Crusher/Destemmer Equipment Advice

I am planning to purchase a new crusher/destemmer. The models come in either ALL stainless Steel or painted (hopper is SS while the bottom is painted).

Is it worth spending the extra money to purchase an ALL stainless? I have heard that over time the painted models will eventually peel and flake and drop into the crushed product. Additionally it may rust. Others have advised that as long as the equipment is cleaned and maintained properly that the above issues will not be an issue.

On final note I am looking at manual equipment. The electrical models are higher priced.

If you are putting thousands of pounds through it then yes, SS is the way to go. If you will only be putting less than a 1000 pounds through it in any season then the painted will work just as well. Always clean it up and wipe it down when finished and it will last a lifetime. I went with all painted and it still looks brand new.

I am now leaning towards an electric Crusher/Destemmer that is half painted; the hopper is SS/lower half is painted.

It's priced $200 more than an all Stainless Steel MANUAL machine.

My wine making is always less than 1,000 lbs of grapes.

Thats not bad. If your handy or like me have very handy friends you can automate a hand crusher for less than that.

I've thought about that as well. It just takes an electric motor and a belt. I could purchase the All SS manual crusher/Destemmer and have my electrician buddy take care of the automation!

That is exactly what happened with me. I have a retired BFF who has a machine shop in one of his garages and plenty of time on his side. He went to the dump one day and saw a like new treadmill sitting there. He asked the guy at the dump if he could take the motor off it and they said sure. He worked on it for a few months and had a ball fixing it up. The only thing he had to purchase was a serpentine belt. Everything else he had lying around in his shop. I crushed right at 1000lbs with it this last Fall and it worked like a charm. Plenty of power and complete speed control.

Excellent job! I notice you have a press in the background. Is that a No. 30?

I am also looking to purchase a wine basket press. Based on an annual production run of no more than 75 gallons, I am thinking a 45 wine basket press will suffice.

I found someone who was selling an almost new No. 30 press for $175 but decided it may be too small.

Your thoughts?

Yes that is a No. 30 and it fits my production just perfect. I use 20G Brutes for primaries. 3 (36lb) lug per primary makes about 7 gallons of finished wine depending on varietal and 3 lugs will fit perfectly into the basket and then you end up with a full 6G carboy and a spare gallon for barrel top ups over the year. I think a No.45 may be too big unless you are making bigger batches than me and using larger primaries.

Jetpilot007 said:

Excellent job! I notice you have a press in the background. Is that a No. 30?

I am also looking to purchase a wine basket press. Based on an annual production run of no more than 75 gallons, I am thinking a 45 wine basket press will suffice.

I found someone who was selling an almost new No. 30 press for $175 but decided it may be too small.

Your thoughts?

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My production run is anywhere between 25 gallons and 75 gallons. I thinking the 45 press would be ideal since it can accommodate a volume of 25 gallons of post free run must.

25 to 75 gallons is your CURRENT production run. Once you start producing good wines, I can almost guarantee that this will increase.

Used equipment is worth only a fraction of what new equipment goes for. If you are buying new, I would go with something that can handle double or triple what you are making now. In other words, buy once so that you do not need to scale up.

I have used the hand crank variety. Let me tell you, that gets old real quick. Spend the extra money and get the electric model. Trust me, there will be a time that you will be glad!

My unit is the painted steel variety. I have had it since 1995 and it works fine. About 3 years ago, I took it apart and re-painted it. Just a little time and effort and this thing looks brand new. As said before, if you clean it and maintain it properly, it will last for years and years.

With regard the wine basket press, those were my thoughts. You can always downsize planned wine production but not the other way. Looks like I am going with a 45 or 50 size press.

As far as the decrusher/destemmer, I am leaning towards purchasing an all SS manual and if need be I can always add an electric motor. Then again, I will arrive at my winemaking supplier and change my mind, spend the extra money and go with the electric model.

derekjames100 said:

Tell me more about why you don't like the hand crank. I have a crusher only an after I spent six hours picking all the grapes a few turns of the crusher seemed so easy.


My press is a 25---didn't know any better when I bought it as they only had a 60 and a 25. Ibglowin, how much of a deficit am I at having a 25 instead of a 30?

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I am a 52 year old man and hand cranking 200 gallons (80 lugs, 2880 lbs) of wine is insane. I am far too old to use my back and instead use my head. I much rather flip a switch and have a sip of wine!

People come in and out of this hobby. I would check craigslist and your local winemaking club. I picked my stuff up for less than 50 cents on the dollar.

derekjames100 said:

80 lugs is certainly alot so I understand your reasoning......

If I'm only doing 12 lugs or so I should be ok then based on what you are saying......thanks!

thoughts on the 25 compared to 30 press? am I at a big disadvantage with the 25? too late now......but.....curious.

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derekjames100 said:

so true, I have been in this less tun a year and am already trying to upgrade and would unload some of my stuff at a fraction of the cost

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12 is what you are doing now. I started off by making about that. buying the proper equipment now will only save you money in the long run (especially if you increase production over the years). With proper maintenance, a press and a destemmer can last generations. You only need to buy once....

I've already placed an order for a 45 Press and an all stainless steel crusher/destemmer (manual).

Down the toad If I get tired of hand cranking, I'll simply add an electric motor and belt.

I am stoked about my order of Chilean Syrah grapes scheduled to arrive 2nd week of May!

It goes for $605. Having a destemmer takes out so much of the manual labor of separating the grapes from the stem. I am pretty much all set with all of my equipment!

I should be receiving my Chilean Grapes by May 15!

Chilean Syrah here we come!

M&M Wine Grape in Hartford CT.

http://www.juicegrape.com

Jetpilot007 said:

It goes for $605. Having a destemmer takes out so much of the manual labor of separating the grapes from the stem. I am pretty much all set with all of my equipment!

I should be receiving my Chilean Grapes by May 15!

Chilean Syrah here we come!

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WOW! That is just about what I paid for my electric model back in 1995. I know things got more expensive, but WOW!

Yup, time flies, John! 20 years is not a short time frame. According to the CPI, $605 in 1995 would be $932 today: http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=605&year1=1995&year2=2015

For those who live in the Hudson Valley region of New York State:

Pantanos Wine Grapes & Home Brew Shop. Excellent products and competitive pricing.

http://www.pantanosbeerwine.com