Proposed strawberry wine recipe

[Pendragon524]

After researching and thinking through a recipe for strawberry wine, I've landed on the following:

• 6lbs organic strawberries.
• Water to reach 1 gallon.
• Enough sugar to bring OG to 1.100.
• Juice from 1 fresh lemon.
• 1 cup black tea, steeped with two tea bags.
• 3 oz raisins, chopped.
• Fleishmann's bread yeast.

I chose six pounds to get the most strawberry flavor into the wine that I could. The sugar amount is to reach about 13% ABV. I'm adding juice from 1 lemon to increase the acidity of the brew, and the cup of black tea is to increase the tannins (basically, I'm going the "all-natural" route to do what tannin powders and acid blends do, purely for aesthetic concerns). The raisins are there to increase the body of the wine, as I've read strawberry wine can come out thin. And bread yeast, because I've got lots of it. What do y'all think? Any corrections/suggestions?

 

[videojunkie1208]

Acidity is not going to be your problem with strawberries. Check your ph before you add any acids. (Test strips are the cheap way to go)

Bread yeast has a relatively low alcohol tolerance and spews some weird esters, I would recommend getting a white wine yeast like Cote de Blanc.

https://www.northernbrewer.com/collections/wine-yeast/products/red-star-cote-des-blanc-epernay-2
You will get a much better taste. I'd also invest in some yeast nutrients (Fermaid o) to keep your yeast happy.

In this vein, skip the tea and the raisins. When you are done with primary fermentation, decide if you need or want tannins. You can always add more, but removing tannins is almost impossible.