Homemade Strawberry Wine Recipe: Summer Sweetness

Let’s get one thing straight, you absolutely can make delicious Strawberry Wine at home. No cellar full of equipment needed, your kitchen counter works. Now add some fresh fruit, a few basic supplies, and a little patience. Think of it like a summer fling with fermentation: low commitment, high reward, and oh-so-sweet results.

Crafting Strawberry Wine is one of the most rewarding and delicious projects you can tackle in your home winery. Your new favorite homemade wine is just a few steps away.

Start Making Homemade Strawberry Wine: Our Secret

Our recipes are easy to follow. We’ve structured the winemaking process into distinct “Days”, each marking a critical phase in your Strawberry Wine’s lifecycle. Notice how the early stages need regular actions, followed by extended periods of patience as nature works its magic. We recommend you bookmark this page so it’s simple to come back and refer to our guide.

Strawberry Wine – elegant pale red, hints of green apple beneath fresh-picked berry intensity.

Fermentistry.com

Ingredients For Making Homemade Strawberry Wine: Road To Perfection

The list of ingredients for making Homemade Strawberry wine is short and sweet.

• 2 kg (4.4 lb) Ripe Strawberries (frozen Strawberries are best)
• 1 kg (2.2 lb) Sugar (Demerara is best, White sugar is fine)
• Water 4.5 Liters (1.2 US Gallons) (1 Imp Gallon)
• Wine Yeast (we recommend a premium red wine yeast: RC 212 works well with the fruit flavor)
• Wine Yeast Nutrients
• Pectinase 5 gm (1 teaspoon)
• Citric Acid 5 gm (1 teaspoon)
• Tannin 1.25 gm (1/4 teaspoon)
• Campden Tablets or 10% Sodium Metabisulfite solution

Equipment For Making Homemade Strawberry Wine: Makes It Easy

At first glance, the equipment list for making Strawberry Wine might seem intimidating, but don’t let it worry you. Most of these items are likely already tucked away in your kitchen. And here’s the best part, you won’t need everything at once!

As the process unfolds in stages “Days”, you can even gather equipment as you go. The list below is the complete list of every piece of equipment you’ll need over the coming days and weeks. Bookmark this page so you can come back.

If you’re a beginner, you’ll find a Fermentistry Approved list of equipment on this page Basic Wine Making Equipment: Essential For Professional Results. We even have a package containing everything a beginners needs, to get you started fast!

• Primary Fermenter. Where your first Fermentation takes place
• Secondary Fermenter. Same as Primary Fermenter, used for Racking
• Fermenter Airlock. To let Carbon Dioxide escape and keep air out
• Food grade plastic bucket and lid 10 Liter (2.6 US Gallons) (2.2 Imp Gallons). Used for Juice Extraction
• Alcohol Hydrometer
• Measuring Cylinder 100 ml or tall glass (needs room for your Hydrometer to float freely)
• Brewing Siphon
• Note book and pen

Equipment For Making Homemade Strawberry Wine: Found In Your Kitchen

The following is a list of equipment you’ll probably already have! These items are stored in your kitchen. Just read the list and take a mental note of what you’ll need.

• Large Funnel with narrow neck
• Glass Jar and Lid
• Simple Kitchen Thermometer
• Kitchen Measuring Spoons
• Kitchen Long Handle Spoon
• Kitchen Measuring Jug
• Kitchen Scales
• Kitchen Sieve (Large)
• Kitchen Bowl
• Kitchen Stock Pot (larger than 5 Liters (1.3 US Gallons) (1.1 Imp Gallons)
• Kitchen Potato Masher
• Water Filter Jug. Used to remove Chlorine from tap water (you may not need this)

Homemade Strawberry Wine: Flavor Profile

Following our recipe you’ll make a Strawberry Wine with the following flavor profile. As your wine ages, this flavor will subtly change. Strawberry Wine has a fruit aroma with the flavors of Strawberry, Pineapple and spice. Sometimes jammy and floral.

• Sweetness: medium
• Acidity: medium
• Tannin: low
• Alcohol: low-medium
• Body: low-medium
• Flavor intensity: medium-high
• Finish: low-medium

Balance Acidity Of Homemade Strawberry Wine: Make It Delicious

Let’s talk about the acidity of your Strawberry Wine and why it’s so important to get it right. Too little acidity, and your wine tastes flat. Too much acidity and it tastes like an unripe lemon. Our recipe aims for that sweet-spot in the middle where your palate will sing with joy!

There is another good reason to ensure your juice has a high acidity (low pH). Juice low in acid is also susceptible to bacterial infection. By maintaining acidity below pH 4, you significantly reduce the chances of an infection occurring.

For the home wine maker there is an acidity sweet-spot, between a pH of 3.0 and pH 4.0. By following our recipe, you’ll create a juice with an approximate pH 3.8. This is a safe place for you to ferment a wine.

Here’s the fun part, you can tweak the pH like a flavor dial depending on the flavor profile you are designing. Those of you with access to a pH Meter (it’s worth investing in a pH Meter it makes testing acidity so easy!), you can tweak this setting by adding Citric Acid to create your own flavor profile. Always take the time to taste your juice(Must) after making an adjustment and make additions of Citric Acid a quarter teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired level.

How To Make Homemade Strawberry Wine: Steps To Success

Before diving in, we recommend reading through the entire guide so you understand the timeline. This makes it easy to know when to act and when to wait, maximizing the fun you’ll have crafting your exceptional Strawberry Wine.

Step 1: Clean Strawberries Gives Pure Flavor

If you’re using picked fruit, wash any dirt off your whole Strawberries with tap water. At the same time separate the fruit from any leaves and stems. Place your clean fruit aside. If you’re using frozen fruit, this step usually isn’t needed.

The nice thing about Strawberries is we have no stones to contend with. So we can simply weight our Strawberries using our kitchen scales, remembering to account for the weight of the bowl. Be certain you reach the 2 kg (4.4 pounds) target weight. Finally, remember to eat some Strawberries it’s always important to taste them.

Step 2: Clean Strawberry Wine Equipment Prevent Spoilage

The cornerstone of wine making success lies in the cleanliness of your equipment. The first step is to ensure all equipment is thoroughly cleaned using standard detergent or better PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash). Persistent stains can be effectively removed with a quality bottle brush or a soft cloth.

Once the equipment is impeccably cleaned, it’s time for Sanitization. We highly recommend chemical sanitization due to its long lasting effect. Chemical sanitization continues to protect your equipment for a period after the initial treatment. We recommend using a Sodium Metabisulfite based sanitizer.

Check out our article How to Clean and Sanitize Winemaking Equipment for a detailed guide to the process.

On Day 1, you need to clean and Sanitize the following items:

• Food grade plastic bucket and lid 10 Liter (2.6 US Gallons) (2.2 Imp Gallons). Used for Juice Extraction
• Kitchen Stock Pot
• Kitchen Potato Masher
• Kitchen Measuring Spoons
• Glass jar and lid

Step 3: Extract Maximum Flavor From Strawberries Foundation Of Winemaking Success

Using your cleaned and sanitized Food Grade Plastic Bucket, add all your washed Strawberries. Using a kitchen Stock Pot, bring 4.5 Liters (1.2 US Gallons) (1 Imp Gallon) of Water to the boil, then let the water sit for 5 minutes. It’s important not to add boiling water to Strawberries. Once the water has rested for 5 minutes, then carefully add the hot water to the Bucket over top of your Strawberries. Leave this to sit for 5 minutes with the lid off so the fruit can soften.

Using your Potato Masher, press down on the Strawberries for a few minutes to release the fruit pulp and color. The liquid will become a cloudy light red. You don’t need to mash the fruit completely, use enough pressure to break them up a little and release the flavor from the Strawberries.

Put the lid on the Bucket and press down firmly. Lift one side of the lid open a little, we want a gap to let air and heat escape. Place your bucket in a warm safe place away from light. It needs to sit for 1 day.

Step 4: A Yeast Starter For Homemade Strawberry Wine Will Start Fermentation Fast

The fact is, it’s just better to make a Yeast Starter. A Yeast Starter is created by adding your Yeast to a sanitized Glass Jar with water, sugar and Wine Nutrient Salts. The primary purpose is to check your Yeast is active before you add it to your precious Strawberry juice. There are other advantages as well.

Learn all about creating your own Yeast Starter from our article How To Make A Yeast Starter. Make your Yeast Starter on Day 1, you’ll need it in a couple of days.

On Day 2, you need the following supplies:

• Strawberry Juice (Must)
• Pectinase 5 gm (1 teaspoon)
• Campden Tablet (1 tablet) or 1 Teaspoon 10% Sodium Metabisulfite solution

On Day 2, you need to clean and sanitize the following equipment:

• Kitchen Measuring Spoons
• Kitchen Long Handle Spoon

Step 5: Add Pectin Enzyme To Strawberries For Maximum Juice Extraction

After about 1 day (24 hours) the bucket of Strawberries will be cool, so add 1 teaspoon (5 gm) of Pectinase and 1 crushed Campden Tablet to the Bucket of fruit and liquid. The Pectinase is to help extract the juice from the Strawberries. The Pectinase needs to sit on the fruit for 24 hours before it’s complete. Replace the lid on the bucket and take a minute to carefully swirl the mixture around.

I’ll explain what we just did. We added the Campden Tablet (Sodium Metabisulfite) to kill any Wild Yeast that might get into our Strawberry juice, now known as “Must“. Swirling our Must(juice) achieves 2 goals, mixing the Sodium Metabisulfite through the solution and mixing Oxygen into the solution. Oxygen is needed by the Yeast during Primary Fermentation. We’re getting the Strawberry Must(juice) ready for the Yeast that you’ve got growing in your Yeast Starter.

On Day 3, you need the following supplies:

• Strawberry Must (juice)
• 2 kg (4.4 pounds) Sugar (Demerara is best, White sugar is fine)
• Campden Tablet (1 tablet) or 1 Teaspoon 10% Sodium Metabisulfite solution
• Wine Yeast Nutrients 5gm (1 teaspoon)
• Citric Acid 5 gm (1 teaspoon)
• Tannin 1.25 gm (1/4 teaspoon)

On Day 3, you need to clean and sanitize the following equipment:

• Primary Fermenter
• Fermenter Airlock
• Measuring Cylinder 100 ml or tall glass (needs room for your Hydrometer to float freely)
• Kitchen Potato Masher
• Kitchen Measuring Spoons
• Kitchen Sieve (Large)
• Kitchen Long Handle Spoon

Step 6: Press Strawberries To Release Color And Flavor

We need to clean and sanitized the Primary Fermenter, Measuring Cylinder, Kitchen Potato Masher, Kitchen Measuring Spoons, Kitchen Sieve and Kitchen Long Handle Spoon. Put aside some Sanitizing solution, we’ll use this later in your Air Lock.

Using you Potato Masher, press the Strawberries in your bucket to break them up. Some of the fruit pulp will float in the juice. This will release additional color and flavor.

Step 7: Dissolve Sugar In Strawberry Juice To Feed Your Yeast

To the Primary Fermenter, add the following ingredients, while carefully measuring each with your Kitchen Measuring Spoons or Kitchen Scales:

• Wine Yeast Nutrients 5gm (1 teaspoon)
• Citric Acid 5 gm (1 teaspoon)
• Tannin 1.25 gm (1/4 teaspoon)
• 2 kg (4.4 pounds) Sugar

Pour the Strawberry juice through the large kitchen sieve into the Primary Fermenter over the dry ingredients. The sieve will catch the fruit pulp during the transfer. While holding your sieve over your Primary Fermenter, press the fruit pulp with your Potato Masher to extract any remaining juice.

You will have more juice than space in your Primary Fermenter. Put any excess juice aside into a sanitized bottle and store in the refridgerator. You’ll use this juice for topping up the Fermenter in the coming days.

Once all the Strawberry juice is transferred, use your long handle spoon to stir the mixture. Stir until you can feel the sugar is dissolved into the solution. Stirring is also a good way to add air to your mixture, very important for the first stage of fermentation. Discard the fruit pulp and seeds caught in your kitchen sieve. Ensure there is no more than a 1 inch (2.5 cm) air gap above the juice in the Fermenter.

Step 8: Measure The Original Gravity Of Strawberry Juice

Pour out 100 ml of your Strawberry Must (juice) from your Fermenter into your Measuring Cylinder and place this on your kitchen bench top. Importantly, the Strawberry Must (juice) contains your sugar. Place your Alcohol Hydrometer into the liquid and spin with your fingers. Spinning the Hydrometer causes it to clear any bubbles and to settle more quickly giving you a clear view of the scale.

Step 9: Add Yeast To Strawberry Juice You’re Making Wine

It’s time to add your Yeast Starter to the Strawberry Must(juice) in your Primary Fermenter and start the fermentation process.

A successful Yeast Starter is cloudy and bubbly and this tells us it’s ready for use. Tighten the lid on your Yeast Starter jar, shake the jar for a few seconds. Now pour off half of the Yeast Starter into your Strawberry Must(juice) in the Primary Fermenter.

Put the lid on your Primary Fermenter, insert the Airlock (filled with Sanitizer). Gently swirl the mixture around in your Fermenter. Do this for 30 seconds.

Carefully move your Primary Fermenter to a warm dark place. Keep it at approximately 15^o to 20^o Celsius (60^o to 70^o Fahrenheit). This is where your Yeast Starter will come to life and convert your Strawberry Must into wine.

Step 10: Let The Yeast Make Strawberry Wine You Take A Break

From Day 3 to Day 28 you will have see vigorous Fermentation where there are bubbles on the surface of your Strawberry Must(juice) and gas bubbling through your Airlock. By Day 22, Fermentation will start to slow. This is normal, there is nothing to worry about. Leave your Primary Fermenter and let the Yeast work hard for you. Take a break until day 28.

On Day 28, you need the following supplies:

• 1 Campden Tablet or 1 teaspoon 10% Sodium Metabisulfite solution

On Day 28, you need to clean and sanitize the following equipment:

• Secondary Fermenter. Same as Primary Fermenter, used for Racking.
• Fermenter Airlock. To let Carbon Dioxide escape and keep air out.
• Alcohol Hydrometer
• Measuring Cylinder 100 ml or tall glass. Needs room for your Hydrometer to float freely.
• Brewing Siphon

We need to clean and sanitized the Secondary Fermenter, Measuring Cylinder, Alcohol Hydrometer, and Brewing Siphon. Put aside some Sanitizing solution, we’ll use this later in your air lock.

Step 11: Rack Strawberry Wine Leave Sediment Behind

It’s time to get your Strawberry Wine off it’s Sediment. To do this we need to transfer it from the Primary Fermenter to the Secondary Fermenter, leaving behind the Sediment and any fruit pulp and other solids. The process of transferring the wine is referred to as Racking. The Sediment and fruit pulp, known as the Lees, gradually settles during Fermentation leading to the natural clarification of the wine.

Read our article Racking Wine The Expert Guide for a detailed explanation of the process.

Step 12: Take Sample 1 Note The Specific Gravity Of The Strawberry Wine

Pour out 100 ml of your Strawberry Wine into your Measuring Cylinder and place this on your kitchen bench top. Place your Alcohol Hydrometer into the liquid and spin with your fingers. Spinning the Hydrometer causes it to clear any bubbles and to settle more quickly. Take a note of the reading. Top up your fermenter with Strawberry Juice (from your reserve juice) to ensure you have just a 1 inch (2.5 cm) air gap.

Carefully move your Secondary Fermenter to a warm dark place. Keep it at approximately 15^o to 20^o Celsius (60^o to 70^o Fahrenheit). The Yeast may still have some work to do converting your Strawberry Must into wine. Relax and let the Yeast work for you until day 53.

Step 13: Add Fining Agent To Clarify The Strawberry Wine

Add a Fining Agent to help clarify your Strawberry Wine. Some Fining Agents have side effects like stripping flavor and color, but not Bananas. Yes, you read correctly, Bananas! We recommend using Bananas because they are the ultimate Fining Agent. They clarify and enhance body, bouquet, and mouthfeel, without robbing color from your precious wine.

Learn how to make your own Banana Fining Agent with our article How to Clarify Homemade Wine Foolproof Methods for Crystal-Clear Wine.

Simply stir the Banana Paste (Fining Agent) into your fermenter on Day 53 and leave it to work until Day 56.

On Day 56, you need the following supplies:

• 1 Campden Tablet or 1 teaspoon 10% Sodium Metabisulfite solution

On Day 56, you need to clean and sanitize the following equipment:

• Primary Fermenter, used for Racking.
• Fermenter Airlock. To let Carbon Dioxide escape and keep air out.
• Alcohol Hydrometer
• Measuring Cylinder 100 ml or tall glass. Needs room for your Hydrometer to float freely.
• Brewing Siphon

We need to clean and sanitized the Primary Fermenter, Measuring Cylinder, Alcohol Hydrometer, and Brewing Siphon. Put aside some Sanitizing solution, we’ll use this later in your air lock.

Step 14: How To Rack Strawberry Wine And Make It Clear

It’s time to clarify your Strawberry Wine. To do this we need to transfer it from the Secondary Fermenter back to the Primary Fermenter, leaving behind any new Sediment. The Sediment gradually settles during Fermentation leading to the natural clarification of the wine.

Step 15: Take Sample 2 Note The Specific Gravity Of The Strawberry Wine

Pour out 100 ml of your Strawberry Wine into your Measuring Cylinder and place this on your kitchen bench top. Place your Alcohol Hydrometer into the liquid and spin with your fingers. Spinning the Hydrometer causes it to clear any bubbles and to settle more quickly. Take a note of the reading. Top up your fermenter with Strawberry Juice (from your reserve juice) to ensure you have just a 1 inch (2.5 cm) air gap.

On Day 70, you need the following supplies:

• Sodium Metabisulfite solution

On Day 70, you need to clean and sanitize the following equipment:

• Alcohol Hydrometer
• Measuring Cylinder 100 ml or tall glass. Needs room for your Hydrometer to float freely.
• Brewing Siphon
• 4 Flip-top or Swing-top Wine Bottles 1 Liter (33 fluid ounces) each in Brown or Green Glass.

Before transferring the Strawberry Wine from your Fermenter, you must clean and sanitize each Flip-top bottle and Lid, your Measuring Cylinder, Alcohol Hydrometer, and Brewing Siphon. This is essential, so take your time and make sure each piece of equipment is carefully prepared.

Step 16: Take Sample 3 Note The Specific Gravity Of The Strawberry Wine

Pour out 100 ml of your Strawberry Wine into your Measuring Cylinder and place this on your kitchen bench top. Place your Alcohol Hydrometer into the liquid and spin with your fingers. Spinning the Hydrometer causes it to clear any bubbles and to settle more quickly. Take a note of the reading. Expect to see a reading between 1.005 and 0.990.

You are now able to calculate the Alcohol by Volume (ABV) of your Strawberry Wine. Read our article Calculating Alcohol Content: The Winemaker’s Golden Formula to learn how.

Step 17: How To Bottle Strawberry Wine Packaged For Pleasure

Carefully place your Fermenter on a benchtop without stirring or disturbing your Strawberry Wine. We want to keep any Sediment on the bottom. Remove the lid of the Fermenter and insert your Siphon.

As with Siphoning between Fermenters, place your bottles below the level of your Fermenter, on the floor. Prime your Siphon and transfer your Strawberry Wine into each Bottle filling to 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) from the lid. Replace the cap and push the clamp down.

A Label Makes Your Strawberry Wine Professional

Labelling each of your precious bottles is important. A professionally labeled wine bottle elevates your wine from “homemade” to “artisanal.” An attractive label enhances perceived quality, making your wine more appealing for gifting, competitions, and personal pride. Our labels are designed to reflect the care you put into your craft, ensuring your Strawberry Wine looks as incredible as it tastes.

Join hundreds of home winemakers who trust our expertise. Browse our collection today and give your wine the presentation it deserves.

Step 18: Aging Strawberry Wine The Secret To Smooth

You’ve transferred your Wine into your freshly sanitized bottles using the Brewing Siphon. At this stage you have Fermented Strawberry juice which is technically Wine, however it’s not ready for drinking. Leaving it to Age is the secret to transforming from just Fermented juice into a delicious Strawberry Wine. Aging is the secret to that smooth silky flavor.

On Day 180, the only equipment you need is a wine glass.

Step 19: Tasting Homemade Strawberry Wine True Contentment

All your effort has paid dividends and you’re holding a bottle of your homemade Strawberry Wine. It’s ready for the first tasting. At 6 months old, you’ve left it to age for the minimum needed. While you can drink it now, it’ll only get better if you can leave it a little longer. We recommend 12 months, if you have the will power.

Aging your wine for more than six months allows complex flavors and aromas to develop, resulting in a smoother, more balanced final product. Extended aging helps soften harsh tannins in red wines and enhances the integration of other characteristics, creating a more harmonious taste profile.

Patience Is A Winemaker’s Greatest Skill: The Secret To Delicious Homemade Strawberry Wine

In the world of winemaking, patience isn’t just a virtue it’s a necessity. The journey from fruit to glass is a process that cannot be rushed. Each step, from processing the fruit into Must(juice) to allowing the wine to age gracefully, requires time and careful attention. The art and science of winemaking is a testament to the adage, “good things come to those who wait”.

Just as a fine wine develops its complex flavors and aromas over time, so too does the winemaker’s craft evolve with experience and dedication. There are no shortcuts in this age-old tradition, every bottle of wine is a celebration of human artistry, nature and especially time. The sooner you start making wine, the sooner you’ll be enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Final Words: Delicious Homemade Strawberry Wine Recipe

Cue the applause! Your Strawberry Wine isn’t just a drink, it’s a conversation starter, a gift, and the life of the party. Slap on those custom labels, invite the crew, and bask in the glory of ‘You made this!’. Don’t forget to a bottle for yourself. It’ll vanish faster than you think.

Remember this. Every great Winemaker starts exactly where you are now, with curiosity, a handful of fruit, and the guts to try. Once you’re hooked on wine making, you’ll start planning the next batch before finishing the last. So go and look over our Wine Recipes and choose your next project. They are waiting for you right now!

And when you “pull the cork” on your first bottle of Strawberry Wine, don’t forget to share your victory with us. We’d love to read all about your success, so drop us a line and tell us everything.