do I need to use a straining bag?

[regjill]

HI making chokecherry wine and I am wondering about the straining bag. Besides the obvious that a bag helps to eliminate mess, I am wondering if I might get better flavor if I just release the berries and let each berry have better access to the additives? I know that I will have to strain off the pits and skins once the fermentation hits the 5 day mark, but will setting them free be a mistake for any other reason? Will it extract more flavor?
thanks

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

You probably won't get much more flavor but you will get a lot more mess to deal with. By five days in the bag they should be about like a large sack of mush. I will be a pain in the hind side to strain them back out.

 

[scarekrow]

The bag you use should be big enough to give the berries room to float around not squeezed tight together. You should also be stirring once or twice a day.