fruit added to primary

[sangwitch]

When making wines with fruit, does anyone out there add their fruit to the primary without using a straining bag?


Are the purpose of the bagseasier clean up?


It seems to me that there would be more surface area of the fruit exposed if it was dumped into the primary allowing more extraction of fruit flavor and body.This is my theory. comments?

 

[rshosted]

I do use a straining bag for easier cleanup. Some will get through, but it is really hard trying to get skins out of a primary without the bag. I also just started doing this with a crushendo kit (and I have to say I won't do one without now).

I haven't noticed a difference with skin contact, but I am pretty dilligent in sqeezing the bag when I 'punch down' the cap.

If you are really worried about suface area us a large bag (like I did on my peach) there was so much extra room I just tied it at the top. It was like they were free floating, until I had to collect them... then it was easy to remove.

 

[grapeman]

Sang- when using the fruits, a bag is much easier in the primary. Most recipes have you take the bag out each day and give it a good squuezing to extract the juices, etc. Without being in the bag that would make it hard to do. The pectic enzyme added helps with extraction of flavors, etc and reduces pectic haze later. You will have a hard time racking to secondary also if the fruit isn't restained in a bag. Use a bag, it's cheap and it works. Some guys raid their wife's drawers and steal their new pantyhose to use. Some use a paint straining bag, I just use a store bought straining bag.

 

[sangwitch]

Thanks! What got me thinking about this is masta's tutorial on racking the crushendo. I followed the tutorial with my own crushendoand found it to be pretty easy to rack and clean up.


Also, another reason is that I thought I read something by Tim V. that says you shouldn't use a bag with the crushendos because it's too much like jelly and the yeast can't get in there.I started thinking that well-crushed fruit might pose the same problem in a straining bag if there's not enough room for it to spread out.


However, I am all about working smarter so if it's not going to make a difference with fresh fruit then I'll continue to use a bag!

 

[PolishWineP]

If you use a big bag, there should be no problem with everything making contact. It sure makes clean up easier! When stirring a primary with a fruit bag in it, I feel like one of the witches in Macbeth. "Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble."

 

[Fly boy]

I racked a cherry and raspberry (first tries at fruit) from the primary last weekend. Your Macbeth analogy is great. Stirring up the primary makes me think of that.

 

[kutya]

Sang, you can pick up those paint straining bags that are pretty big at Home Depot really cheap. They can be tossed. I think they are $ 1.00 here each. Well worth every penny...

 

[peterCooper]

I made a mango apple with the mango sitting free in the primary. It was really easy to mush though. I just sanitized a plastic strainer and used it to scoop everything up.

The real pain came in transferring to secondary. That was the point at which I decided always to use a straining bag.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Do the bags the beer brewers use for their hops work????Or are too open weaved and will let out too much pulp??? Those are really cheap and could toss those out....

I have both, the gauze and the nylon bags....I am planning on starting a Blackberry Vintners Harvest Fruit Base Wine and the instructions say to use a straining bag, wondering which bag to use???? Also plan on adding some Red Grape Concentrate to it as well.

Has anyone ever froze the pulp in the bag after fermentation and thrown it into another batch of fruit wine???? Or is the pulp pretty spent when you are done fermenting??? I am going to make a Raspberry wine soon and thought a little Blackberry flavor might be a nice touch.Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Wade E]

I have never but depending on the fruit, I'm sure you could. I dont
think the blackberry or raspberry would work very well as they are tiny
little pcs. The cherry definetly would though.

 

[Waldo]

If you use a big bag, there should be no problem with everything making contact. It sure makes clean up easier! When stirring a primary with a fruit bag in it, I feel like one of the witches in Macbeth. "Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble."

"Fires burn and Fermenters Bubble"
"What !!! Is this a racking cane I see before me? The hose extending from my carboy"" "Come, Let me Clutch thee"

 

[Waldo]

When making wines with fruit, does anyone out there add their fruit to the primary without using a straining bag?


Are the purpose of the bagseasier clean up?


It seems to me that there would be more surface area of the fruit exposed if it was dumped into the primary allowing more extraction of fruit flavor and body.This is my theory. comments?

Do this just once sang and you will put your fruit in a tow sack if thats all you can find

 

[smurfe]

Do the bags the beer brewers use for their hops work????Or are too open weaved and will let out too much pulp??? Those are really cheap and could toss those out....

I have both, the gauze and the nylon bags....I am planning on starting a Blackberry Vintners Harvest Fruit Base Wine and the instructions say to use a straining bag, wondering which bag to use???? Also plan on adding some Red Grape Concentrate to it as well.

Has anyone ever froze the pulp in the bag after fermentation and thrown it into another batch of fruit wine???? Or is the pulp pretty spent when you are done fermenting??? I am going to make a Raspberry wine soon and thought a little Blackberry flavor might be a nice touch.

When I made my Raspberry i used a knee high pantie hose, sanitized of course. I tied a knot on the top, not down to the fruit. The fruit was loose in the bag and as the bag floated, it allowed the fruit to spread out over the surface much the same as it would if free floating. Racking was an ease to as there were not much lees and no sediment from the fruit.


I would not of used the berries again in another batch. They were done. In fact, it looked like most of the goodness was already soaked out of them in the can when I opened it. The berries were a gray/white color by the time I took them out of the must. I don't think adding them to another batch would of done a bit of good for anything.


Smurfe Edited by: smurfe

 

[sangwitch]

Waldo! I forgot that had happened to you. So you've done it both ways... even if it wasn't on purpose.

Sounds likeeveryone uses bags for the ease of clean up. The only reason I was thinking of not using a bag is because I want as much surface area of the fruit exposed to the action as possible.I think maybe it's ok if you keepthe bagloose so that the fruit can spread out like smurfe is explaining.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Okay guys....I checked out my pantyhose and knee highs...I have purple, black and tan.....so what about the dyes in the panty hose???? Does that affect the color or value of the wine????

 

[Wade E]

I like the red ones with the line up the back! Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

 

[sangwitch]

Sang, you can pick up those paint straining bags that are pretty big at Home Depot really cheap. They can be tossed. I think they are $ 1.00 here each. Well worth every penny...

I'll have to check these out on my weekly visit. I looked on the website and couldn't find them there. What are they made from? Is it cloth or plastic?