Time for a crusher/destemmer?

[Zwetschgen]

I have been making wine for a few years and I have been getting along fine with just a press for the most part. Last year I decided to make some Norton Wine. It took several hours, close to 8 I would imagine, to destem all those grapes (120 lbs!) Crushing took a little bit of time, but my fiance was eager to help stomp on some grapes (she couldn't help me pull grapes off stems though...) Would it be wise to invest in a small manual crusher destemmer? I have plans to continue to do 100 lbs plus of grapes, maybe even more in the future, it just took way too long. How do you all without destemmers do it? Perhaps I have a bad technique. Also, I make wine from everything else as well, can I use a crusher/destemmer on apples?

 

[Wade E]

I have a manual crusher destemmer and for the amount you state the manual is perfect and a motor for this much would be waste of money and just make it too heavy to move around. I have the bigger one which really isn much more and worth the few extra bucks in my opinion and if in the future you want to do more and want the motor the mounts are there already and youll just need the motor and pulley! Below is a pic of mine.

 

[jet]

A crusher/destemmer for apples, I'm confused ...

 

[ibglowin]

I you have the $$$ its worth every penny even at that small amount plus if you plan on expanding down the road your ready. It will not work for Apples, Grapes only. For Apples you can use your press, just cut them into pieces and press.

 

[Zwetschgen]

Nice looking equipment!
I have a hard enough time convincing the lady that the 25 pound bag of sugar will be used, spending something to the tune of $350 is going to take more than a wide grin, but you all seem very confident that it would be worth it. It is unfortunate that they won't be able to crush apples too.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Check around on craigslist.

I go my crusher off there for $50..

 

[jet]

For apple wine, the people I know say that you are better off just buying cider.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I have had good luck with Fuji and Gala apples for my wine.

 

[Wade E]

Actually for apples Ive seen people just buy a garbage disposal unit and put a bucket underneath it.

 

[ibglowin]

That I want to see.......

 

[MSLISAJ]

Whle this is an old thread the subject is always alive everyyear. I have a few vines in my yard and I get between 50 and 80 pounds of grapes a year. I have always dreaded the crushing destemming part as it's very time consuming. Well this last year we had the best growing season we've had in the Northwest and my vines were full. I stopped picking at 165 pounds!! I realized that I had WAY too many grapes to do by hand. There is a small commercial winery close to me and I asked them if they would crush my "small" amount of grapes. They were so wonderful and invited me over. We crushed my grapes in about 10 minutes but it took another 45 minutes to clean all their equipment. I have to say again, they were so nice to do this for me and they like to remember when "there were a hobby winemaker" too. Well it was then that I realized I didn't have the fermenter capacity. Well my winery has been growing for years and I just purchased my own new crusher/destemmer. So bring on the big crush again this year. BTW, this was the single most expensive piece of my wine making equipment and now I can keep all my processes in house.

Lisa
Chateau de Tess Winery

 

[GreginND]

Lisa, that is exactly what I would have suggested. Crushing at a winery is pretty fast and easy. I'd be happy to crush grapes for any hobbyist who needs help.

 

[Radek]

I have small crusher.

 

[BlueStimulator]

Where did you get that small crusher and here is my garbage disposal unit.

 

[TonyR]

What i use for apples for making cider is a electric meat grinder i bought years ago from northern tool co. Also use the grinder when i make sausage.

 

[MSLISAJ]

Well for me it's not only the crushing that needs to be done but the destemming. I got the machine that does both as it's truly a chore when you have over 60 pounds of grapes. I'll have to post back on how it works but this is just like the winery used that crushed for me last year and it's fast and neat too.

Lisa

 

[Radek]

I bought crusher on ebay or amazon - don't remember . The crusher came from Germany and the seller was Alcofermbrew