Steam-Juicing frozen grapes(?)

[PPBart]

I bought a steam juicer a few months ago and have had good success in juicing fresh fruits. Now I have a bunch of frozen grapes which I intend to steam juice. Should I thaw the grapes first (e.g., to ~room temp) or just load them into the juicer and turn up the heat?

 

[winemaker_3352]

hmm - not much experience with a juicer - but using a crusher/press- i thaw out the fruit, then i crush and add k-meta in - 12 hours later i add in the pectic. Then i strain the free run and press the pulp if needed.

 

[Sacalait]

You can put them directly into the juicer frozen but the process will take longer and you'll consume more energy that if you first thaw them out.

 

[Luc]

You should not steam-juice grapes.

It will dillute the grape juice far too much.

Just thaw the grapes and press them. Next make the wine from the pure juice.

Remember that no sane commercial winemaker will dillute grape-juice to make wine........
And your wine should be better as any commercial wine.

Luc

 

[Tom]

Luc,
Good points.

 

[PPBart]

You should not steam-juice grapes.

It will dillute the grape juice far too much.

Just thaw the grapes and press them. Next make the wine from the pure juice.

Remember that no sane commercial winemaker will dillute grape-juice to make wine........
And your wine should be better as any commercial wine.

Luc

Have you ever made muscadine wine?

Have you ever tasted muscadine wine fermented from pure juice?

I've made muscadine for quite a few years, tried various recipes including fermenting pure juice -- it really was not very good. I suppose that's why virtually every recipe I see for muscadine wine calls for some dilution with water...

 

[Sacalait]

Really it depends on the kind of grape on hand. Some, like the mustang grape have a high acid content which could use a little dilution or softening. No information was given as to the variety of grape used. Personally I prefer the muscadine grape crushed and fermented with a little water. But it depends on the variety of muscadine used.

A blanket statement such as do not dilute or do it this way only depends on the experience of the wine maker using a particular variety of fruit that he himself is familiar with.

 

[PPBart]

...No information was given as to the variety of grape used... A blanket statement such as do not dilute or do it this way only depends on the experience of the wine maker using a particular variety of fruit that he himself is familiar with.

After reading my own response I have to say that I did not mean to come across as bluntly as I did. I didn't mention in the OP that the grapes were muscadine, which are certainly not your typical wine grape; however, I do tend to get irritated at blanket declarations...

Anyway, in this instance the question is now moot. I had about 21 lbs of muscadines in the freezer with which I decided to try a small batch of port-style wine. I allowed the grapes to thaw for about 6 hours, then tossed them into the steamer; juice started flowing within just a few minutes. Final output was a bit over 7 ltrs.

 

[toddrod]

Bringing up an old post here.

When I make my muscadine wines I dikute with water because of the acidity. I find the flavor of the diluted muscadine wines more favorably compared to the ones I have tried that are 100% juice.

 

[Sirs]

I don't know about anyone else but straight muscadine wine no dilution at all is a really overpowering taste, I know a few local makers who don't dilute but I can say I haven't seen many people ask for seconds. They are extremely good full flavored if mixed with other wines but if I or most people I know had to only drink it striaght no dilution there wouldn't be much call for muscadines other than for eating. Also I'm talking about the regular muscadines like the wild ones, not the ones that have been breed to where you can barely tell they're muscadines thats just my opinion