Food mill

[Joanie]

Have any of you used a food mill to squeeze the juice out of peaches? I was thinking of squeezing into a straining bag. Is that do-able?


I don't have a press....yet!

 

[dfwwino]

Joan,


I usually make two five gallon batches of peach wine a year and have never pressed them. I cut the peaches in half, remove the stone and put them in a large nylon bag. I place the bag in the fermenter and gently mash the peachs with a sanitized potato masher. When primary fermentation is over, I lift the bag out of the must and gently squeeze it. I find that peaches are always soft and eaten up by the fermentation so a press is not necessary.


By the way, this year in Texas, we are all mourning because most of the peach crops were lost, including on the trees I have. So there will be no vintage 2006 peach wine.

Store bought peaches are just not the same as tree ripened peaches.Edited by: dfwwino

 

[AAASTINKIE]

I also use a potato masher to mash my blueberries.

 

[Joanie]

Thanks for the info!! =)

I'm sorry to hear about your peach crop.That's terrible!!

I just went up and bought 1/2 bushel and another 4 quarts form the farmer up the road from me. I'm wondering if I have enough. How much do you use to make 5 gallons?

Do you use the recipe that George posted? That's what I'm thinking of. It sounds good.

 

[dfwwino]

For five gallons, I've usually used 15 lbs peaches, 9 lbs sugar, and add either 4 lbs of honey or a quart of white grape concentrate (e.g.you coulduse two 500 ml winexpert white grape concentrates) to add body to the wine. I'm sure some folks like a sweet peach wine and may use more peaches. When I get a chance, I'll look at George's recipe. Also, unlike with blueberries, I don't overdo it with the potato masher on peaches. I just use it to break up the peach halves into small pieces, not to pulverize it. You could probably get by without mashing the peaches at all if they are ripe.


I also use the potato masher on blueberries and mash them thoroughly to extract the juice. After primary fermentation, I press the blueberries with a small fruit press.Edited by: dfwwino

 

[Joanie]

Uh, I think I have plenty of peaches!

I didn't realize until this morning that around here the peach season starts about the third week in July and lasts until the end of September. That would give me a chance to screw up a batch and start another couple!

Again, thank you, dfw!

 

[paubin]

Most of my recipes call for 3 LBS per gallon so dfw's figures are the same as mine.


Pete