I've made red wine from grapes the past two years, and "pressed" by putting
the skins in mesh bags and squeezed by hand. It worked OK, but I know I
left a lot of wine behind.

This year I decided to get a rachet press and I'll be using it for the first
time in a day or two to press batches of 20 gallons of wine - So, I'm
looking for any suggestions you might have to use the press efficiently. Do
you try to get the skins out of your fermenter first to be pressed, and then
take the juice out? Are there any good ways you can suggest for doing this?
I've thought about using a sieve or bucket with holes drilled in it to dip
out the skins and leave the juice behind. Any advice for using the press
itself? I've seen some people say they put in nylon screening and others
say it' s not really necessary.

Thanks for any suggests you can share!

Ed

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
I've made red wine from grapes the past two years, and "pressed" by
putting
the skins in mesh bags and squeezed by hand. It worked OK, but I know I
left a lot of wine behind.

This year I decided to get a rachet press and I'll be using it for the
first
time in a day or two to press batches of 20 gallons of wine - So, I'm
looking for any suggestions you might have to use the press efficiently.
Do
you try to get the skins out of your fermenter first to be pressed, and
then
take the juice out? Are there any good ways you can suggest for doing
this?
I've thought about using a sieve or bucket with holes drilled in it to dip
out the skins and leave the juice behind. Any advice for using the press
itself? I've seen some people say they put in nylon screening and others
say it' s not really necessary.

Thanks for any suggests you can share!

Ed

Ed,

Rachet presses can produce high pressures and high pressures can extract too
much bitter materials. Many home winemakers fill the basket, slowly apply
as much pressure as possible and then discard the pomace. This technique
minimizes the effort work. But, it does not dry out the pomace well and it
does not produce the best quality wine.

Here is pressing technique for obtaining dry pomace and good quality wine.
Unfortunately, considerable effort is required.
(1) Fill the basket with crushed fruit. Add the top plates, the blocks and
the press head. Apply a small amount of pressure until a steady flow of
juice is produced.
(2) When the flow almost stops, increase the pressure by a small amount and
wait again. Large amounts of foam between the basket slats will oxidize the
juice, and the foam is an indication that pressure is being applied too
rapidly.
(3) Continue increasing the pressure in steps until no more liquid can be
obtained.
(4) Disassemble the press by removing the press head, blocks, top plates
and the basket.
(5) Remove the pomace cake from the press. Place the pomace in a shallow
container or on a clean concrete floor and crumble the cake with a shovel.
(6) Replace the basket on the press. Refill the basket, reassemble the
press and start the next pressing cycle.

Many red grape varieties will produce 150 - 170 gallons of wine, but three
or more press cycles are usually required.

Good luck pressing,
lum

Thanks Lum - I will definitely apply pressure in small increments, and try
to minimize foam coming out. You mention doing three or more press cycles,
but how do you decide when you've done enough? Isn't there a point where
you're just extracting tannins and other bitter elements that won't help the
wine?

Thanks again.

Ed

Ed,

Rachet presses can produce high pressures and high pressures can extract
too
much bitter materials. Many home winemakers fill the basket, slowly apply
as much pressure as possible and then discard the pomace. This technique
minimizes the effort work. But, it does not dry out the pomace well and
it
does not produce the best quality wine.

Here is pressing technique for obtaining dry pomace and good quality wine.
Unfortunately, considerable effort is required.
(1) Fill the basket with crushed fruit. Add the top plates, the blocks
and
the press head. Apply a small amount of pressure until a steady flow of
juice is produced.
(2) When the flow almost stops, increase the pressure by a small amount
and
wait again. Large amounts of foam between the basket slats will oxidize
the
juice, and the foam is an indication that pressure is being applied too
rapidly.
(3) Continue increasing the pressure in steps until no more liquid can be
obtained.
(4) Disassemble the press by removing the press head, blocks, top plates
and the basket.
(5) Remove the pomace cake from the press. Place the pomace in a shallow
container or on a clean concrete floor and crumble the cake with a
shovel.
(6) Replace the basket on the press. Refill the basket, reassemble the
press and start the next pressing cycle.

Many red grape varieties will produce 150 - 170 gallons of wine, but three
or more press cycles are usually required.

Good luck pressing,
lum

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lum - I will definitely apply pressure in small increments, and try
to minimize foam coming out. You mention doing three or more press
cycles,
but how do you decide when you've done enough? Isn't there a point where
you're just extracting tannins and other bitter elements that won't help
the
wine?

Thanks again.

Ed

Ed,
The amount of work required is just about the same for each press cycle, but
less wine is produced each cycle.
For example, with a 1/4 ton press, you might get about:
28 gallons the first cycle, 7 gallons the second cycle, 2 gallons the third
cycle and 0.5 gallons the forth cycle. So, deciding when to stop is easy.
You wont extract very much bitter material if you keep the pressure to less
than 30 - 40 pounds per square inch.
lum

Thanks Lum, that's a good explanation - I guess just keep the pressing light
(I'm not sure how to determine 30-40 pounds/sq. in. without a meter of some
type).

Ed

P.S. I had the pleasure of flying business class on Delta to Spain last
month (thanks to frequent flyer miles), and in the menu they give out for
dinner there was a section about making your own wine and they cite your
on-line book as an excellent resource - so you're advise is flying high
these days!


"Lum" wrote in message
...

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lum - I will definitely apply pressure in small increments, and
try
to minimize foam coming out. You mention doing three or more press
cycles,
but how do you decide when you've done enough? Isn't there a point
where
you're just extracting tannins and other bitter elements that won't help
the
wine?

Thanks again.

Ed

Ed,
The amount of work required is just about the same for each press cycle,
but
less wine is produced each cycle.
For example, with a 1/4 ton press, you might get about:
28 gallons the first cycle, 7 gallons the second cycle, 2 gallons the
third
cycle and 0.5 gallons the forth cycle. So, deciding when to stop is easy.
You wont extract very much bitter material if you keep the pressure to
less
than 30 - 40 pounds per square inch.
lum

Wow, congrats Lum! So, you're getting courted up by the big corporate whigs!
JK...

Ed,
I do recommend using fiberglass screening in the basket. I suppose it's
dependent upon the slat spacing but you can easily blow a grape out between
the slats and lose a fair amount of juice that way.

Breaking the cake down and repressing is time-consuming but worth the juice
you gain. I don't separate free run from first press or even second press,
but I do keep the third press separate just because I thought they would be
highly tannic but do not yet taste so.

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lum, that's a good explanation - I guess just keep the pressing
light
(I'm not sure how to determine 30-40 pounds/sq. in. without a meter of
some
type).

Ed

P.S. I had the pleasure of flying business class on Delta to Spain last
month (thanks to frequent flyer miles), and in the menu they give out for
dinner there was a section about making your own wine and they cite your
on-line book as an excellent resource - so you're advise is flying high
these days!


"Lum" wrote in message
...

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lum - I will definitely apply pressure in small increments, and
try
to minimize foam coming out. You mention doing three or more press
cycles,
but how do you decide when you've done enough? Isn't there a point
where
you're just extracting tannins and other bitter elements that won't
help
the
wine?

Thanks again.

Ed

Ed,
The amount of work required is just about the same for each press cycle,
but
less wine is produced each cycle.
For example, with a 1/4 ton press, you might get about:
28 gallons the first cycle, 7 gallons the second cycle, 2 gallons the
third
cycle and 0.5 gallons the forth cycle. So, deciding when to stop is
easy.
You wont extract very much bitter material if you keep the pressure to
less
than 30 - 40 pounds per square inch.
lum

Patrick,

How to you prepare the screening to be used? Just wash and spray with
sulfite solution or what?

Thanks,

Ed


"Patrick McDonald" wrote in
message ...
Wow, congrats Lum! So, you're getting courted up by the big corporate
whigs!
JK...

Ed,
I do recommend using fiberglass screening in the basket. I suppose it's
dependent upon the slat spacing but you can easily blow a grape out
between
the slats and lose a fair amount of juice that way.

Breaking the cake down and repressing is time-consuming but worth the
juice
you gain. I don't separate free run from first press or even second press,
but I do keep the third press separate just because I thought they would
be
highly tannic but do not yet taste so.

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lum, that's a good explanation - I guess just keep the pressing
light
(I'm not sure how to determine 30-40 pounds/sq. in. without a meter of
some
type).

Ed

P.S. I had the pleasure of flying business class on Delta to Spain last
month (thanks to frequent flyer miles), and in the menu they give out
for
dinner there was a section about making your own wine and they cite your
on-line book as an excellent resource - so you're advise is flying high
these days!


"Lum" wrote in message
...

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lum - I will definitely apply pressure in small increments,
and
try
to minimize foam coming out. You mention doing three or more press
cycles,
but how do you decide when you've done enough? Isn't there a point
where
you're just extracting tannins and other bitter elements that won't
help
the
wine?

Thanks again.

Ed

Ed,
The amount of work required is just about the same for each press
cycle,
but
less wine is produced each cycle.
For example, with a 1/4 ton press, you might get about:
28 gallons the first cycle, 7 gallons the second cycle, 2 gallons the
third
cycle and 0.5 gallons the forth cycle. So, deciding when to stop is
easy.
You wont extract very much bitter material if you keep the pressure to
less
than 30 - 40 pounds per square inch.
lum

Yep - just rinse with water and soak/clean with a sulfite solution. Run the
screen along the inside of the basket, leave a little on the bottom and fold
the top over the must before adding your press halves.

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Patrick,

How to you prepare the screening to be used? Just wash and spray with
sulfite solution or what?

Thanks,

Ed


"Patrick McDonald" wrote in
message ...
Wow, congrats Lum! So, you're getting courted up by the big corporate
whigs!
JK...

Ed,
I do recommend using fiberglass screening in the basket. I suppose it's
dependent upon the slat spacing but you can easily blow a grape out
between
the slats and lose a fair amount of juice that way.

Breaking the cake down and repressing is time-consuming but worth the
juice
you gain. I don't separate free run from first press or even second
press,
but I do keep the third press separate just because I thought they would
be
highly tannic but do not yet taste so.

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lum, that's a good explanation - I guess just keep the pressing
light
(I'm not sure how to determine 30-40 pounds/sq. in. without a meter of
some
type).

Ed

P.S. I had the pleasure of flying business class on Delta to Spain
last
month (thanks to frequent flyer miles), and in the menu they give out
for
dinner there was a section about making your own wine and they cite
your
on-line book as an excellent resource - so you're advise is flying
high
these days!


"Lum" wrote in message
...

"Ed Marks" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lum - I will definitely apply pressure in small increments,
and
try
to minimize foam coming out. You mention doing three or more
press
cycles,
but how do you decide when you've done enough? Isn't there a
point
where
you're just extracting tannins and other bitter elements that
won't
help
the
wine?

Thanks again.

Ed

Ed,
The amount of work required is just about the same for each press
cycle,
but
less wine is produced each cycle.
For example, with a 1/4 ton press, you might get about:
28 gallons the first cycle, 7 gallons the second cycle, 2 gallons
the
third
cycle and 0.5 gallons the forth cycle. So, deciding when to stop is
easy.
You wont extract very much bitter material if you keep the pressure
to
less
than 30 - 40 pounds per square inch.
lum