Fruit wine - when to remove bag of fruit from primary?

[crabjoe]

I've got a dilemma.

I started a fruit wine with fruit in a bag. The gravity is now down to 1.020 and I'm wondering if I should remove the bag of fruit now, to let sediment collect or if I should wait till it's fermented dry, pull the bag, wait a few days for sediment before racking?

What's the standard protocol for when to take the fruit out of the wine for racking to secondary?

Thanks!

 

[robert81650]

If You pull it too quick, your wine may not be strong enough.......Just try to leave it until it gets dry.............

 

[jgmillr1]

On one hand if you press early, you risk less fruit flavor and color, but on the other hand if you press late that risks off flavors extracted from the fruit pulp and oxidation, depending on your setup.

You don't say what fruit you are using, so hard to give better guidance.

My preference is to press the fruit after about 4 days of fermentation. This gets it almost dry and extracts all the color and goodness I can get out of the fruit. Extra time extracts only more tannin, which isn't usually desired in fruit wines.

 

[beano]

No problem, when your ready to transfer to secondary, about 1.010 sg, just squeeze the bag out. Get the most out of fruit.

 

[crabjoe]

Just checked the SG and it's 1.010.. I'm going to transfer to secondary tomorrow... I guess I'll be pressing tomorrow.

 

[jumby]

Personally, I don't transfer it until it's completely dry. That normally takes about 7 day. That's also when I pull the fruit.

 

[bkisel]

Around 1.020 is generally where I've done my last squeeze and then locked down.

 

[crabjoe]

it's down to 1.002 and removed..

I did a taste test of this fruit punch wine and OMG, it tastes like like it has ZERO alcohol in it and still as sweet as can be...

WTH? I would have expected it to have an alcohol bite at this gravity..

 

[Johnd]

it's down to 1.002 and removed..

I did a taste test of this fruit punch wine and OMG, it tastes like like it has ZERO alcohol in it and still as sweet as can be...

WTH? I would have expected it to have an alcohol bite at this gravity..

What was your starting SG? If it was low, you may not have much alcohol in there, plus, you still do have a little sugar, and the taste may change as that sugar is converted to alcohol.

 

[JCBurg]

On one hand if you press early, you risk less fruit flavor and color, but on the other hand if you press late that risks off flavors extracted from the fruit pulp and oxidation, depending on your setup.

You don't say what fruit you are using, so hard to give better guidance.

My preference is to press the fruit after about 4 days of fermentation. This gets it almost dry and extracts all the color and goodness I can get out of the fruit. Extra time extracts only more tannin, which isn't usually desired in fruit wines.

How do you press the fruit if you don't have a press? Asking for a friend.... LOL

 

[crabjoe]

What was your starting SG? If it was low, you may not have much alcohol in there, plus, you still do have a little sugar, and the taste may change as that sugar is converted to alcohol.

I know it was a minimum of 1.085.. it was weird.. when I 1st made the must, it measured 1.090. The next day, I checked just before pitching the yeast, and it came.in at 1.085.

 

[crabjoe]

How do you press the fruit if you don't have a press? Asking for a friend.... LOL

By hand.. it was in a mesh bag and I squeezed as best I could.

 

[jgmillr1]

How do you press the fruit if you

As @crabjoe said, a mesh bag or colander work. I have used the grain bags you find in beer making supplies to be excellent.

 

[JCBurg]

By hand.. it was in a mesh bag and I squeezed as best I could.

That’s what I thought, just wanted to ask.

 

[JCBurg]

I know it was a minimum of 1.085.. it was weird.. when I 1st made the must, it measured 1.090. The next day, I checked just before pitching the yeast, and it came.in at 1.085.

Is it possible there was old yeast in the fermenter? Did you thoroughly sanitize before putting everything in?

 

[crabjoe]

Is it possible there was old yeast in the fermenter? Did you thoroughly sanitize before putting everything in?

I highly doubt there was old yeast in there. Partly because everything was washed then sanitized with Starsan. Plus, other than the citrus, the other fruits and juices were frozen. In addition, the reason I waited 24 hrs to pitch the yeast was because I had innoculated with 1/4 tsp of K-Meta.

Here's something else that weird.. The SG is down to 0.994.. but after degassing, if I wait a bit, I see CO2 bubbles.. I have to guess that it's still fermenting at a good clip.

BTW, I say weird because other wines I've made never bubbled like this once the gravity got below 1.000...

 

[JCBurg]

I highly doubt there was old yeast in there. Partly because everything was washed then sanitized with Starsan. Plus, other than the citrus, the other fruits and juices were frozen. In addition, the reason I waited 24 hrs to pitch the yeast was because I had innoculated with 1/4 tsp of K-Meta.

Here's something else that weird.. The SG is down to 0.994.. but after degassing, if I wait a bit, I see CO2 bubbles.. I have to guess that it's still fermenting at a good clip.

BTW, I say weird because other wines I've made never bubbled like this once the gravity got below 1.000...

Well it was worth throwing at the wall I guess, i don’t have much experience but it sounds like an ML fermentation. But I would wait and see what other say