# Straining Bags



## smurfe (Nov 21, 2006)

I was wondering about straining bags. Do you all use "official" straining bags or do you improvise, like using pantyhose or stockings? If you use the regular bags, do you clean them and reuse them? If so, how the heck do you get them clean? 


I used one here a while back to strain a Crushendo kit as shown on the forums here. I tried to clean the bag, but after a half hour of trying to get all of the bits of gunk out of the bag, I tossed it. I was just wondering what all of you do?


Smurfe


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## bmorosco (Nov 21, 2006)

Good question I will be making my first fruit wine shortly and could use that info as well...


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## Wade E (Nov 21, 2006)

I use the straining bags and yes they are hard to clean. I turn them
inside out and use a scrub brush to get all the patricles of fruit out.
They will stain but Im not worried about that. I've seen posts quite
awhile back where I believe they used oxyclean to get them white. I
just get all the fruit out and soak it in mte after the fruit is out
and before I start a new batch.


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## masta (Nov 21, 2006)

Cleaning the nylon bags is quite a chore and I use C-Brite and lots of waterwhile turning inside out and back again along with shaking outside the remove the solids.


Disposable muslin bags are fairly inexpensive and I use then for steeping grains when brewing beer.


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## grapeman (Nov 21, 2006)

After rinsing the straining bags out(turned inside out first) I put them through a small wash load with just a little bleach. I do this with the apple pulp straining bags also(for apple cider press). It gets them about as clean as can be expected- sometimes they look almost new.


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## jcnoren (Nov 21, 2006)

I have never used straining bags but I have seen on other sites that some use strainer bags that are used to strain paint, from the paint departmentbecause they claim they are cheap. 


What did I learn that I didn't know before? 1)People strain their paint. 2)Paint straining bags are suppose to be cheaper.
JC


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## Waldo (Nov 21, 2006)

Panty Hose ( New ones of course) work mighty fine too


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## scotty (Nov 21, 2006)

bmorosco said:


> Good question I will be making my first fruit wine shortly and could use that info as well...




Just in time for my raspberry wine. Thanks for the question and answers.


Now I know everything


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## Wade E (Nov 21, 2006)

Waldo, do you use the ones with the line up the back, Purrrrrrrr!


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## Joanie (Nov 21, 2006)

I use fine straining bags. I rinse, turn them inside out, rinse some more, then just throw them in the washing machine with a load of whites. The friction with clothes takes out any pulp that might be left in them. They work great!


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## Wade E (Nov 21, 2006)

I guess I can sneak it in on the next load, maybe the wife wont notice!


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## Country Vines (Nov 22, 2006)

Well, actually . . . . . yes, I've used panty hose. Only I used a pair of knee-high hose. The first time I used them, I put two pounds of blackberries in each one. Please learn from one of my mistakes: it is much easier to put the fruit in the hose if the fruit is FROZEN



. You can actually get quite a bit more fruit in one than two pounds, but I really wanted to mush it up thoroughly and let it have lots more surface contact with the fluids it was floating in. I've also used them for seeded grapes - really worked well. Because the top of the hose is so small, I put the fruit in a really tall plastic container, pull the hose down over it and then just flip it upside down and empty the fruit into the hose. Tie a knot in the top and that's it. I set the hose back in the container to let the fruit thaw out and then its ready to go.


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## Waldo (Nov 22, 2006)

Shucks I use regular panty hose and fill each leg with fruit, etc , tie it off at the waist and use the same pair to do two batches at once. One leg in onefermenter and the other leg in the other fermenter.



*Edited by: Waldo *


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## bmorosco (Nov 22, 2006)

Waldo said:


> Shucks I use regular panty hose and fill each leg with fruit, etc , tie it off at the waist and use the same pair to do two batches at once. One leg in onefermenter and the other leg in the other fermenter.




That is great!!! Ha ha I am just picturing what that looks like!!


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## scotty (Nov 22, 2006)

Now this is a real education. 





Mostly about the type of people that post to this website


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## bmorosco (Nov 22, 2006)

The real trick is after you use them to wash them and see if your wife notices....haha


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## scotty (Nov 22, 2006)

bmorosco said:


> The real trick is after you use them to wash them and see if your wife notices....haha




The old blue leg syndrome.


Im so glad this subject came up actually. I had no idea that cleaning a straining bag involved more than just rinsing. Ill go with the hand scrubbing and then into a load of whites.*Edited by: scotty *


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## smurfe (Nov 22, 2006)

For those of you that wash them in the washer, do you use regular laundry detergent? I would think that would leave an odor of detergent in them. 


Smurfe


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## Stvr (Nov 22, 2006)

smurfe said:


> For those of you that wash them in the washer, do you use regular laundry detergent? I would think that would leave an odor of detergent in them.
> 
> 
> Smurfe




I use the nylon paint strainer bags available from paint stores. They last for years with minimal care. They are very durable andlittle need to worry about bursting open during aggressive pressing.


Cleaning is a snap. Dump leavings inthe compost. Flip the bag inside-out, rinse well and toss into the washing machine withthe regular laundry. Yes the bag has a clean laundry smell of detergent. 


When you next use the strain bag, simply give it a good rinse in your Chloro-Clean wash bucket. Rinse several times withtap waterand then dip or thoroughly mist spray with a sulphite solution to double disinfect it.


I prefer the paint strainer bags because of the durability and the larger open weave of the material foreasier juiceflow. Take no offence gals, but I'm not partial to drinking my vino that has been strained through my wifes panty hose!!!*Edited by: Stvr *


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## grapeman (Nov 22, 2006)

Smurfe
I try to use unscented detergent since most of the frangrances really bother me. I hang it up to dry and any remaining smells dissipate before the next use. Like Stvr says rinse it in sulphite before the next use and you are good to go.


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## Country Vines (Nov 22, 2006)

When I started this hobby, my kids thought I had really gone "over the edge." I think they were looking for some place to have me committed. If they ever find out that I'm filling my panty hose and making wine with it, I'll be a goner for sure !




Please don't let 'em find out !


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## bmorosco (Nov 22, 2006)

Then yo get to wear the "SPECIAL JACKET".......haha


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## Joanie (Nov 22, 2006)

What are you doing with my jacket, bmorosco????


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## bmorosco (Nov 22, 2006)

Joan said:


> What are you doing with my jacket, bmorosco????




Sorry thought you were done with it........


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## Joanie (Nov 22, 2006)

LOL I'm not sure you're ever done with it after you make your first batch of wine!


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## Wade E (Nov 22, 2006)

Is that the new fermenting bag with straps, does George carry it yet?


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## peterCooper (Nov 22, 2006)

I thought it was a carboy warmer.


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## Angell Wine (Nov 22, 2006)

I trade my painter a bottle of wine for 25 bags one day I've been just tossing them away after use. Never thought to clean one. By the Nice Jacket, Country Vines

*Edited by: Angell Wine *


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## kutya (Nov 22, 2006)

bmit will be hard to make wine with that coat on...lol.. I also use paint bags... $1 at Sherwin Williams. Toss when done.... Washing them is way to much work....


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## Maynard123 (Aug 25, 2019)

I also use the paint strainer bags, you can get them big enough to fit a five gallon bucket and they are very inexpensive. Like some others said I turn them inside out and rinse then throw in the washer. 
After a couple of uses I usually just replace them.


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## Brettanomyces (Aug 25, 2019)

Nearly 13 years. Well done.


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## Byron W (Sep 2, 2019)

Thank you for the great info, I'm going to get myself a paint strainer bag.
I currently have a very nice apricot wine bubbling away!


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## Byron W (Sep 15, 2019)

Byron W said:


> Thank you for the great info, I'm going to get myself a paint strainer bag.
> I currently have a very nice apricot wine bubbling away!



This is the first racking I've done, I used the paint strainer bags as suggested.
I was able to remove the bulk of the pulp.
Lesson learned!
I tried to up load a picture of my bag full of pulp, but the server couldn't handle the size of the photo.

Thank you again for the great suggestion, I'm happy


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## Intheswamp (Sep 16, 2019)

Byron W said:


> This is the first racking I've done, I used the paint strainer bags as suggested.
> I was able to remove the bulk of the pulp.
> Lesson learned!
> I tried to up load a picture of my bag full of pulp, but the server couldn't handle the size of the photo.
> ...


Hey Byron, so the paint strainer worked well for you, eh? I'll have to check them out the next time I'm in a hardware store.

Regarding the image size. Some websites restrict images below a certain size for a number of reasons. One being really big images take up lots of server hdd space. Second reason is that large files can take forever for a user to load on a slow internet connection. And thirdly, A large image can cause the screen to expand horizontally causing the users to have to scroll to right to see the right-side of the image, but it can also reformat all the rest of the messages extending the text to the right side and, again, making the users scroll to simply read other posts.

I don't know what operating system you are using nor what type of device. On my Win7 computer I use a little utility called "Image Resizer for Windows". It is a utility/option when I right-click on an image. Has several standard sizes to resize to or the option to create your own size. Nice little on-the-fly resizer. I'm not sure about the download link here, but the description is good: *How to use Image Resizer for Windows** .* If you decide you might want to try it you might want to go to one of the regular download sites to download it. FWIW.


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## Rice_Guy (Sep 16, 2019)

Byron W said:


> I used the paint strainer bags as suggested. . . I was able to remove the bulk of the pulp.


seems everything comes out when I spray them with a garden hose (outside). Can get most of the specks out with the kitchen sink sprayer, probably all if I didn’t try to keep the floor dry.


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## Scooter68 (Sep 16, 2019)

Generally I rinse them well in the house once I get the bulk of the pulp out. If there is stubborn pulp you can hang it outside to dry then shake off or pick off the bits that remain. Blueberries are notorious for their fine seeds that find their way through any mesh bag. But again I actually rinse, then wash and hang them to dry and most times the flapping around in the breeze knocks off most the those little seeds. sanitize before use and good to go.


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## JoP (Sep 16, 2019)

Scooter68 said:


> Generally I rinse them well in the house once I get the bulk of the pulp out. If there is stubborn pulp you can hang it outside to dry then shake off or pick off the bits that remain. Blueberries are notorious for their fine seeds that find their way through any mesh bag. But again I actually rinse, then wash and hang them to dry and most times the flapping around in the breeze knocks off most the those little seeds. sanitize before use and good to go.





Scooter68 said:


> Generally I rinse them well in the house once I get the bulk of the pulp out. If there is stubborn pulp you can hang it outside to dry then shake off or pick off the bits that remain. Blueberries are notorious for their fine seeds that find their way through any mesh bag. But again I actually rinse, then wash and hang them to dry and most times the flapping around in the breeze knocks off most the those little seeds. sanitize before use and good to go.





Scooter68 said:


> Generally I rinse them well in the house once I get the bulk of the pulp out. If there is stubborn pulp you can hang it outside to dry then shake off or pick off the bits that remain. Blueberries are notorious for their fine seeds that find their way through any mesh bag. But again I actually rinse, then wash and hang them to dry and most times the flapping around in the breeze knocks off most the those little seeds. sanitize before use and good to go.





Scooter68 said:


> Generally I rinse them well in the house once I get the bulk of the pulp out. If there is stubborn pulp you can hang it outside to dry then shake off or pick off the bits that remain. Blueberries are notorious for their fine seeds that find their way through any mesh bag. But again I actually rinse, then wash and hang them to dry and most times the flapping around in the breeze knocks off most the those little seeds. sanitize before use and good to go.


Really?
I would never use paint straining bags to make wine I'm going to drink.


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## bshef (Sep 16, 2019)

Do you drink commercial wine? Do you know what is sprayed on, crushed with the grapes? Do you know that the cellar rats climb into the fermenters to clean them out (not to mention what falls in the fermenter when punching the cap or during racking ... people, phones, hats, glasses...)? Sanitizing works and fermentation kills the stray germ.


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## Intheswamp (Sep 16, 2019)

JoP said:


> Really?
> I would never use paint straining bags to make wine I'm going to drink.


Just try not to use the ones that you've strained paint with...


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## JoP (Sep 16, 2019)

bshef said:


> Do you drink commercial wine? Do you know what is sprayed on, crushed with the grapes? Do you know that the cellar rats climb into the fermenters to clean them out (not to mention what falls in the fermenter when punching the cap or during racking ... people, phones, hats, glasses...)? Sanitizing works and fermentation kills the stray germ.


Okay, I heard horror stories like that, but some of us are not commercial winemakers and we are in full control of what comes in contact with the wine we make.

After all, we are the ones who drink our wine, together with our families and friends.

Certainly anyone can choose to do whatever they want, as far as myself, I will still stay away from NON FOOD GRADE EQUIPMENT.


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## Scooter68 (Sep 16, 2019)

Intheswamp said:


> Just try not to use the ones that you've strained paint with...


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## Intheswamp (Sep 16, 2019)

I just looked at some paint strainer bags at the hardware store and some of the threads around the opening have the designation HDPE2 molded into them. The letters are kinda small, carry a magnifying glass. If you don't see it get one of the clerks to come over and show it to you.


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## Intheswamp (Sep 16, 2019)

You know, I just looked at the message above and I don't like it. Sorry if it seems like I was being a bit ornery or something by it while trying to pull someone's leg. I meant no harm by it.


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## Scooter68 (Sep 16, 2019)

*Options: *

10 large heavy duty bags $263.00: https://www.thecheesemaker.com/straining-draining-bags-wholesale-only-10-bags/

Make your own Cheesecloth $10.99 : https://www.amazon.com/Cheesecloth-...ords=food+strainer+bag&qid=1568677716&sr=8-90
3 yards wide and 1.6 yards long, 

2 5 gallon fine mesh bags $8.00 + $2.00 Shipping: https://www.ebay.com/itm/TWO-LargeN...475543?hash=item4b69e9c657:g:1zEAAOSwmvJda6bq

Extra Large (26" x 22") Reusable Drawstring Straining Brew in a Bag $10.99 : https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Large-Reusable-Drawstring-Straining/dp/B01D53H3W6

Paint Straining bags 2 $3.98 : https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-2-Pack-Plastic-Bucket-Paint-Strainer/1008387

*Whatever floats your boat.*


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## JoP (Sep 16, 2019)

Scooter68 said:


> *Options: *
> 
> 10 large heavy duty bags $263.00: https://www.thecheesemaker.com/straining-draining-bags-wholesale-only-10-bags/
> 
> ...


I'm trying to make sense of this
There are many folks here using paint bags for straining grape juice or wine and no one is concern that these are not food grade material.
Someone said that he saw a label on them saying HDPE.
Really, since when is paint food product?


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## sour_grapes (Sep 16, 2019)

JoP said:


> Certainly anyone can choose to do whatever they want, as far as myself, I will still stay away from NON FOOD GRADE EQUIPMENT.





JoP said:


> I'm trying to make sense of this
> There are many folks here using paint bags for straining grape juice or wine and no one is concern that these are not food grade material.
> Someone said that he saw a label on them saying HDPE.
> Really, since when is paint food product?



JoP, you had it right the first time. You wish to avoid products that are not food grade, and acknowledge that others may do as they please. Others assess the risks that they face, and reach a different conclusion, and do "whatever they want." This is all fine. There isn't really much to "make sense of."


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## jgmann67 (Sep 17, 2019)

I use a straining bag from my LHBS (the type typically used in beer making). Fits great in my butt press and works exceptionally well. It cleans up nicely too. 

It probably has a couple more seasons of use left before I replace it. If it cost me $10 I’d be surprised.


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## Intheswamp (Sep 17, 2019)

I'm curious about something. Do the bags sold for straining fruits and vegetables have tags on them that state they are food grade? I've got a straining bag I bought years ago from either Midwest Supplies or Austin HB...no tag of any kind. Is it that just because a bag is sold at a food-canning/beer-wine-making/etc store that it is deemed food grade...without a tag on it, just packaging stating it?

We've all got our comfort zones with different things. Sometimes we have to step out of that comfort zone, but I don't think this would be one of those times. Use whatever strainer bag that you feel good about using. Personally, I'm a bit skeptical that the food strainer bags are not simply repurposed paint strainer bags or at the least sewn together out the same mesh that some paint strainers are sewn from. But, peace of mind from having someone tell you that it is food-grade could be worth a small premium over a Lowe's paint strainer bag you pull off a shelf. We do not see "food grade" emblems on plastic forks and spoons or toothbrushes, either, and most of us will use them without much thought. And, then there's the water mains that deliver water to us...we know they're supposed to be food grade but it's really hard to see beneath the ground so we take "somebody's" word for it that they are indeed food-grade. It is what it is...to each his/her own.

And, no, there was no one that saw a tag on a strainer bag, I jokingly commented about it, but again, there was no tag on a bag that I've seen.


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## Johnd (Sep 17, 2019)

JoP said:


> I'm trying to make sense of this
> There are many folks here using paint bags for straining grape juice or wine and no one is concern that these are not food grade material.
> Someone said that he saw a label on them saying HDPE.
> Really, since when is paint food product?



Just as @jgmann67 posted, you can get these type bags from your LHBS, or order them online, and are made for just this application with both beer and wine. Like you, I'm a little picky about what touches my wine. I don't know if the bags sold as "paint strainers" are proper or not, but I'd have a greater deal of trust in the ones intended for use with beer / wine...


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## Scooter68 (Sep 17, 2019)

I'm going to look at cheesecloth and unbleached muslin today at our local Hobby Lobby. I've bought muslin clothe there before to use as bucket covers. It's thin but keeps out bugs and is easy to secure on the bucket. Smaller pieces get tied around my empty carboys once they are cleaned. No worry about that material if you sanitize it.

Would be easy to stitch a bag out of muslin and the added benefit would be keeping fine seeds out of the bucket. The drawback would be slower movement of liquid through the bag. As always there's positive and negative to just about every course of action. 

Mesh bags of any kind tend to develop holes or get cut by presses due to abrasions or pressure so sometimes bags have to be treated as expendable supplies not like more permanent equipment.


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