Fruit presses

[nursebee]

For those of you that use fruits in your meads, how do you handle them? I've only purchased fruit juice in cans but have chance to use good produce. I've a borrowed fruit press and want to buy one of my own.

ANy advice? What do you use and what are the pros and cons?

Thank you.

[Ben Brewcat]

If you're up for pressing, I say do it. It's more work, but 1) you can measure the volume and SG and thus effectively calculate the juice's sugar contribution, 2) less pulp and loss to racking 3) you can set aside some frozen juice for sweetening or topping up later on. And maybe 4) you could treat it with pectinase to reduce haze. If you can afford it, get the ratchet style rather than the screw style. Also know that it IS possible to over-press fruit trying to get that last milliliter of juice.

Lacking that I freeze fruit. It reduces some of the sanitation risk, plus the freezing juices up the fruit so you get more extraction from the pulp.

[Aspera]

I also freeze fruit and only add it to previously fermented mead. I have this theory that it reduces contamination and helps retain flavor. Some wine shops will rent you a press.

[MichaelW]

I know a guy that uses a hand cranked fruit chopper. It looks like it can handle quite a bit of fruit.

I'm planning on making a fruit press this winter. We have 3 large apple trees, I think they will make some good apple cider. I canned 20 quarts before the rest of them went bad. I think the masher will be a better use for them as they don't last long due to bugs and diseases.

If anyone knows of any design plans for one I would love to see them. I have some steel, a large vice I can chop up, and can buy some oak.

[junglebill007]

Try freespace.virgin.net/roger.simmonds/press.htm

for instructions on building a fruit press.