Tom,
I look forward to hearing from you. Just so you know, I made my 3rd batch
of strawberry wine in February at about 12% (1.090 starting SG). I go to a
u-pick in June, and then freeze the berries before I make the wine. I only
make 1 gallon batches. Since I had a cherry wine which went to 15% and a
Plum wine which went to 13%+, I've been really watching the sugar I add to a
fruit must. It is very hard to know how much sugar is already in the fruit
or how much has been added to the fruit when it is frozen. So, instead of
adding all the sugar (which the recipe may call for) to the hot water at the
beginning, I've gone to just adding 4 cups in the beginning. Then, when it
comes to checking the SG before adding the yeast- if the starting SG is at
11 or 12%, then I won't add anymore sugar. If the starting SG was low, then
I would consider adding additional sugar later on after the must has
fermented to dry. It has worked well for me during the last few batches.
Does my explanation make sense...?
Darlene
G'town, Wisconsin
USA
"Tom" > wrote in message
...
> Dar,
>
> When I get a chance in the next day or two I'll pull my notes and get back
> with the data. Thanks a lot for the offer I'm curious as well. For
starts
> though I can tell you fresh berries. Can't remember which recipe off
hand,
> got it from Jacks site. But I have it.
>
> Tom
> "Dar V" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Tom,
> > I know what you're going through. I'm trying to control my % alcohol as
> > well. Can I ask, how much sugar did you add per gallon? And are the
> > strawberries fresh or frozen? I can compare what you're doing to my
> recipe
> > and we can see what we come up with -- how does that sound?
> > Darlene
> > G-town, Wisconsin
> > USA
> >
> > "Tom" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Two years in a row I am ending up with a strawberry wine with a
> wonderful
> > > aroma, taste and color but at a whopping 14%+ alcohol, way to hot for
a
> > > country wine. Still not sure what I'm going to do with'em. Thinking
> > about
> > > blending with some of my reisling from 2003? My wife likes that idea!
> > >
> > > Anyway, I find pulp laden fruit very difficult to get decent SG
> readings,
> > > and despite reducing the sugar the second year it was still "hot". I
> > don't
> > > do many non grape wines so any suggestions to speed up the curve would
> be
> > > appreciated.
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > Tom
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>