How to make strawberry wine at home

There really is no secret to making Strawberry wine. You can find a plethora of information on this topic from home made recipes to a Goggle search. It’s a matter of preference including your taste buds as far as ingredients are concerned. You may find several variations for this wine but I have found these next 2 methods as the most popular and widely used.

Strawberry wine is a popular “101” as the first-time wine. Since they are easy to find and most of us know what they taste like it’s a good “basic” wine to make. Really who doesn’t like strawberries?

The following 2 variations are both simple and will result in 18 gallons of this fruit nectar. The ingredients needed are almost the same in both methods, the only difference is the process of making it and time spent waiting for consumption. The first method of making strawberry wine at home involves the following ingredients added each time with both batches:

• 7 gallons cold, soft water.
• 6 gallons cider.
• 6 gallons strawberries. (Cleaned and crushed)
• 16 lbs. of raw sugar.
• 3 oz. of finely powdered red tartar
• 1 peel and juice of two lemons
• 2 to 3 quarts of brandy. (Depending on your tastes)

These are the basic ingredients you need to create quality strawberry wine. The methods are easy. First you mix warm (approximately 4 gallons) water with the cider, and then you add your strawberries concentrate (This mixtures is easily prepared by cleaning then crushing the strawberries into a thick concentrate). You may want to use cheesecloth in order to prevent the strawberry seeds from mixing or eventually sitting at the bottom of your batch. It’s imperative you keep an eye on what goes inside your liquid. Regardless of how many ways we try to keep this liquid clean of foreign objects, checking it often during this process will assure a better batch. Therefore all peels or fruit you use make sure it passes through a fine strain or use the cheesecloth like a tea bag.

Use your paddle or a large mixer in order for the concoction to merge. Leave this liquid alone in a dark cool area allowing the fermentation process to occur. This process should take no longer than 2-3 days. Once this step begins you will notice some bubbles on the top don’t fear that’s a good sign it just means your wine is fermenting properly and at the right temperature. The problem would be if you didn’t see any bubbles on the top.

It may take up to three to four days. After this is properly done you mix in the raw sugar, red tartar and lemon juice or peel. This should be done after a week or two that the fruit was added. The last step is adding the brandy. This will give your strawberry wine a unique and distinguishable taste. The brandy will merge and give the wine extra flavor and an original taste. The second method includes the following ingredients following the above steps:

• 10 gallons cold water,
• 9 gallons of strawberries (cleaned and pureed)
• 25 lbs. of brown sugar
• 3 oz. of finely powdered red tartar.
• 1 tbs. juice
• 1 peel of two lemons,
• 2 oranges peel and juiced.
• 1 gallon of brandy. (Depending on your tastes)

Once you have gathered all these ingredients follow this second method. Place the cold soft water and strawberries into a fermenting tub. After a week or two of fermenting you need to mix in raw sugar, red tartar, lemons and oranges. The final steps add the brandy. With the unique tastes of brandy this could be an added bonus. Keep in mind you may not get this right the first time out, but what a way to spend a week. Who knows you may be the next Gallo of wine making. If you do get a decent batch send me some. Now you may indulge in your strawberry wine.