Using a juicer

[kutya]

Anyone ever use a juicer to extract juice?? I just picked up a stainless steel juicer at an estate sale, it has two parts an inner basket that holds fruit, then the lower pot that you add water too. There is a hose coming out of the inner pot. Both are placed on a stove top, with a little heat wa-la out comes the juice. I have yet to try this, but I hear people use these to make Jelly with. After looking over Jack Kellers webpage (an obvious wine guru), he says that this may alter the taste??? He does go on to say that if you are not an expert (which I am not, nor are my moocher friends) that you may not even be able to tell the difference. I have a truckload of chockecherries I would like to try this on...

 

[pkcook]

I say go for it! The only way you will know is to try. If you have that much fruit, what are you out? Let us know how it comes out.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I use a steam juice extractor, is it like this one in this pictorial????


http://www.finevinewines.com/Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1632

I love it, been using it for years for breakfast fruit juices and juice for jellies...now I juice fruit for wines.....the wines clear quickly and I think the flavor is good...

 

[paubin]

I have used a juicer in the past( not a stove top). I used it with rhubarb and it worked great. I also used the left over pulp in a strainer bag in the must. Go for it, I imagine that the taste should be a lot like using quality canned fruit, which has always tasted great to me.


Pete

 

[kutya]

Thank you for the information,Northern my juicer looks very similar toyours (same principal) I'm going totry it this weekend. My next question was if I should put the pulp in the must, and it sounds like that could be done as well. I'll post some pictures when I get this rolling...

 

[NorthernWinos]

I have never put the pulp in the must, but it might give you more flavor.
I preserve most of my juices in mason jars and use it at a later date, tho I have made some wines right out of the juicer.
The steam juicer is great, but be sure to keep water in the bottom, it evaporates very fast, I refresh the water about every 30 minutes....keep it pretty full at all times.
I found apples to be pretty slow, sprinkle a little sugar on top of halved apples, seems to release the juices better. Crabapples work great, wash and put them in whole. Most other fruits release their juices very quickly...your going to have fun with this....

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[kutya]

Last year I recieved a box of apples from the little ole lady down the block who secretly sips my free wine late at night, anyway I thought to myself hey a box of apples requires a press, so I made my own. It's a little crude looking, but it does work like a champ. If she shows up this year with her box of apples, I'm going to try the juicer. Thanks again. jh

 

[dfwwino]

The British have used steam juicers in winemaking for years. See Progressive Winemaking by Peter Duncan and Bryan Acton. I don't have a steam juicer, but an Omega Juicer for health food drinks. I have not tried it yet for winemaking. I sometimes juice yams, which produces a drinkable, sweet juice. I've been tempted to start a yam wine.

 

[Pete]

Kutya, how did you make your presss - I need to be pressing a small amount of grapes next month - the only press I have seen was in Eisenman's book of using an egg crate, screen, wood block and weights.

Thanks

 

[NorthernWinos]

I too would be interested in plans to build a apple/grape press.....I see there are plans and presses available on eBay...might have to check into that further...

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[kutya]

I will take a picture tonight and post it tomorrow am.

 

[MedPretzel]

Oops, just noticed this post. My kid (cat of 3 years) needed emergency surgery this week, and haven't been on for a bit:


Here's my take on it, although a bit late:


You don't need the pulp. Think how fine it is, and have you ever tasted it? Tastes like nothing. I think it would just be overkill to add it to a wine, since the mesh is so fine that it practically obliterates the taste.


I think you can't harm anything by adding the pulp, but since that is also so fine, you might have a hard time getting it out of the must. Don't be surprised at the sediment it is throwing. Just rack it as usual, but you might need extra rackings to catch it all.


Juicing is great, in my opinion, if you have fruit that tends to throw a lot of sediment. Let's think of the theory: You extract the juice (what you do in stomping/pressing) and leave the pulp behind. Okay, I know some grapers are going to disagree (you can add the skins for tannin, but..... I believe we're talking fruit wines here), but I think in general you don't want the pulp. So, for the next time, I'd leave it out and see what it does.


I did this with a carrot wine I had, and it was easy clearing.


This is just my ramblings,but I hope it helps!


Martina

 

[NorthernWinos]

Kutya.....I guess I agree with Martina about not adding the pulp....guess actually I wouldn't.With the steam juicer there is really nothing left but the seeds....I just read that they contain cyanide.. but guess many fruit pits do contain that...kind of creepy..

Looking for photos of your juicer...hint...hint!!!


Martina, hope your cat is doing better, we get so attached to our pets, so sad when they get a problem...

We sure miss our old red guy since he left us...so sad to watch the old ones, but we have our memmories..

 

[kutya]

Martina, and Northern.. you and the others have inspired me to juice.... thanks for the advice and I will post photos. Also, the pictures of the press will be coming soon as well. Martina, would you please chime in on my computer program question??? I sent an email to your web address in regards to your Palm program.. I am very interested in the program... Ps, I hope your cat is doing OK...

 

[kutya]

Here are the pictures of the jucier I made. I looked at one on the internet, then just went to it. I have access to a metal bender at work, so that was very helpful. I have seen juciers using banding material from lumber stores, and I feel that would work. The rest was just looking at the picture. I used Maple flooring for some, Oak for some, and good ole pine for some? I found that when I press apples, it really helps to cut them into small pieces. When I first tried it I just threw whole apples in and thought I would get juice... This is not the case, Or at least I'm not strong enough to squeeze them that way.... I also put the chunks into a straining bag....

 

[kutya]

another shot.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Love it!!!!I would love to have one for our apples....Most of the professional ones have an apple grinder on them, guess you grind the apples up as to make it easier to get the juice out....Got to get my hubby to look at yours....been looking at plans on eBay, but just looking at this point...thanks for the inspiration...