The juice for this wine was produced using a Mehu-Liisa Steam Juice Extractor. Basically it is a large pot with a juice container and steamer basket. The juice container has a cone shaped opening in the center and a spigot for draining. The juice container sits on top of the boiling water pot, the strainer is placed inside of the juice container. A lid seals it closed. As the water boils the steam rises and causes the fruit to release its juice. It is reasonably effective at giving you clear juice. You should be able to get about a gallon of relatively clear juice for each 10 pounds of fruit.

As you place fruit to the unit, add white sugar and /or honey between layers. The steam basket holds about 15# of fruit plus sugar/honey. To steam a batch of this size requires about one hour, give/take. Adding honey/sugar makes it easier to get the sweetener into the liquid. When you have filled a five gallon carboy, leave 5 to 6 inches of room to allow for the ferment. The ferment will be violent at times and you will get foam out the top the first few weeks . Try placing the carboy inside a large laundry bucket to catch overflow as this wine will stain most floor materials.

When you begin juice extraction, place distilled water into carboy to guard against shocking the glass with hot strawberry juice.