Ferment on fruit?

[DGvt]

it’s that time of year again, lots and lots of apples

I’ve been making hard cider for a couple years now and really love the results. But I still don’t have a fruit press. I’ve tried a a few different ways and have had ok luck. Long story short I blend the apples, then I’ve been squeezing in a filter bag between a colander and a wood plate with a few bar clamps. This year I have more apples and have been doing it the same way but am curious. If I were to just blend the apples, could i add pectic enzyme and ferment with all the pulp still in the mash? I know it would ferment, but would all the yeast and solids drop afterwards to the bottom during the flocculation stage? Then could I just rack clear cider afterwards? Wondering if there are any draw backs?

 

[ChuckD]

I have made apple wine several times without a press. I don’t know how to paste a link. Just search for

Apple wine without a press​

I chopped the fruit and used strainers and filter bags to remove the copious lees.

 

[winemaker81]

It sounds like you want to make a second run -- I did that in 2013. I juiced a bushel of apples and had a LOT of glistening pulp with plenty still in it. It worked quite well.

Treat it like a normal second run -- for each 2 gallons of wine you get from the main batch, add 1 gallon water, 2 lbs sugar, 1 tsp acid, 1/4 tsp grape tannin.

My notes are here:

https://wine.bkfazekas.com/2013-apple/

https://wine.bkfazekas.com/2013-apple-second-run/