I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no experience with
winemaking, and I have none in making wine from scratch with grapes -- I
have made wine with pears, strawberries, and some other locally available
fruits and done kits for several years. We've agreed that the neighbor will
harvest ripe grapes, clean and crush them by hand in a large pot, and freeze
in approx 5-lb bags. When he accumulates enough we'll start a batch, using
Jack Keller's recipe for "Simple Grape Wine.".

I've got all the equipment we'll need except for a grape press. I've
checked around my area, and haven't found any available to borrow or rent,
and (at this time) don't wish to buy something that may be used only this
once. I've used nylon mesh bags for pears, strawberries, etc., but doubt
that those would withstand the pressure needed to extract the grape juice.

How can we economically contain the fruit for pressing, and apply enough
pressure to extract most of the juice?

Thanks,

Bart

"bwesley7" > wrote in message
news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no experience
with
> winemaking, and I have none in making wine from scratch with grapes -- I
> have made wine with pears, strawberries, and some other locally available
> fruits and done kits for several years. We've agreed that the neighbor
will
> harvest ripe grapes, clean and crush them by hand in a large pot, and
freeze
> in approx 5-lb bags. When he accumulates enough we'll start a batch,
using
> Jack Keller's recipe for "Simple Grape Wine.".
>
> I've got all the equipment we'll need except for a grape press. I've
> checked around my area, and haven't found any available to borrow or rent,
> and (at this time) don't wish to buy something that may be used only this
> once. I've used nylon mesh bags for pears, strawberries, etc., but doubt
> that those would withstand the pressure needed to extract the grape juice.
>
> How can we economically contain the fruit for pressing, and apply enough
> pressure to extract most of the juice?

I've "pressed" grapes by hand. It's doable in a small batch - say 5 to 10
gallons. If the grapes are red, the fermentation will do a pretty thorough
job of easing the chore by breaking down the cells. Use a coarse strainer
to separate most of the wine, then put the solids in the mesh bag and wring
it out.

This is a lot harder with white grapes, because you need to separate the
juice _before_ fermentation, but it works pretty much the same. Crush the
fruit as well as you can with your hands, popping all the berries. Pour
through a strainer to separate the liquid and wring the solids out as
thoroughly as you can. (A dose of pectic enzyme right after crushing,
followed by a cold soak overnight prior to pressing helps with this.) Be
sure to cold settle the juice thoroughly and rack it away from the heavy
goop prior to inoculation or the wine will end up somewhat coarse tasting.

Alternatively, you could rent a small press or buy one cheap on e-Bay.

Tom S

"bwesley7" > wrote in message
news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no experience
with
> winemaking, and I have none in making wine from scratch with grapes -- I
> have made wine with pears, strawberries, and some other locally available
> fruits and done kits for several years. We've agreed that the neighbor
will
> harvest ripe grapes, clean and crush them by hand in a large pot, and
freeze
> in approx 5-lb bags. When he accumulates enough we'll start a batch,
using
> Jack Keller's recipe for "Simple Grape Wine.".
>
> I've got all the equipment we'll need except for a grape press. I've
> checked around my area, and haven't found any available to borrow or rent,
> and (at this time) don't wish to buy something that may be used only this
> once. I've used nylon mesh bags for pears, strawberries, etc., but doubt
> that those would withstand the pressure needed to extract the grape juice.
>
> How can we economically contain the fruit for pressing, and apply enough
> pressure to extract most of the juice?

I've "pressed" grapes by hand. It's doable in a small batch - say 5 to 10
gallons. If the grapes are red, the fermentation will do a pretty thorough
job of easing the chore by breaking down the cells. Use a coarse strainer
to separate most of the wine, then put the solids in the mesh bag and wring
it out.

This is a lot harder with white grapes, because you need to separate the
juice _before_ fermentation, but it works pretty much the same. Crush the
fruit as well as you can with your hands, popping all the berries. Pour
through a strainer to separate the liquid and wring the solids out as
thoroughly as you can. (A dose of pectic enzyme right after crushing,
followed by a cold soak overnight prior to pressing helps with this.) Be
sure to cold settle the juice thoroughly and rack it away from the heavy
goop prior to inoculation or the wine will end up somewhat coarse tasting.

Alternatively, you could rent a small press or buy one cheap on e-Bay.

Tom S

"Tom S" > wrote in message
...
>
> "bwesley7" > wrote in message
> news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> > I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> > a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> > the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no
experience...
> >
> > How can we economically contain the fruit for pressing, and apply enough
> > pressure to extract most of the juice?
>
> I've "pressed" grapes by hand. It's doable in a small batch - say 5 to 10
> gallons. If the grapes are red, the fermentation will do a pretty
thorough
> job of easing the chore by breaking down the cells. Use a coarse strainer
> to separate most of the wine, then put the solids in the mesh bag and
wring
> it out.

OK, I was thinking we might wind up "pressing" a small batch at a time in a
bag; I don't expect to get super-efficient juice extraction on this initial
batch.

> This is a lot harder with white grapes, because you need to separate the
> juice _before_ fermentation, but it works pretty much the same. Crush the

Since 99% of the grapes I expect we will harvest will be muscadine, we will
ferment on the skins.

> Alternatively, you could rent a small press or buy one cheap on e-Bay.

There doesn't seem to be anything available to rent around here, and I'm not
ready to purchase anything for one batch.

Thanks,

Bart

"Tom S" > wrote in message
...
>
> "bwesley7" > wrote in message
> news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> > I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> > a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> > the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no
experience...
> >
> > How can we economically contain the fruit for pressing, and apply enough
> > pressure to extract most of the juice?
>
> I've "pressed" grapes by hand. It's doable in a small batch - say 5 to 10
> gallons. If the grapes are red, the fermentation will do a pretty
thorough
> job of easing the chore by breaking down the cells. Use a coarse strainer
> to separate most of the wine, then put the solids in the mesh bag and
wring
> it out.

OK, I was thinking we might wind up "pressing" a small batch at a time in a
bag; I don't expect to get super-efficient juice extraction on this initial
batch.

> This is a lot harder with white grapes, because you need to separate the
> juice _before_ fermentation, but it works pretty much the same. Crush the

Since 99% of the grapes I expect we will harvest will be muscadine, we will
ferment on the skins.

> Alternatively, you could rent a small press or buy one cheap on e-Bay.

There doesn't seem to be anything available to rent around here, and I'm not
ready to purchase anything for one batch.

Thanks,

Bart

I tried to find that posting... no luck. Can you send it again?

Thanks,

Bart

"Joe Sallustio" > wrote in message
om...
> Bart,
> I guess you could do that, but it seems like a lot of effortthat could
> be combined in one sitting. Freezing the grapes will break them down
> a bit anyway, why not do it all at once and onle have to clean up
> once?
>
> I posted directions (more or less) on how to make a press out of a
> surplus pail under 'tube for a basket press'; it's not pretty but it's
> free.
> Regards,
> Joe
>
> > OK, I was thinking we might wind up "pressing" a small batch at a time
in a
> > bag; I don't expect to get super-efficient juice extraction on this
initial
> > batch.
> >

I tried to find that posting... no luck. Can you send it again?

Thanks,

Bart

"Joe Sallustio" > wrote in message
om...
> Bart,
> I guess you could do that, but it seems like a lot of effortthat could
> be combined in one sitting. Freezing the grapes will break them down
> a bit anyway, why not do it all at once and onle have to clean up
> once?
>
> I posted directions (more or less) on how to make a press out of a
> surplus pail under 'tube for a basket press'; it's not pretty but it's
> free.
> Regards,
> Joe
>
> > OK, I was thinking we might wind up "pressing" a small batch at a time
in a
> > bag; I don't expect to get super-efficient juice extraction on this
initial
> > batch.
> >

Bart,

.....I use three pails stacked with no problems, they could be clean
white drywall pails but I use 6 gallon food grade pails since I have
them. It does not look like they should stand the pressure, but I
press slow, it's never been an issue.

The base pail is the catch basin. I place about a 4" stand off in the
pail and follow it with another pail with 1/8" holes in the base and
about 4 to 6" up the sides as the press basket. Fill that with grapes
and follow it with another pail as the pressure plate. It's not
elegant but I get a dry press cake by stirring the cake as you would
in a real press. You could drill a 1/2" to 3/4" hole in the side of
thebase bucket and attach a hose to drain it directly into carboys if
you feel like it's worth it.

If you want to build it as a press:

You could build a 4 x 4 box frame with a double 3/4" plywood base and
top plate and use a bottle jack on top of this to apply the pressure.
If you made it from doubled up scrap 2 x 4's" it would cost next to
nothing. My pails are 18" high so if I did this the inner dimmension
would be about 4.5 to 5 feet. The bottom pail is not needed, I use it
to keep the splatter down. I usually do around 200 pounds of must per
cycle in this press, I get around 12 to 14 gallons (US) of free run as
I load it, a few more gallons of press wine from this. I would
estimate it takes at least a 50# charge of grapes. If you used
squatter buckets or built a wooden ram for the pressure plate you
could keep the hieght down to about 3 feet.

I haven't used the jack idea. I used a 6 gallon pail of water which
works out to about 50 pounds total, then I put a lid on it, add
another 6 gallon pail on top and fill it with water.

Another option is to stand in the top bucket. Either way works, one
is just faster. It's not something I would recommend, it's not to
stable.

It might be possible to use ratcheting tie down staps to apply the
pressure by wrapping them around the whole assembly, that eliminates a
frame if it works.

This is pretty much what I did last year to press around 200# of
grapes. Keep in mind I drain off the free run, so this does not take
a 200 pound charge of grapes, its more like 50 pounds of skins to
press.

3 water 3
3 3
3 3
3 3
23 32
23 32
23 32
23333333333332
2 2
2 grapes 2
12 21
12 21
1222222222222221
1 1111 1
1 1111 1
1 1111 1
1111111111111111

'1' is a catch bucket for the press fraction

'2' has 1/8 inch holes in the base and up several inches of the sides

'3' is the press 'platten'; if you put a lid on it you can stack
others on it.

It's not pretty but it's free and I know it works, I've used it
several times. I got the idea from Lums book, as usual I needed to
press and was not ready so had to improvise.

Hope this helps.
Regards,
Joe




"bwesley7" > wrote in message news:<YsBNc.14444$fB4.2586@lakeread01>...
> I tried to find that posting... no luck. Can you send it again?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bart
>
> "Joe Sallustio" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Bart,
> > I guess you could do that, but it seems like a lot of effortthat could
> > be combined in one sitting. Freezing the grapes will break them down
> > a bit anyway, why not do it all at once and onle have to clean up
> > once?
> >
> > I posted directions (more or less) on how to make a press out of a
> > surplus pail under 'tube for a basket press'; it's not pretty but it's
> > free.
> > Regards,
> > Joe
> >
> > > OK, I was thinking we might wind up "pressing" a small batch at a time
> in a
> > > bag; I don't expect to get super-efficient juice extraction on this
> initial
> > > batch.
> > >

Joe,
Does it seem to matter that the pails are not cylindrical but
slightly conical? At least I'm assuming that they are slightly
conical like most buckets are, for instance a 23l pail of sterile
must that juice kits come in. They're maybe an inch narrower
at the bottom then the top.

Don

> 3 water 3
> 3 3
> 3 3
> 3 3
> 23 32
> 23 32
> 23 32
> 23333333333332
> 2 2
> 2 grapes 2
> 12 21
> 12 21
> 1222222222222221
> 1 1111 1
> 1 1111 1
> 1 1111 1
> 1111111111111111

Don,
I thought it would be an issue too but have not had problems. I
thought seeds and 'stuff' would get caught up in the sides of the
pressing pail but it has not happened to me.

My pails are exactly what you are describing; 11 3/8" at the top and
10 3/8" at the base. These came with Regina juice, and were made by
Ropak.

I have never pressed uncrushed grapes with it and would expect that to
be a disaster, it's not a set up that can apply a lot of pressure. I
have hand-crushed grenache and pressed immediately to make a blush and
it worked out well.
Joe



(Don S) wrote in message . com>...
> Joe,
> Does it seem to matter that the pails are not cylindrical but
> slightly conical? At least I'm assuming that they are slightly
> conical like most buckets are, for instance a 23l pail of sterile
> must that juice kits come in. They're maybe an inch narrower
> at the bottom then the top.
>
> Don
>
> > 3 water 3
> > 3 3
> > 3 3
> > 3 3
> > 23 32
> > 23 32
> > 23 32
> > 23333333333332
> > 2 2
> > 2 grapes 2
> > 12 21
> > 12 21
> > 1222222222222221
> > 1 1111 1
> > 1 1111 1
> > 1 1111 1
> > 1111111111111111

Joe,
I'm certainly going to keep that method in mind if my
homemade wooden jobber doesn't work out right.

Don

> I thought it would be an issue too but have not had problems. I
> thought seeds and 'stuff' would get caught up in the sides of the
> pressing pail but it has not happened to me.
>
> My pails are exactly what you are describing; 11 3/8" at the top and
> 10 3/8" at the base. These came with Regina juice, and were made by
> Ropak.
>
> I have never pressed uncrushed grapes with it and would expect that to
> be a disaster, it's not a set up that can apply a lot of pressure. I
> have hand-crushed grenache and pressed immediately to make a blush and
> it worked out well.
> Joe
>
>
> > Joe,
> > Does it seem to matter that the pails are not cylindrical but
> > slightly conical? At least I'm assuming that they are slightly
> > conical like most buckets are, for instance a 23l pail of sterile
> > must that juice kits come in. They're maybe an inch narrower
> > at the bottom then the top.
> >
> > Don

Joe,
I'm certainly going to keep that method in mind if my
homemade wooden jobber doesn't work out right.

Don

> I thought it would be an issue too but have not had problems. I
> thought seeds and 'stuff' would get caught up in the sides of the
> pressing pail but it has not happened to me.
>
> My pails are exactly what you are describing; 11 3/8" at the top and
> 10 3/8" at the base. These came with Regina juice, and were made by
> Ropak.
>
> I have never pressed uncrushed grapes with it and would expect that to
> be a disaster, it's not a set up that can apply a lot of pressure. I
> have hand-crushed grenache and pressed immediately to make a blush and
> it worked out well.
> Joe
>
>
> > Joe,
> > Does it seem to matter that the pails are not cylindrical but
> > slightly conical? At least I'm assuming that they are slightly
> > conical like most buckets are, for instance a 23l pail of sterile
> > must that juice kits come in. They're maybe an inch narrower
> > at the bottom then the top.
> >
> > Don

Where are you located? I know Muscadines are prevalent but not tooooo
prevalent. I'm in Athens, GA and have everything you need if you want to. I
also have a winemaking friend who bought a small press (8in. diameter?) off
eBay that perhaps he'd sell. "Never been used"!

"bwesley7" > wrote in message
news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no experience
with
> winemaking, and I have none in making wine from scratch with grapes -- I
> have made wine with pears, strawberries, and some other locally available
> fruits and done kits for several years. We've agreed that the neighbor
will
> harvest ripe grapes, clean and crush them by hand in a large pot, and
freeze
> in approx 5-lb bags. When he accumulates enough we'll start a batch,
using
> Jack Keller's recipe for "Simple Grape Wine.".
>
> I've got all the equipment we'll need except for a grape press. I've
> checked around my area, and haven't found any available to borrow or rent,
> and (at this time) don't wish to buy something that may be used only this
> once. I've used nylon mesh bags for pears, strawberries, etc., but doubt
> that those would withstand the pressure needed to extract the grape juice.
>
> How can we economically contain the fruit for pressing, and apply enough
> pressure to extract most of the juice?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bart
>
>

Where are you located? I know Muscadines are prevalent but not tooooo
prevalent. I'm in Athens, GA and have everything you need if you want to. I
also have a winemaking friend who bought a small press (8in. diameter?) off
eBay that perhaps he'd sell. "Never been used"!

"bwesley7" > wrote in message
news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no experience
with
> winemaking, and I have none in making wine from scratch with grapes -- I
> have made wine with pears, strawberries, and some other locally available
> fruits and done kits for several years. We've agreed that the neighbor
will
> harvest ripe grapes, clean and crush them by hand in a large pot, and
freeze
> in approx 5-lb bags. When he accumulates enough we'll start a batch,
using
> Jack Keller's recipe for "Simple Grape Wine.".
>
> I've got all the equipment we'll need except for a grape press. I've
> checked around my area, and haven't found any available to borrow or rent,
> and (at this time) don't wish to buy something that may be used only this
> once. I've used nylon mesh bags for pears, strawberries, etc., but doubt
> that those would withstand the pressure needed to extract the grape juice.
>
> How can we economically contain the fruit for pressing, and apply enough
> pressure to extract most of the juice?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bart
>
>

Where are you located? I know Muscadines are prevalent but not tooooo
prevalent. I'm in Athens, GA and have everything you need if you want to. I
also have a winemaking friend who bought a small press (8in. diameter?) off
eBay that perhaps he'd sell. "Never been used"!

"bwesley7" > wrote in message
news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no experience
with
> winemaking, and I have none in making wine from scratch with grapes -- I
> have made wine with pears, strawberries, and some other locally available
> fruits and done kits for several years. We've agreed that the neighbor
will
> harvest ripe grapes, clean and crush them by hand in a large pot, and
freeze
> in approx 5-lb bags. When he accumulates enough we'll start a batch,
using
> Jack Keller's recipe for "Simple Grape Wine.".
>
> I've got all the equipment we'll need except for a grape press. I've
> checked around my area, and haven't found any available to borrow or rent,
> and (at this time) don't wish to buy something that may be used only this
> once. I've used nylon mesh bags for pears, strawberries, etc., but doubt
> that those would withstand the pressure needed to extract the grape juice.
>
> How can we economically contain the fruit for pressing, and apply enough
> pressure to extract most of the juice?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bart
>
>

I'm in southeast Louisiana, near Baton Rouge. Muscadines grow wild around
here, but not as widely as when I was a kid...

Bart


"Patrick McDonald" > wrote in
message ...
> Where are you located? I know Muscadines are prevalent but not tooooo
> prevalent. I'm in Athens, GA and have everything you need if you want to.
I
> also have a winemaking friend who bought a small press (8in. diameter?)
off
> eBay that perhaps he'd sell. "Never been used"!
>
> "bwesley7" > wrote in message
> news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> > I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> > a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> > the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no experience
> with

I'm in southeast Louisiana, near Baton Rouge. Muscadines grow wild around
here, but not as widely as when I was a kid...

Bart


"Patrick McDonald" > wrote in
message ...
> Where are you located? I know Muscadines are prevalent but not tooooo
> prevalent. I'm in Athens, GA and have everything you need if you want to.
I
> also have a winemaking friend who bought a small press (8in. diameter?)
off
> eBay that perhaps he'd sell. "Never been used"!
>
> "bwesley7" > wrote in message
> news:vvgNc.13365$fB4.4268@lakeread01...
> > I've agreed to assist a neighbor in making wine with his grapes. He has
> > a dozen vines (~5 years old), mostly muscadine but two are Norton, with
> > the fruit beginning to ripen. My neighbor has absolutely no experience
> with

I think your approach would be adequate for our situation, and easily
implemented.
Thanks!

Bart

"Joe Sallustio" > wrote in message
om...
> Bart,
>
> ....I use three pails stacked with no problems, they could be clean
> white drywall pails but I use 6 gallon food grade pails since I have
> them. It does not look like they should stand the pressure, but I
> press slow, it's never been an issue.
>
> The base pail is the catch basin. I place about a 4" stand off in the
> pail and follow it with another pail with 1/8" holes in the base and
> about 4 to 6" up the sides as the press basket. Fill that with grapes

I think your approach would be adequate for our situation, and easily
implemented.
Thanks!

Bart

"Joe Sallustio" > wrote in message
om...
> Bart,
>
> ....I use three pails stacked with no problems, they could be clean
> white drywall pails but I use 6 gallon food grade pails since I have
> them. It does not look like they should stand the pressure, but I
> press slow, it's never been an issue.
>
> The base pail is the catch basin. I place about a 4" stand off in the
> pail and follow it with another pail with 1/8" holes in the base and
> about 4 to 6" up the sides as the press basket. Fill that with grapes