Learning from my mistakes

[knight]

Well I've just racked my first from scratch wine into a secondary. I have probably badly damaged the wine, potentially also added infection.
I'll still carry it through and see if it works but don't have high hopes.

Before I go and ask a couple of questions, it would probably save time to show you my notes:

Mixed Berries and Apple wine

Size: 1 Gallon
Yeast: 8g VR21
Sugar: A1, 450g dissolved in some water
Ingredients: 2x Woolworths Frozen Mixed Berries, 1x Woolworths Frozen Raspberries, Additional 150g Woolworths Frozen Raspberries, ~1.2L Berri Apple Juice, Pectanise
SG: 1.090
Primary: 19 Jan 16
Secondary: 22 Jan 16
Bottled:

Notes:
19 Jan 16 AM: Berries removed from freezer and placed on counter to defrost during the day.
19 Jan 16 PM: Berries squished as much as possible and placed in straining bag with ~1.2l of apple juice. Left for a couple of hours. After several hours the bag was removed and squeezed, SG was checked at 1.048. Sugar required was calculated at 400g and 450g of sugar dissolved in some water was added - extra was added to compensate for the extra water to dissolve the sugar. SG rechecked at 1.090. Berries were replaced and the lid replaced. Yeast to be added tomorrow afternoon. I don't know of I've been careful enough about sanitisation, I have added 2 crushed campden tablets dissolved in some water.
20 Jan 16: Potato masher used to mix the must and punch down the cap. 8g Vintners Harvest VR21 yeast and 4g yeast nutrient pitched.
21 Jan 16 AM: Cap punched down
21 Jan 16 PM: Cap punched down
22 Jan 16 PM: Gravity measured at ~1.004, attempted to rack to secondary... Failed badly. Was unable to establish a syphon with the auto syphon due to wrong hose diameter. Conducted syphon using mouth (gargled Vodka) eventually moved all into 1g carboy... Only half filled.... Added as much remaining apple juice as I had ~⅓ of a bottle. Refilled bottle with cold water and added that. Used ~1.75L of additional water.
Did taste sample for gravity check (before water and apple juice) dry and very tart/tangy unfortunately a good portion of that has probably been lost now, also expect that the final ABV will be much lower than planned.


My main question is why was the level of liquid so low? I don't think I had much more than the original apple juice. I was under the impression that 3-4 lbs of berries would, when defrosted give me just under a Gallon of juice?

Other than that if there are any points people can see I should learn for next time please tell me.

 

[DoctorCAD]

3 to 4 pounds of berries is enough to add to a gallon of liquid, not create a gallon of liquid.

I would have left the straining bag in the must until the first rack, the skins and pulp still have lots to give up.

Your k-meta should keep everything at bay.

Bottling should be much later...like 6 months to a year.

 

[knight]

I would have left the straining bag in the must until the first rack, the skins and pulp still have lots to give up.

Sorry re-reading my notes I realised I didn't make that particularly clear. The straining bag was left in there until the first rack (ie: last night). I took it out on the first day as I needed the space to take a sample but put it back in straight after that.

3 to 4 pounds of berries is enough to add to a gallon of liquid, not create a gallon of liquid.

Ah right, that would explain it. Well lesson learnt.

Bottling should be much later...like 6 months to a year.

My understanding was a) once you can read a newspaper through the glass and b) hasn't dropped lees for about 2 months after racking.... Essentially I can't see me thinking about bottling this until September.