STRAWBERRY WINE (5 Gallons)
INGREDIENTS
- 15 lbs. Strawberries with leaves and stems removed (approximately 3 gallons)
- 1/8 Tsp. Sodium Bisulfite (don’t need this if we sous vide pasteurize first)
- Pectic Enzyme (as directed on package) (2.5tsp = 5 gallons)
- 5 teaspoons. Yeast Nutrient
- 1 Tsp. Wine Tannin (substitute 2 cups raisins)
- 8 teaspoons. Acid Blend (.60% tartaric) (substitute 6 pkg kool-aid unsweetened lemonade packets)
- 8 lbs. Sugar
- 1 Pkg. Champagne Yeast (for a sweeter finish, I chose Lalvin 71B-1122)
- Potassium Sorbate and Metabisulfite wine preservative
INSTRUCTIONS
- Remove the stems and the leaves from the strawberries.
- Divide the strawberries, raisins, and Pectic Enzyme between two large sous vide bags.
- Spray in just enough water to dissolve the enzyme.
- Sous vide each bag for 2 hours at 180 degrees. This will break down the fruit and pasteurize the mixture eliminating the need for Sodium Bisulfates in the must.
- Cool each bag in ice water and refrigerate until you are ready to start fermentation.
- Heat 1 gallon of water and dissolve the sugar and acid or kool aid in it.
- Mix the water and the fruit solution in a 5+ gallon sanitized plastic bucket.
- Stir in 1 gallon of cool water. The total liquid should now be 5 gallons.
- Use a hydrometer to measure the pre-fermented alcohol potential and add sugar or water if necessary to get the specific gravity to (11% or S.G. of 1.086).
- Check the acidity of the must. It should be between 3.4 and 3.8.
- Once the temperature of the mixture in the bucket drops below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, stir in the yeast nutrient and pitch the yeast.
- Plug the airlock hole in the lid of the bucket with a piece of cheesecloth so the mixture can breath during the next 7 days.
- On the 7th day, check the Specific Gravity reading. Rack into a carboy if the SG is between 1.025 and 1.035.
- Attach an airlock and allow 4 to 6 weeks for secondary fermentation.
- After secondary fermentation has completely stopped (around week 7), rack into a second carboy and attach an airlock. Let this wine stand until it becomes completely clear (1 or 2 more weeks).
The wine will be fairly dry at this point. - You need to preserve the wine by adding Potassium Sorbate (1/2 teaspoon per gallon ) and Potassium Metabisulfite (1/4 teaspoon per 5-6 gallons). Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of Sulphite Crystals and 2.5 tsp of Potassium Sorbate in warm water and add to the wine before bottling.
- 24 hours after adding the preservatives, you can sweeten the wine with honey or sugar. Stir in the sweetener and let the wine rest for a few days before racking or bottling.
Adapted from E.C. Kraus recipes at eckraus.com
