Chopped fruit vs. juice

[Fabiola]

Hello everyone! I want to start doing more fruit wines, and I was thinking about getting a juicer and extract the juice from fruits and vegetables instead of using chopped fruit to avoid all the messy stuff, straing bag and all that, I am not sure if this is a good idea, what would be the advantages or disadvantages of using the juicer?

 

[Turock]

Well, our experience is that there is a different result between juice and using the whole fruit. I think something is lost when you don't include the pulp, and sometimes the skins of fruit add a different quality as well. This is not saying that you can't go the juice route if that works faster for you, especially if you still work--somtimes a job AND trying to make wine, especially a large volume, can be a daunting task. But we prefer to use the whole fruit.

 

[Fabiola]

Well, our experience is that there is a different result between juice and using the whole fruit. I think something is lost when you don't include the pulp, and sometimes the skins of fruit add a different quality as well. This is not saying that you can't go the juice route if that works faster for you, especially if you still work--somtimes a job AND trying to make wine, especially a large volume, can be a daunting task. But we prefer to use the whole fruit.

Thaks a lot, this is the answer I was looking for...

 

[barryjo]

Hello everyone! I want to start doing more fruit wines, and I was thinking about getting a juicer and extract the juice from fruits and vegetables instead of using chopped fruit to avoid all the messy stuff, straing bag and all that, I am not sure if this is a good idea, what would be the advantages or disadvantages of using the juicer?

Are you refering to a steam juicer or one of those that sits on the counter and squeezes out the juice? I really like my steam juicer for small fruit like chokecherries. Also, for a straining bag, I will usually use a kneehigh nylon stocking. When done fermenting, squeeze the juice out and pitch the mess.

 

[Fabiola]

Are you refering to a steam juicer or one of those that sits on the counter and squeezes out the juice? I really like my steam juicer for small fruit like chokecherries. Also, for a straining bag, I will usually use a kneehigh nylon stocking. When done fermenting, squeeze the juice out and pitch the mess.

I am refering to a regular kitchen juicer that you can buy at Walmart or similar places...

 

[grapeman]

A kitchen juicer makes juice out of the pulp. It does so by chopping the pulp so small it makes a juice- think V-8 juice. All the pulp is still in there, so in reality, it will be even worse than putting chopped fruit into the bag. When in the bag, you take the pulp out at one time. When juiced by chopping, you will get a huge amount of sediment that you can hopefully leave most of behind at the first racking. You will also be chopping up the seeds unless you remove them first, so you may get more tannins than you need or want.

Just something to think about before you jump in and get a huge pulpy surprise.....

 

[barryjo]

Grapeman is correct. A friend ran a bunch of pears throught her juicer. By the time they were done, they had lost half the volumn. Couldn't get the stuff to settle and clear.

 

[Fabiola]

A kitchen juicer makes juice out of the pulp. It does so by chopping the pulp so small it makes a juice- think V-8 juice. All the pulp is still in there, so in reality, it will be even worse than putting chopped fruit into the bag. When in the bag, you take the pulp out at one time. When juiced by chopping, you will get a huge amount of sediment that you can hopefully leave most of behind at the first racking. You will also be chopping up the seeds unless you remove them first, so you may get more tannins than you need or want.

Just something to think about before you jump in and get a huge pulpy surprise.....

Good advise, thanks a lot...

 

[Wade E]

I know a lot of people that use and love the steam juicer. They extract all the juices and then throw the pulp in a mesh bag in there also to get anything they might be missing like tannins and the such. Use a fine mesh fermenting bag or 1 of thjose Paint strainer bags everyone gets from Home Depot.

 

[roadwarriorsvt]

Another vote for a steam juicer. You can get all the juice from a large amount of fruit without all the bulk. You can still add in some pulp if you choose to do so. Its the best of both worlds.