Strawberry, Oaked-Rum Port Project

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

I'm getting in early in the planning stages of a port i wish to make. I want to fortify this with OP Bundy Rum which will be soaked in the oak barrel i am going to age the port in.

Recipe:
Strawberry-Rum Port - 5L

2kg fresh strawberries, frozen and thawed.
1-2kg White sugar / Dextrose - to reach SG of approx 1.101
1.5L Bundaberg OP Rum - to fortify the product.
3 or so litres of water - to make up about 4 litres of fermentables.
Tartaric Acid - to raise the PH to 3.2.
Capmden Tablets
EC-1118 Yeast
Yeast Nutrient.

The Plan:

Add the rum to the cask. I know in my experience, that adding rum to the cask and letting it sit takes the "sharpness/edge" off the rum. Gradually rotate the cask to ensure inside of cask has been exposed to the rum, let it sit in cask until time to add rum to strawberry port base - I am going to try not to touch the rum for a couple of months.

2 Months Later................

1. Freeze and thaw strawberries and place them in a sanitised bucket.
2. Crush fruit.
3. Add all ingredients (except yeast and acid), add campden tablet and stirr/crush thouroughly.
4. Take SG, add sugar/dext to raise to a desired SG of 1.101.
5. Mix thoroughly to ensure sugars are all dissolved. (Repeat this stage every 24hrs for 5 or so days -ensuring the pulp is returned to the mix instead of sitting on top of mix)
6. Add Yeast
7. Repeat step 5 using sanitised equipment.
8. Strain into another sanitised bucket and squeeze the juice out of the pulp.
9. when gravity has reached 1.048, syphon to another sanitised bucket and add Rum from barrel to about 25%ABV.
10. Add sugar and acid to taste.
11. Leave 24-48 Hours, then Transfer back to cask.
12. Put cask away and age for 6months.
13. Bottle and cork.

I have a couple of Questions about my recipe and method for the wine / port makers:

Is it going to be better if I use more strawberries instead of adding sugar/detrose?
Once fortified mix is in cask, Should i purge with CO2 and re-purge CO2 as it dissipates from the oak barrel (if it does dissipate)?

This method has been put together from other sites and procedures, so if there is something that isn't quite right by your opinion/experience please let me know.

Cheers guys and I'll keep you posted when it comes arond to strawberry time again.

 

[MastersBrewery]

I would have thought the sugar added in step 10 would be eaten by residual yeast, and although I'm completely naive in fortifying I'm unsure of your reasoning for adding the campden tablet in step 3. My reasoning being a campden tablet and potassium sorbate would stop further fermentation, therefore would have more appropriate around step 10. Like I said I have no real knowledge of fortifying, I use the about method with my ciders to terminate fermentation at a desired sweetness. I'd be very interested to hear how this goes.

Mike

 

[boonchu]

You would use the campden tablets at step 3 to knock out any wild yeasts on the fruit.
Once at 25% any extra sugar will just sweeten as ec 1118 knocks out at about 18 - 20%.
From what I have found.
The op might hav different reasons.

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

You would use the campden tablets at step 3 to knock out any wild yeasts on the fruit.

Spot on.

 

[Airgead]

I wouldn't advise an open fermentation with strawberries. I tried it a couple of times and the strawberry pulp rapidly turned into nasty brown slime. Its not like grapes where the skins stay intact and contain helpful compounds you want to extract.

I'd ferment the strawberry/sugar mix in a demijon or at least a closed bucket (airlock not glad wrap) to stop the strawberries oxidising and going nasty. Rack it off the fruit after 5-7 days. You won't get any more flavour with longer contact and you run the risk of the pulp going horrible. Ferment it out in a secondary and let it clear.

You may also want to add some pectic enzyme to assist clearing.

I use that method for a rather good raspberry wine...

Cheers
Dave