Crusher Destemmer on Elderberries - Has Anyone Tried This

[rtogio]

Hey all!

I wanted to throw this query out there to anyone else who has experience making non-grape wines like myself.

Has anyone tried to process their elderberries with a mechanical crusher-destemmer? And if so, how were the results.

I ask because I not sure is anyone has tried this before (I don't blame them given how expensive the machines are). But the biggest hassle for anyone who loves to make elderberry wine is destemming the fruit, and I was wondering if here was a mechanical solution for the winemaker who likes to work in bulk.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Elderberries are small & have a LOT of stem to fruit ratio, I'm not sure the destemming equipment that's designed for grapes would work very well on elderberries. I've found that destemming by hand & using a steam juicer works very well for elderberries.
Regards, GF.

 

[WVMJ]

Check out our webpage for easy elderberry harvesting. People have done it using a destemmer but they werent really concerned with lots of little stems when making a big batch. A baking grate over a bucket makes fast and easy harvesting, then float the junk and unripe berries out of the bucket with cold water. WVMJ

http://wvmjack.com/Elderberries/Elderberries.html

 

[theDREWery]

I've always heard to just bang the berry cluster around in a bucket and the ripe ones should fall off. Have not tried it myself, so it's just theoretical to me. I've just used the tins of juice; I'll let a pro handle the PITA type fruits.