Solvent flavor in Apfelwein with strawberries

[choosybeggar]

I don't get it.

I added two half flats of washed, fresh June berries plus pectinase to a 5 gallon batch of apfelwein in a carboy @ ~70F. 2 weeks later, it had a strong solvent flavor (paint thinner). Now after another 2-3 weeks, it remains present.

Moreover, I made this in parallel with raspberry apfelwein, which tastes great. The only difference was strawberries vs raspberries.

Last year, I made a raspberry and boysenberry batch, same technique. Both were excellent.

It's about 6 weeks since the berries were added. Planning to wait and see what happens.

Anyone else have problems with strawberries?

 

[Maylar]

Google will give you the reasons for common wine faults. See if this makes any sense: http://blog.eckraus.com/wine-smells-like-acetone

 

[choosybeggar]

Acetobacter perhaps. Hmmm.

 

[bucketnative]

I tried to recover some wild yeast from some local strawberries. A couple of my starter worts had a very solvent-like smell, more along the lines of acetone. I don't think it is necessarily related to strawberries, but I would bet on some form of wild bug that got in there.

 

[choosybeggar]

I tried to recover some wild yeast from some local strawberries. A couple of my starter worts had a very solvent-like smell, more along the lines of acetone. I don't think it is necessarily related to strawberries, but I would bet on some form of wild bug that got in there.

Interesting. Did it get better over time? I'm guessing not.

 

[bucketnative]

Interesting. Did it get better over time? I'm guessing not.

I didn't test that. These were just 1-cup starters into which I had dropped strawberries. I tossed the off-flavor starters.