Freezer Death Forces Wine Making & Dumb Mistakes

Hi, freezer died yesterday forcing me to make the strawberry wine that I had put off. Being exhausted from a very long workday I had a brain fart on the recipe. I suspect it isn’t disastrous, but would like your input.

Here is what I made:

27 lbs strawberries
17 lbs sugar
5 tsp acid blend
1.25 tsp grape tannin
5 campden tablets
boiling water (about 3 gallons)

Not added yet:

5 tsp pectic enzyme
champagne yeast and nutrient

Screw Up:

10 more pounds sugar than the ratios called for
10 more pounds fruit than the ratios called for

If you think this will be okay for a five or six gallon batch as is then I’ll do nothing but continue the process. I really don’t want to end up with Boone’s Farm Strawberry Sludge if I can help it.

Suggestions?

Thanks a bunch!
Jennifer

Did you take an original gravity reading?

No, I didn't.

Since you haven't added the yeast yet, take a gravity reading and report back.

LakeErieBrew said:

Since you haven't added the yeast yet, take a gravity reading and report back.

Click to expand...

Okay, the hydrometer is floating so high in the tube that the chart is about a half an inch above the fluid.

So add water?

Thanks,
Jennifer

Yes, add water and continue adding water until your gravity reading approaches 1.100 and ends up at about 1.090. My guess is you're going to end up with about a 10-gallon batch.

BTW - no need to boil the water.

summersolstice said:

Yes, add water and continue adding water until your gravity reading approaches 1.100 and ends up at about 1.090. My guess is you're going to end up with about a 10-gallon batch.

BTW - no need to boil the water.

Click to expand...

Oh! A ten gallon batch! Sure hope it tastes as good as it smells. Thankfully I have several carboys. Just not as much floor space. Well, cool.

Should I increase the other stuff like the tannin, acid blend, campden, pectic enzyme, or yeast?

Thanks a bunch,

Jennifer

Petunia said:

Okay, the hydrometer is floating so high in the tube that the chart is about a half an inch above the fluid.

So add water?

Thanks,
Jennifer

Click to expand...

Haha, nice!

You should probably use another packet of yeast since you'll end up with more than 5 gallons. You could add some of the other ingredients too, but I would probably just add the water and more yeast and roll with that.

Alrighty, two packets of yeast and some water later we're on our way to strawberry wine. Thank you Summersolstice and Lakeeriebrew for your help. I've never been one to shy away from an experiment so that's what we'll call this batch.

Jennifer