Apple wine without a press

[scorpien222]

Need help and any suggestions I can get I have just been given a hell of a lot of apples and have decided I want to have a go at apple wine but I don't have a press any suggestions on how to get round this ? And any suggestions on recipes ?

 

[cosmatics]

If around nj. Feel free to borrow mine. It's big.

 

[scorpien222]

If around nj. Feel free to borrow mine. It's big.

Thanks for the offer really appreciate it but unfortunately I live in the uk any other ideas ? Or could you whip it over for me ?

 

[novalou]

Ask around. Someone may have a press for you to rent or borrow.

 

[roadymi]

Freezing, thawing, add peptic enzyme than running through a blender or household juicer is time consuming but can yield decent amounts of juice. Place pulp in cheesecloth type material in the fermentor so you can squeeze out the juice after a few weeks.

 

[Revvy]

Read the info I posted in this thread, I have a few low cost/diy grinder and press ideas. Apples but no press, or freezer room

 

[scorpien222]

Thanks for the advice would grating it do the job ? I have an electric grater ad was thinking maybe grating them throwing them in a bucket with just the sugar for 24 hours to draw the liquid out and then adding boiling water and then filter it and I will have a look at the link on my lunch break

 

[Honda88]

you really need to turn them into juice, I would use the cider method and filter the juice out of them and then throw the reamains in a nylon bag and ferment..

 

[Revvy]

I agree with honda, you can break them down anyway you can, grating might work (as will the garbage disposal method mentioned on the page I linked for you) the put it in a mesh bag, and squeeze the juice out. You could suspend it over a large tub and spin the bag to compress it. Or you could rig a press with some boards and a car jack....

 

[saramc]

If I lived in the UK I would consider this http://www.wineworks.co.uk/product/pulpmaster/
I would love to find these in the US (or have someone from UK ship to me), so if anyone knows where to find them please send me a message. I do not have access to a press and they are not available for rent, so I am considering running through my centrifugal juicer and putting pulp in straining bag. Press is on my "list" for 2013.
You mentioned adding boiling water--would not recommend due to the high pectin content in the apples and heat will set the pectin which means you may have trouble clearing the wine. Freezing the apples and allowing them to thaw makes it a lot easier to work with them if you do not have a press, or so I was told.

Please let us know what you do.

 

[scorpien222]

Ah I have seen them in my LHBS that could be an option might try the grating and then compressing in a bag first I have seen them close up and they do look a little fragile though will it make any difference to the wen the apple turning brown as they do or will this just help add sweetness ??

 

[scorpien222]

Would I be better pouring the boiling water on the blackberries and then adding the apple juice and pulp after it had cooled ?