Strawberry wine continued....

This is a continuation from another post. This is a strawberry wine I started back in May.
Racked again today; the SG is ~0.992 (OG was 1.086) giving me a ABV of 12.3%. The flavor is good; however, there is still an alcohol bite as well as a slight alcohol aroma (although it is faint, it is there). Any suggestions on the alcohol flavor, and ideas for mellowing it out? I will be sweetening it up (~1.020 for me, and ~1.030-1.040 for the wifey) which will dilute it a bit, and take some of the edge off; but, I don't know if it will do enough.

6 months isn't all too long for Strawberry wine. If I were you, I'd wait it out and see if this most recent racking helps clear it up.

Also, it's of note that many recipes for Strawberry wine bottle them at quite a young age, and then advise not to open for six months.

dukepukem: Correct, it has been ~6 months. I am bulk aging ~ 9 months (Feb '10), then bottle and age 6 months (Aug '10, or as long as I can wait). It has been very clear since the second racking (~2months ago), and has a good flavor; however, the alcohol "bites" you on the finish. I had hoped at the second racking, that by now it would have mellowed a bit; yet, it seems to be about the same. Also, where are you at in MO?

Racked again last night, and sweetened to taste. I'll be checking the SG this week, and then bottle this weekend (if SG holds). Plan on cracking the first bottle after we move in August/September.

I have future hopes for my strawberry... I thought it had a real funny smell when moving it out of the primary, hubby thought it smelled good... but since he doesn't drink wine of any sort...

One of the thoughts I have had for mine is that if the alcohol taste doesn't mellow I may try cutting it with club soda, just to take out some of the alcohol twinge...

I am pretty sure mine is going to need to age for forever...

lady_brewer said:

I have future hopes for my strawberry... I thought it had a real funny smell when moving it out of the primary, hubby thought it smelled good... but since he doesn't drink wine of any sort...

One of the thoughts I have had for mine is that if the alcohol taste doesn't mellow I may try cutting it with club soda, just to take out some of the alcohol twinge...

I am pretty sure mine is going to need to age for forever...

Click to expand...

All of them smell funny. Everytime I'm fermenting the wife comments on the odor; but, in the end the end up smelling and tasting good.

The taste will mellow with time. Mine had a distinct alcohol taste up until this racking. Off the top of my head, I think it aged for 9 months.

Give it time, and let it do it's thing. The yeasty beasties know what they're doing.

I have a strawberry that I started in early December that I just can't seem to get to finish. I started at 1.080 with Montrachet yeast. Two weeks ago, it was at 1.030, so I added yeast nutrient. I opened it up today and found that it is at 1.024, so I added more yeast nutrient. I wouldn't mind if it puttered out after it was 1.020 or less, preferably 1.015...