Wine Press vs Masticating Juicer ?

[Bubbles2]

I am making more and more wine, just getting to my Muscadines and have 14lbs to make 3 gal. I was wondering if running them through my Masticating Juicer (Omega 65rpm) is a No No? I wonder if it will bruise the grapes? I wonder why bladder presses are used or the other one's instead of a large Juicer?
There is a lot of misinformation out there like Network News, so I wonder if anyone has had the opportunity in their travels to find out if using a slow masticating juicer ( harvesting the exhaust, bagging it and leaving it in the Primary for a few days before pulling it) If that bruises the grapes or ??
Anyhow looking forward to reading experience not speculation or conjecture.

 

[Seamonkey84]

You don’t want the seeds to get broken or they’ll make it too astringent or even bitter. Personally, if I’m putting the fruit itself in, I freeze my fruits then thaw them out in a brewing bag. I just mash them a bit so each one is broken open, then let the yeast do the rest of the work. At the end of 10-14 days, I just squeeze the bag till it’s not dripping any more. Usually there’s hardly anything left compared to the original mass.

 

[Bubbles2]

Thanks Seamonkey84 I have them frozen since they do not all ripen at the same time. Good advice on the seeds...I was not even thinking about them getting broken and bittering the wine. I did not know you could leave the skins in that long... I've been pulling within 4 days worried of rot and or too much tannins

 

[Seamonkey84]

The duration of fruit soaking varies greatly it seems, Kind of to taste based on the fruit used. Rotting shouldn’t be an issue with proper cap management (well, we are talking about doing a controlled spoilage here) . Just make sure to give it all a good stir at least twice a day. The problem starts when that top layer begins to dry out. As long as the fermentation/yeast is Healthy and active, the whole process kind of protects itself.

 

[jonereb]

Bubbles, are you keeping fruit up to 14 days under airlock? If so, how? If the fruit is in a "brewing bag", what type of bucket or carboy (with airlock) is holding the brewing bag?

 

[Seamonkey84]

Bubbles, are you keeping fruit up to 14 days under airlock? If so, how? If the fruit is in a "brewing bag", what type of bucket or carboy (with airlock) is holding the brewing bag?

I know your directed that at the OP, but I’m the one that suggested that.
It’s just a nylon mesh bag(think butterfly net), fruit goes in and you tie it closed loosely. I use 2-7 gallon food grade buckets, hole drill in top with rubber grommet for standard airlocks. The airlock isn’t really even needed the first few days, just cover with towel, but I have too many fruit flies and pets for that.
Juices flow in and out, just push the whole thing down and stir, then hold it to the side when degassing. When I pull the fruit, I just twist the bag till all the pulp is in a corner and then squeeze. Then I rack everything (lees and all) into a carboy to finish primary and allow yeast to clean up and completely clear before racking again. The bag gets hosed out, washed, then sanitized before next use.

 

[Bubbles2]

Thanks Seamonkey84. The more I do it the more comfortable. I'll try the taste test

Bubbles, are you keeping fruit up to 14 days under airlock? If so, how? If the fruit is in a "brewing bag", what type of bucket or carboy (with airlock) is holding the brewing bag?

14 days? I go about 10, I like to get it in the Carboy with a bit of Co2 still being produced, a very small amount. This way (In my mind) The o2 is purged due to the Co2 and with 3 - 4 racks at a month apart is quite enough for the carb to be gone.
As far as a bag goes, I found on the Net from China, food grade bags, they are about 22" tall and about 11" wide. VERY Fine mesh, like a tea bag. The Bags almost hold water they are so fine. So all fruit in there, squeeze like Seamonkey does and transfer to carboy with very little lees.
Oh and as I've just learned... a couple gallons of room if you can get it. 3 gal batch in a 5gal bucket to start... the fruit and bag and foam when stirring a couple times a day (especially Champagne Yeast) really gets tall fast

 

[Seamonkey84]

Yea... aim for a vessel almost twice the volume of your batch if your using fruit. It got very dangerous with 4 gallons in a 5 gal bucket.

 

[jonereb]

I take a similar approach that you're describing, but I rack from bucket to carboy when the hydrometer reads 1.1 or 1.0 -- about 3 or 4 days. I fear too much oxygen getting to the wine and oxidizing.

 

[GeneDaniels1963]

Remember that muscudines, esp. while ones, have LOTS of tanins in the skins. So when using them I only leave the fruit in the bucket for 4-5 days, a week max. This helps reduce the amount of tanins that leach out of the skins into the wine. in that length of time the yeasties can pretty well exhaust the sugars in the whole fruits, if they are crushed a little like Seamonkey mentioned.

 

[Bubbles2]

I do not have my notes in front of me, but I think I pulled them in 5-6 days. The Red Star Yeast plowed through it fast, down to 1000 from 1095.