 5 drops pectic enzyme. Put into bowl for 1 day at room temperature. Put this mixture into a fruit bag and allow clear juice to drip into a container for 24-36 hours. 
  • Do not squeeze the bag. (Clear juice can be frozen until it is added later.) 

  • When S.G. is about 1.005, lightly hand squeeze fruit bag in fermentor  (don't over squeeze). 
         There should be about 5 1/2 gallons must or slightly less. 
  • Rack wine into secondary. 

  • Rack wine again in 3 weeks 
  • Add 5 Campden tablets OR 1/4 tsp. metabisulfite 
  • Add 2-1/2 tsp. potassium sorbate 
  • Add clear sweetened juice to taste
  • Rack again in 3-5 weeks and add Sparkolloid. 
  • Rack 1 week later (when clear)
  • Verify sulfite level is 40-75ppm. 
  • Add campden tablets OR metabisulfite if needed. 
  • Sweeten with sugar syrup to taste 
  • Filter, if desired, and bottle. 




"The Purple Foot" is a 501(c)(7) non-profit organization. 

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software