Looking for constructive feedback on my process
Below is hat I have been zeroing in on as my process. It has been used for 2 batches but before I start a third (strawberry from frozen fruit) I anted to run it past group for some feedback. Looking forward to your comments.
**Ingredients: (5 gallon batch)**
· 18-19 pounds fresh fruit
· 11 pounds of Sugar
· 6 Campden Tablets
· 4 Tsp Yeast Nutrient
· 3 Tsp Acid Blend
· 1.5 Tsp Wine Tannin
· 3 Tsp Pectic Enzyme
· 1 Package Wine Yeast
**Steps:**
1. Weigh out **sugar** and add to a stock pot. Fill pot with water (about 3 gallons or so) and heat (do not boil) until all sugar is dissolved. Let sit and cool to room temperature.
2. Sanitize everything that will touch the wine. Use the **Star-San** and follow the instructions. (1/2oz of Star-San to 2.5 gallons of water).
3. Wash the fresh fruit thoroughly. If using frozen you can skip this step.
4. Transfer the fruit to a bowl and smash them up. They do not have to be mush just good and bruised (Skins punctured).
5. Transfer the fruit to the must bag in the primary fermentation bucket. Once all fruit is in the bag tie up tightly. Suggest twisting the neck of the bag tight and using two zipties to clamp it down.
6. Add the sugar water mixture to the fermentation bucket. For 5 gallon batch bucket should be about 20% larger so 6 gallon bucket in this case. Top off with additional water to bring it up to 6 gallon mark.
7. Crush and add 1 **Campden Tablet** per gallon of must. In this case 6 gallons so 6 tablets. It makes it easy to crush if you crush them between to spoons.
8. Add **Acid Blend** per directions or 3teaspoons for this 6 gallon batch
9. Add **Yeast Nutrient** per directions or 4 teaspoons for this 6 gallon batch
10. Add **Wine Tannin** per directions or 1.5 teaspoons for this 6 gallon batch
11. Add **Pectic Enzyme** per directions or 3 teaspoons for this 6 gallon batch
12. Stir all ingredients to incorporate
13. Check with hydrometer. Should read 14%-15% potential Alcohol by Volume.
14. Put Lid and Airlock (make sure to fill airlock) on bucket and let sit for 24 hours.
15. After 24 hours open bucket and stir mixture. Then add one packet of wine yeast to bucket and stir again ensuring that the yeast is in contact with the liquid. Fermentation should start within 24-36 hours. You will know by the airlock bubbling (yeast releasing CO2) and foam on surface.
16. Make sure to stir the bucket and push down the bag every day until the fermentation stops. Once you think it has stopped use the hydrometer to check that there is 0% (or close to it) potential ABV remaining. Usually take 7-10days for primary fermentation to complete.
17. Next step is to rack (transfer the wine from fermentation bucket to carboy). **DO NOT** squeeze or force liquid out of the must bag. Gently lift bag to let drain natural but do not force it. Once at bottom of bucket tip to get as much liquid out as possible without sucking up sediment.
18. Fill carboy till level is about 1 or 2 inch below the bottom of the carboy stopper. You are trying to limit oxygen from getting to wine as much as possible. If need be add wine/water/juice to top it off to correct level. Once level is achieved them add stopper and airlock to carboy.
19. Move carboy to a cool (\~70 deg) dark place and let rest for 30days. After 30 days rack the contents into another carboy making sure to not pickup and solids from bottom. You might have to rack 2 or 3 times to get clarity you need.
20. Stabilize and sterilize with *potassium* metabisulfite and potassium sorbate especially if back sweetening is planned.
21. Next step is racking from final carboy to bottles and corking.