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  • Most basic question ever asked

    Folks,

    Please help, I know this is so basic you are going to laugh.

    I have just processed (fermenting bin, through grape press to demijohn/carboy) 30L montepulciano, 15L English white from one vine and 11L English white from another. I started at 10am and finished washing up at 8pm.

    What are the techniques for getting from fermenting bin to carboy?

    This was my hopelessly long process:
    1. shovel grapeskins into a clean bucket
    2. Pour the remaining must + gunk through a funnel with a muslin bag into carboy
    3. Stop every couple of litres to squeeze muslin bag and discard gunk.
    4. put press into 3rd bucket (old Boots press, borrowed)
    5. Press skins, pour through muslin into carboy.

    I tried siphoning - but the tube just gets blocked.

    There has to be an easier way. Please let me know how you do it?
    Now bottling 20DJs of 2013 red and making room to rack 5 carboys of 2014 red to the DJs where they can wait for another winter.
    Thank goodness for eBay! (local cache of DJs)

  • #2
    It wouldnt have been a better question had you asked it before you began, but not doing so looks like it has caused you a lot more work than you neeeded

    You ferment red grapes without pressing to begin with and only press near the end of ferment......whites are pressed at the start


    see the grapefest thread for red and white winemaking timelines for tons more guidance

    Red Wine Optional parts of the process in red text Process Grapes - Inspect grapes and remove unwanted grapes, leaves, debris and mold. - Crush and de-stem grapes and place into Fermentation vessel - Add colour/flavour extracting enzymes Testing - Test TA, SUGAR LEVELS/BRIX, PH –make necessary adjustments. -


    White Wine Optional parts of the process in red text Process Grapes - Inspect grapes and remove unwanted grapes, leaves, debris and mold. - Crush and de-stem grapes and place into press - Add metabisulphite at rate of 50 ppm 1 campden tablet per gallon...or 5ml 10% sulphite solution - Press juice from Grapes and place in
    Last edited by lockwood1956; 04-10-2012, 10:17 PM.
    N.G.W.B.J.
    Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
    Wine, mead and beer maker

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    • #3
      I was new to processing fresh grapes last year and asked the same question. As Bob said, there is loads of info in the old Grapefest threads.

      The two methods I have used are,
      Place sieve inside vegetable colander and push them into the top of the must. This gives you a pool of relatively clear must to syphon from but I found the sieve clogged eventually. The remaining must and skins I scooped out and poured into the press using a jug.

      The second method is to scoop the skins off the top of the must using a jug and put them in a clean bucket. I then used the jug again to scoop what's left into the press and allowed the free run to drain into a bucket. Once that lot has gone through the press I then put the skins through the press.

      The second method works best for me and the equipment I've got. Approximately 30 litres will go through my press in two goes, the juice first followed by the skins and takes about two hours. I use a Sparging bag as a filter in the press.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by lockwood1956 View Post
        You ferment red grapes without pressing to begin with and only press near the end of ferment......whites are pressed at the start
        Exactly right, Bob. I almost missed the word "white" until you brought it up.

        Whites are pressed BEFORE fermentation, reds are pressed AFTER.
        Steve

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        • #5
          No such thing as a stupid question though and I wish I'd thought a bit more about how i was going to get the skins out of my grapefest red before I actually tackled it.

          My second attempt was better and much similar to robs second method but with out the press. I put smallish batches of the skins in some net curtain and squeezed/ twisted to got most of the juice out. I got a fairly solid 'cake' of grapeskins each time so as long as my wine doesn't taste of curtains I'll be happy!

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          • #6
            Thank you,

            Robwrx - I ended up doing much the same as you. I had the advantage (?) of borrowing a 1970s vintage Boots wine press, so net curtains haven't taken on a claret tie-dye pattern.

            The red grapes were burst before fermenting and pressed after. I spent some time wandering through the beginners info and the grapefest (not all of it) but didn't find anything quite so basic as how you get stuff out of the primary, through the press and into secondary. So I guess there is no secret technique ... no worries, buckets & jugs & slopping about is fine by me. The montepulciano is still bubbling, the whites have stopped.

            Cheers
            Now bottling 20DJs of 2013 red and making room to rack 5 carboys of 2014 red to the DJs where they can wait for another winter.
            Thank goodness for eBay! (local cache of DJs)

            Comment


            • #7
              Old clothes are DEFINATELY the order of the day when working with fresh grapes........sticky forearms R us
              N.G.W.B.J.
              Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
              Wine, mead and beer maker

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by lockwood1956 View Post
                Old clothes are DEFINATELY the order of the day when working with fresh grapes........sticky forearms R us
                And purple hands

                ToulouseLePlot I am glad you found a workable method. Next year you will be much more efficient at it.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by lockwood1956 View Post
                  Old clothes are DEFINATELY the order of the day when working with fresh grapes........sticky forearms R us
                  And don't wear flip flops. It's a bit of a bugger to have to bleach hands, arms and feet :-D
                  Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

                  Some blog ramblings

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