Used Press/crusher advice

[Johnd]

Pumping the free run should help a ton. I would think the strainers would work then.

Didn't mention that, but yes, I always pump the free run out first, so all that's really left to press are the sludgy skins and seeds. By the time the remains in the fermenter are scooped and loaded into the press basket, the balance of the free run drains off pretty well. My practice, before starting to apply pressing force, is to wrap the press basket with saran wrap, which contains all of the little squirting wine streams that may develop as the pressure increases. Keeping up with cleaning the strainers is not hard at all, and makes a pretty clean press run wine.

 

[Ajmassa]

I was all set to pump the free run. When I put 100% through press it was a calculated decision. I wanted to air it out as much as possible since the ferment took on a high octane odor at the end.
Again thank you for the tips.

 

[pgentile]

@ajmass5983, I have cleaned up the crusher and everything is ready to go, just waiting on grapes.

Wanted to thank you once again. I have two bottles reserved with your name on them. Both all grape batches one is the 2016 SA Cab and my 2016 South Philly Bordeaux. Both are thanks for the crusher and Bravado. I will deliver when ever we can work out a time.

 

[mainshipfred]

@ajmass5983, I have cleaned up the crusher and everything is ready to go, just waiting on grapes.

Wanted to thank you once again. I have two bottles reserved with your name on them. Both all grape batches one is the 2016 SA Cab and my 2016 South Philly Bordeaux. Both are thanks for the crusher and Bravado. I will deliver when ever we can work out a time.View attachment 47625

AJ, in the true sense of the phrase, I believe those bottles have your name on them.

 

[Ajmassa]

Lol. Certainly does Fred. Well when you eventually refurbish I’d love to see the pics.
I dig your label system too. I wanna start printing my own since it’s a chore ordering for each batch. Tho I did play around on StoneyCreek website for the next in line to bottle. (Their default text had a self-mockery type of thing so I kept the theme)

 

[mainshipfred]

Lol. Certainly does Fred. Well when you eventually refurbish I’d love to see the pics.
I dig your label system too. I wanna start printing my own since it’s a chore ordering for each batch. Tho I did play around on StoneyCreek website for the next in line to bottle. (Their default text had a self-mockery type of thing so I kept the theme)
View attachment 47627

Great name for your winery

 

[pgentile]

Great name for your winery

Agreed

 

[Ajmassa]

Great name for your winery

“Winery”! Lol. Aka ‘basement’. Just picked one of the wine terms my family has always used. Easy choice over Massa Wine, Massa Red, D*** Red or simply ‘Homemade’ <—- any homemade pasta, ravioli, bread or gravy would always be specified. For the wine “homemade” changed from an adjective to a noun.

 

[Ajmassa]

I have two bottles reserved with your name on them. Both all grape batches one is the 2016 SA Cab and my 2016 South Philly Bordeaux.

South Philly Bordeaux? - is that Procacci Bros 2016 grapes ? I procrastinated getting my juice that year and missed out- then searching for juice lead to my 1st kit and ultimately this forum.
This may be blasphemous around these parts- but I’m not sure I want get my grapes from them this fall. Feels wrong to get specific and put em on blast, though I will say I wasn’t thrilled that we got our grapes like 3 weeks before EVERYONE else- and I believe Pia/Regina sacrificed proper harvest levels do get a jump on the market. Just a theory. And I do love how detailed and transparent the ‘other guy’ is on his grapes with many options. I don’t know. I feel guilty for even thinking this way sorta.

 

[pgentile]

South Philly Bordeaux? - is that Procacci Bros 2016 grapes ? I procrastinated getting my juice that year and missed out- then searching for juice lead to my 1st kit and ultimately this forum.
This may be blasphemous around these parts- but I’m not sure I want get my grapes from them this fall. Feels wrong to get specific and put em on blast, though I will say I wasn’t thrilled that we got our grapes like 3 weeks before EVERYONE else- and I believe Pia/Regina sacrificed proper harvest levels do get a jump on the market. Just a theory. And I do love how detailed and transparent the ‘other guy’ is on his grapes with many options. I don’t know. I feel guilty for even thinking this way sorta.

The Bordeaux was from Procacci bros grapes.

Hey I feel exactly the same way about it. I find many gray areas with Procacci. Gino's is much more up front about sources and has more sources. Either Procacci is getting grapes early or other suppliers are getting them later. Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Maybe he's has a good connection and gets a jump on everyone else. All of the all grape wines I have made from Procacci have been good. My 2016 zin is very good and the 2017 seems to be following in it's footsteps. So is the South Philly Bordeaux. That being said all of my all grape wines from Gino's have been good as well, except the Malbec with low pH. It turned out drinkable but not great.

At this point I feel the juice buckets from both sources are pre-inoculated with yeast despite what they say. I have had buckets from both sources hissing away if not purchased on early arrival. After pressing my all grape batches I got Regina buckets three weeks in a row. First week, 1.090 no activity, second week 1.080 showing activity, third week 1.070 showing activity. And when buckets showing activity there are no off odors.

But one other thing for me in the fall is, Procacci is 10 min away, Gino's 45-60 min.

 

[sour_grapes]

Is there anything else we need to know about your label order?

Yeah. I always capitalized the "N" in Northeast Philly.

 

[pgentile]

Yeah. I always capitalized the "N" in Northeast Philly.

Shouldn't that be Greater Northeast Philly?

 

[Ajmassa]

Technically both correct. Main concern was fitting the “east”. Makes quite a difference.
To get back on track I did have actual press questions. I want to treat the staves- quick and cheap for now. cutting board treatments offer oil, conditioner, or wax. All similarly priced. Don’t know which. (Will hit up PIwines for paint and epoxys when refurbishing)
Also, for lubricant and maintenance the info is overwhelming. Need for Greasing the actual ratchet, lubing the threads for in-use, and a lube for bare metal threads in storage. I read petroGel, silicon spray, FS grease, Crisco (ty @Johny99), FS wax etc... does it make a difference ? And would any of those products work for both ratchet and threads? Lubing threads for storage crucial?

 

[stickman]

For lube I'm using Haynes Lubri-Film, it's really just what I use around the house for general food safe lube. I use it on the threads as the grapes may contact this area. My ratchet pawls sometimes skip if they are not lubricated, I think almost any light mineral oil lube will do as long as you use it sparingly. Many non food safe lubes have an almost perfume like odor which I wouldn't recommend. I wouldn't use Crisco or vegetable based oils as they eventually oxidize, smell stale, and become sticky. As far as treating the wood, I would be cautious as anything like oil and wax will affect future coating performance; if you use one of those products you may have to stay with it.

 

[pgentile]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B5ECU3O/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[sour_grapes]

Shouldn't that be Greater Northeast Philly?

Actually, just "the Great Northeast." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Philadelphia

 

[Johnd]

Technically both correct. Main concern was fitting the “east”. Makes quite a difference.
To get back on track I did have actual press questions. I want to treat the staves- quick and cheap for now. cutting board treatments offer oil, conditioner, or wax. All similarly priced. Don’t know which. (Will hit up PIwines for paint and epoxys when refurbishing)
Also, for lubricant and maintenance the info is overwhelming. Need for Greasing the actual ratchet, lubing the threads for in-use, and a lube for bare metal threads in storage. I read petroGel, silicon spray, FS grease, Crisco (ty @Johny99), FS wax etc... does it make a difference ? And would any of those products work for both ratchet and threads? Lubing threads for storage crucial?

AJ,

Here's a link to the lube I use on the moving parts of my press: https://pleasanthillgrain.com/petrol-gel-white-nsf-food-grade-lubricant-grease
and here's the link to the wood sealer i use on the wooden basket parts: https://pleasanthillgrain.com/ez-do-food-safe-wood-coating

The wood sealer is easy to use, just wipe it on, let it dry 24 hours and use it. I opted for a second coat when sealing my basket, years later it doesn't have purple spot on it anywhere.............

 

[mainshipfred]

AJ,

Here's a link to the lube I use on the moving parts of my press: https://pleasanthillgrain.com/petrol-gel-white-nsf-food-grade-lubricant-grease
and here's the link to the wood sealer i use on the wooden basket parts: https://pleasanthillgrain.com/ez-do-food-safe-wood-coating

The wood sealer is easy to use, just wipe it on, let it dry 24 hours and use it. I opted for a second coat when sealing my basket, years later it doesn't have purple spot on it anywhere.............

AJ, glad you brought it up, I would have never thought about it.

John, thanks for the product info.

 

[pgentile]

Actually, just "the Great Northeast." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Philadelphia

I stand corrected

 

[Ajmassa]

For lube I'm using Haynes Lubri-Film....think almost any light mineral oil lube will do.....As far as treating the wood, I would be cautious as anything like oil and wax will affect future coating performance; if you use one of those products you may have to stay with it.

Thanks for the suggestion. So, Lubri-film on threads, and to be clear, “any light mineral oil“ for ratchet—Is that ‘instead of’ lubrifuilm, or ‘as well as’? I assume you use the lubriFilm on all moving parts- like the PetroGel. I just don’t want to jack up my ratchet by putting the wrong stuff on it. There’s a hella lot of a heavy duty looking lube on it now as every part is moving. Currently it glides perfectly . The ratchet lube is my main concern.
Hoping just 2 seasons pass before I get to restore. I’ll be sanding or replacing staves and new fasteners, so not worried about future treating.
I was looking at inexpensive cutting board products- same as @pgentile’s link just to
hold me over until then. Saw the oil, wax, and combo (conditioner).
And @Johnd, thanks for sharing those links. Very helpful. Plan on either EZ-do or another product “BarrelGuard” (mildewcide). Probably very similar just like petroGel and LubriFilm.
I also read older posts talking about spray silicon lube on the threads for storage and others said they used for actually pressing too. It seems like mine definitely has some sort of protective coating on the threads where it’s bare metal. It was well cared for and would like that to continue.
Looked into so many damn products today.
Here’s a shot of the ratchet and essentially everything is lubricated.