When to Remove Fruit?

[SAS]

I started a 5 gallon batch of chokecherry mead/wine 6-days ago. I have conflicting information on when to remove the strainer bag containing the chokecherries.

One receipt say to remove it after 2-weeks, and doesn't mention anything about the SG.

Another receipt says to remove it when the SG is 1.030.

And the local winemaking supply store tells me to wait until the SG is 1.020 before removing the fruit.

I'm at a loss. What do I do??

 

[Julie]

definitely go with an sg and not a time frame. I normally leave mind in until sg it is roughly at 1.020. There were times when it was left in until 1.010 just because it fermented faster.

 

[SAS]

Thank you Julie

Since you and my winemaking supply store have the same advise, I will wait until the SG is 1.020.

 

[salcoco]

1.020 is the right answer.

 

[SAS]

Update:

First, I want to thank everyone for the great advise.

I check the SG on my chokecherry mead last night, and it is was down to 1.010, so I pulled the strainer bag out, and I plan on racking it into the secondary this evening.

 

[bkisel]

Range of 1.020-1.000 has worked for me in most cases. DB recipe says when sg <1.000 squeeze and remove fruit pack so that's what I do when making DB or a variation of DB.