# getting to the pit of things



## pwrose (Jul 6, 2010)

Chokecherriers have the largest pit to fruit ratio I think there is out there. So I would imagine it would take alot of cherries per gallon of finished wine. I have searched around for some recipes and found nothing of interest. So I have arrived back at my starting point here. The main point of this post is to question pit removal of the chokecherry.

1. What is the easist way to remove the pits?
2. Would there be any problems in just leaving the pits in through the first three days of fermentation?
3. Does boiling the juice down to concentrate it make it any better?

4. How in the world could a dry chokecherry wine be as good as eveyone says when they are about the most bitter ripe fruit I think I have ever tasted?


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## pwrose (Jul 6, 2010)

anyone??????????


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## jeepingchick (Jul 6, 2010)

wish i knew .....but ill keep watch on the thread n hope somone tells us


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## countrygirl (Jul 6, 2010)

i had a thread in the garden section when trying to i.d. a chokecherry. someone there suggested boiling them down. i guess that would be a concentrate.


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## pwrose (Jul 6, 2010)

That was me,,, lol

I just was wondering if that is the best/easist way to get the pits out or should they be removed before..... Just mainly looking for suggestions.


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## winemaker_3352 (Jul 7, 2010)

pwrose said:


> Chokecherriers have the largest pit to fruit ratio I think there is out there. So I would imagine it would take alot of cherries per gallon of finished wine. I have searched around for some recipes and found nothing of interest. So I have arrived back at my starting point here. The main point of this post is to question pit removal of the chokecherry.
> 
> 1. What is the easist way to remove the pits?
> 2. Would there be any problems in just leaving the pits in through the first three days of fermentation?
> ...




I am not 100% sure on this - but i have read an article about using pits in wine. One of the reasons for depitting is because the pits contain Toxic cyanogenic glycosides (Cyanide) in them.

Not sure how to actually depit something so small though - as i think those are a lot smaller than normal cherries.

You might be able to to boil them down - but the pulp/pits in a fermentation bag and add the recommended amount of pectic - 24-48 hours later remove the bag.


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## pwrose (Jul 7, 2010)

> You might be able to to boil them down - but the pulp/pits in a fermentation bag and add the recommended amount of pectic - 24-48 hours later remove the bag.



This is some of the suggestions I was looking for,,,,
Has no one made any chokecherry wine to tell the experience?
Where are all those experts at,,,,,


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## ffemt128 (Jul 7, 2010)

You could probably try a steam juicer.


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## midwestwine (Jul 7, 2010)

As of right now im pitting some sour cherry's. I froze them first and it made pitting them not so messy


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## Frank_The_Magic_Hobo (Jul 7, 2010)

Personally, I would freeze them, let them thaw, then throw them in a big pot. Add water, but only about half the volume of fruit. Then go to town mashing them up by hand. After you break most of the fruit from the pits, just pick out the pits. Time consuming, but faster than trying to de-pit individually. Friend uses this method pretty successfully for cherries, so it might apply.

Boiling is a good idea, but that might extract any toxins or off flavors from the pits that you are trying to avoid in the first place.


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## Torch404 (Jul 8, 2010)

I don't know anything about choke cherries specifically but it seems like you could pour a measured amount of boiling water on them this should break the skins. Mash them and much as possible and squeeze the pulp through a cheese cloth. It will let juice and some pulp through but can hold back the seeds.

You could freeze and thaw the berries before doing the above for better extraction.


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## pwrose (Jul 8, 2010)

I will be getting the rest of these cherries today and once they are frozen I will start the pitting process. I like the thought of just adding boiling water and then mashing until they are all juiced. I would love to have a steam juicer but that will have to wait. Maybe at the end of the month or something. I will be shooting for 2.5 lbs per gallon but I am still trying to figure out what is the best additive to help give this wine the body that it will need.

Anyone have any idea about the acid levels of chokecherries? I will be starting another post on acid levels so post here or there any info on it.


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## loumik (Jul 8, 2010)

pwrose, I don't make cokecherry wine myself, but I talked to a freind of mine who makes it every year. She puts the berries in a bag and puts them into the primary and squeezes them by hand on the first and third day after that she just punches them down as often as she feels is necessary until she racks them to the secondary. She doesn't worry about pitting them, said it wasn't necessary. She makes really good chokecherry wine, so I have to assume she knows what she is talking about.
Hope this helps some.

loumik


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## pwrose (Jul 8, 2010)

loumik Thank you, that about covers that, oh thank you very much.


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## Mud (Jul 11, 2010)

Are chokecherries bright or dark red when ripe?


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## pwrose (Jul 11, 2010)

almost black


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## Mud (Jul 11, 2010)

Thanks. I'm pretty sure there's a tree in our back lawn. The berries are about the size of a pea, form on spurs, and have about 1/8" of yellow flesh over the pit, which is yellow. Tree bark is dark and relatively smooth, almost like a birch but not quite. The leaves are broad with a single point and finely serrated edges. 
 
A pic would be nice, but I can't find the wee USB cable.


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## countrygirl (Jul 11, 2010)

pwrose said:


> That was me,,, lol
> 
> I just was wondering if that is the best/easist way to get the pits out or should they be removed before..... Just mainly looking for suggestions.



sorry pwrose, i didn't go back to that thread to look, just remembered the info. keep us updated on your success.


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## BettyJ (Jul 11, 2010)

I make wine from a fruit called natal plum. They are very tart - like a cranberry. I use a ratio of 1/3 bananas with 2/3 plums. This helps balance the acidity and yeast love the bananas. I de-pit and freeze all of the fruit as this helps extract the most juice. I usually keep the fruit in the straining bag for 7-10 days. I also usually pour in warm sugar water over the fruit after it thaws out. 

About the seeds - Early on I left the seeds in and the end product taste was much more bitter and the end color of the wine was more orange/brown verses the beautiful cherry red it is now.


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## Mud (Jul 17, 2010)

Yeah, that tree is a chokecherry. The birds got a lot of the fruit before it turned purple, but there's some left. Picked 2.5# today. Will try for more tomorrow.

A search of "chokecherry" turned up some info. There's even a recipe. 

I plan to freeze/thaw and then boil the cherries to extract juice. Boiling rids elderberries of any cyanide danger so it should work here, too.


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## Wade E (Jul 17, 2010)

These Chokecherries are big up north for wine. The other forum I reside on has a few members that make this all the time. If anyone needs the recipe let me know as a lot of members made it from her recipe and all loved it. She is no longer with us but her memory remains!


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## Mud (Jul 17, 2010)

I'd like to see it, Wade. Trying to get a consensus on # per gallon. These things are so astringent I can't decide how much to use.


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## pwrose (Jul 18, 2010)

yeah Wade drop the recipe, I agree with mud I can't seem to settle on the #'s per gallon with them.


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## Wade E (Jul 18, 2010)

~~~~~~~~~~CHOKECHERRY WINE~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8 QUARTS JUICE [22# STEAMED EXTRACTED CHOKECHERRIES]
2 BOTTLES WINEXPERT RED GRAPE CONCENTRATE
9# SUGAR
6 1/2 CAMPDEN TABLETS
4 tsp LIQUID TANNIN
5 tsp ACID BLEND
4 oz AMERICAN OAK CHIPS [TOASTED]
2 VANILLA BEANS

S.G. 1.087 water to 6½ gallons

12 hours later----
3 tsp PECTIC ENZYME
3 tsp YEAST ENERGIZER
6 tsp YEAST NUTRIENT

12 hours later----
LALVIN RC-212 YEAST


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