Grape Skins Questions

[bizybrewer]

I just picked up one of winexpert's new kit's with the grape skins included and wanted to get some ideas on what the best way to add the skins would be. Now I know the easiest way is to add them to an plastic bucket during primary fermentation, but I really hate using plastic bucket fermenters. The kit comes with a muslin bag to hold the grape skins but retrieving said bag intact after fermentation will probably present a problem.

What I have come up with so far is just adding the grape skins to the fermenter without the bag and then just siphoning the juice and leaving the yeast and skins behind, or coming up with an elaborate contraption using PVC with holes drilled in the sides to hold the bag while it sits in the fermenting wine. The problem with just throwing the skins in there without the bag is that I wouldn't be able to press the skins to get all the good stuff out, unless you think all the good stuff will just leach out during the fermentation process. With the other method I am concerned that PVC might leave a residual taste.

Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[itch]

I'm no expert but I just throw fresh crushed grapes minus the seads in my fermenter and strain the must out with a clean cotton cloth. Then I add that back to my carboy and rack when needed that has always made me good homemade wine

 

[DoctorCAD]

The kits call for adding the skins to 6 gallons of must. How are you going to do that in a carboy that holds only 6 gallons?

 

[Honda88]

the easiest way is to follow the directions on your kit because the people who made them have probably been making wine a lot longer then you have.

 

[novalou]

Fermentation buckets are made from HDPE, made to withstand the acid from the must.

Don't be opposed to using plastic because its "plastic", you just need to use the correct product.