Used Press/crusher advice

[Ajmassa]

Quick and dirty, like any good parking lot deal. Glad to finally have met you.
Even though that crusher looks like it had some hard miles- it does seem to be good quality. Made in Italy- sturdy - and functions as it should. If mine I would clean and sanitize to use and do a proper refurbishing when time allowed.
It seems like majority of crusher owners do not have the crusher/destemmer. What’s the consensus - remove stems before crush when sorting— or remove from must? So far I’ve done both and dislike both ways equally.

 

[pgentile]

Likewise.

Checked out the crusher today more thoroughly, it's in very good working order, just has seen some good hard use. I'm not worried about the destemming aspect it's easy to pull stems from the must My experience has been it's more work destemming up front. I have a crusher and a #25 press I'm ready for this SA and Chilean season. No more 2 x 4.

After this year's Chilean crush, I'll probably take it apart and strip it or maybe get it sandblasted. In the meantime, exactly, i'll clean it good, sanitize it and crush away.

 

[JohnT]

.What’s the consensus - remove stems before crush when sorting— or remove from must? So far I’ve done both and dislike both ways equally.

If it is not a destemmer, then I would suggest that you crush the grapes, then immediately run the must through chicken wire to catch/separate the stems. You do want tot minimize the amount of exposure that the grapes have with the stems as this would add (IMHO) a nasty type of tannins.

 

[pgentile]

If it is not a destemmer, then I would suggest that you crush the grapes, then immediately run the must through chicken wire to catch/separate the stems. You do want tot minimize the amount of exposure that the grapes have with the stems as this would add (IMHO) a nasty type of tannins.

That's a good idea and easy. Although I've done a few batches where i crushed whole clusters with a 2x4 and then pulled stems out over the 2-3 days with no ill effects. But why take the chance.

 

[Ajmassa]

If it is not a destemmer, then I would suggest that you crush the grapes, then immediately run the must through chicken wire to catch/separate the stems. You do want tot minimize the amount of exposure that the grapes have with the stems as this would add (IMHO) a nasty type of tannins.

Chicken wire huh? Similar to that bottom of milkcrate method. So now the gears are in motion to make this more of a one step process.
Obviously actually doing it will allow me find an ideal method - nothing beats trial and error. But Thinking of covering the receiving vessel opening with wire- and after cranking through a normal hopper load a pile of stems and skins will be resting on top. Then do the needed ‘cheesegrader shimmy’ before loading up the hopper again.
I am dead set on finding a good system for this.

 

[mainshipfred]

Chicken wire huh? Similar to that bottom of milkcrate method. So now the gears are in motion to make this more of a one step process.
Obviously actually doing it will allow me find an ideal method - nothing beats trial and error. But Thinking of covering the receiving vessel opening with wire- and after cranking through a normal hopper load a pile of stems and skins will be resting on top. Then do the needed ‘cheesegrader shimmy’ before loading up the hopper again.
I am dead set on finding a good system for this.

If it is not a destemmer, then I would suggest that you crush the grapes, then immediately run the must through chicken wire to catch/separate the stems. You do want tot minimize the amount of exposure that the grapes have with the stems as this would add (IMHO) a nasty type of tannins.

I thought it was a clever idea as well.

 

[JohnT]

I thought it was a clever idea as well.

A milk crate? HMMMM. I had never thought of that. Much better than wire I think.

 

[pgentile]

Milk crate or chicken wire, both will work, it would depend on your setup. I have both.

 

[JohnT]

I am thinking that you could mount a milk crate on some "runners" and have it suspended over a bin.

 

[Ajmassa]

I guess it all depends on how you prop your crusher above and what your using to receive the must. But I love this general idea. Still finding my way with all this. In sept I crushed into 5gal pails. Picked out stems by hand. Then repeated to get what I missed. Took forever.
But I could build something like this - with 2x4s or 2x6’s on edge acting as a ledge for the piled up grapes- and also be able to rest the crusher directly on top of it.

 

[pgentile]

That's what i need to make. Right size it to fit right on top of the brute and then the crusher would rest on it. Perfect. i have everything in my basement to make that.

 

[Ajmassa]

Or a double wide milkcrate might work too. I’m thinking one passing would at least get 80-90% of the stems.
Now to take it further- hoping my sawhorses are tall enough- if not I’ll build em up and have crusher on that. And have receiving vessel with chicken wire box on top with a dolly underneath.
Crush a load- slide out brute- do the ‘cheesgrader shimmy’- slide it back under and continue on. Since removing crusher after every load last fall was also a pain.

 

[pgentile]

Or a double wide milkcrate might work too.

Doing this in my basement, it's less than 7', I'm concerned about the height above the brute using a milk crate and then the crusher above that. But in most other cases the double crate would work.

 

[Ajmassa]

As a 1st time press owner I was looking into lining the basket with mesh. —a few slat sizes are at least 3/8”
But a threaded rod running up through the center makes it somewhat challenging. I read a technique using a 4’x4’ square and folded in a very specific way. The basket is for #35
But I also use a metal screen strainer over the receiving bucket. Think that would be good enough or is lining the basket the go-to move nowadays for a cleaner easier job?

 

[pgentile]

Some of the smaller presses, new, come with a mess bag that has a small slot/opening in the bottom for the threaded rod. Which would lead me to believe you can cut a small slot in the bottom of any mesh bag that fits your press. When I pressed the pineapple wine I made two months back the mess bag stays in place, the weight of the pressure keeps the bag from moving or anything getting under the bag slot. I have no other experience of course, but i think the bag makes cleanup easier.

 

[Boatboy24]

As a 1st time press owner I was looking into lining the basket with mesh. —a few slat sizes are at least 3/8”

The first time I pressed, I cut a small hole in the bottom of a 5gal paint sprayer bag and put that into the basket. It failed miserably, as it got clogged up almost immediately. I'd say don't waste your time/money. Remember, you're going to rack a day or two after pressing. Except for the fine stuff, anything that gets through the press will be removed at that time.

 

[Johnd]

I tend to agree with Jim, having tried using bags with different sized mesh, and spending way more time than necessary in the process. In the end, just ended up pressing in the wood basket and letting the juice run through a pair of mesh strainers on its way to the vessel. When the top screen starts getting clogged, pull it out, clean and replace under the other.

 

[Ajmassa]

I tend to agree with Jim, having tried using bags with different sized mesh, and spending way more time than necessary in the process. In the end, just ended up pressing in the wood basket and letting the juice run through a pair of mesh strainers on its way to the vessel. When the top screen starts getting clogged, pull it out, clean and replace under the other.

Yes! A pair of strainers! This just jogged my memory. I ran into this issue in September. With 2 strainers I was swapping out to clean throughout. With all the other adjusting during the process there were many times I had nothing there. (Water access hogged by bladder press forced unclogging in different area.) But by the end I had them doubled up then cleaning the top one then placing under— All that clogging and cleaning in spite of also using the fine nylon bag supplied with the bladder press I rented.
I imagine going bareback in the basket will require unclogging at a much quicker pace. And even with the using the press bag which was made for it there was still fumbling and time wasted adjusting and folding during the pressing.
Note- I ran 100%’through the press. Free run took forever. Going to pump out as much free run as I can beforehand this time. Cleanup in the dark was not fun. This is one of those things that takes a few time to really find what works best for you I think.

 

[Ajmassa]

When you look at pics online of baskets lined with mesh all neatly folded over the top makes it look so clean and deceivingly easy.
It’s funny tho when reaserching this “to mesh or not to mesh” aspect I’ve found seemingly respectable home winemakers very adamantly pro-mesh as well as anti mesh. So insight from all sides of the fence is much appreciated. Thank you

 

[mainshipfred]

Yes! A pair of strainers! This just jogged my memory. I ran into this issue in September. With 2 strainers I was swapping out to clean throughout. With all the other adjusting during the process there were many times I had nothing there. (Water access hogged by bladder press forced unclogging in different area.) But by the end I had them doubled up then cleaning the top one then placing under— All that clogging and cleaning in spite of also using the fine nylon bag supplied with the bladder press I rented.
I imagine going bareback in the basket will require unclogging at a much quicker pace. And even with the using the press bag which was made for it there was still fumbling and time wasted adjusting and folding during the pressing.
Note- I ran 100%’through the press. Free run took forever. Going to pump out as much free run as I can beforehand this time. Cleanup in the dark was not fun. This is one of those things that takes a few time to really find what works best for you I think.

Pumping the free run should help a ton. I would think the strainers would work then.