How to properly press grapes on wine at home and create a press with your own hands
The process of making homemade wine includes several stages. One of them is kneading berries to get a large amount of juice from the fruit. It is worth carrying out the procedure correctly. Any mistakes will lead to a deterioration in the aroma and taste characteristics of the finished drink. Therefore, beginners in the manufacture of a product often wonder how best to crush grapes on wine. This can be done using different methods.
Ways of pressing grapes
It is allowed to squeeze grapes in different ways:
- legs;
- manually;
- presses or crushers.
How to crush grapes at home
To knead the grapes and get a delicious wine as a result, you should follow certain rules.
We press with our feet
The grapes were crushed by their feet even before the advent of mechanical devices. For this, the fruits were put in wooden vats, after which they were kneaded with their feet. This process could take up to 10 hours a day.
It was believed that it was with the feet that it was easiest to squeeze out the maximum amount of juice. This method helps to crush the berries, release nutrients from the peel and cleanse the pulp.
With your feet you can feel whole fruits and cold areas, which negatively affect fermentation.
However, this method has now lost its popularity. The main disadvantage of the procedure is the lack of hygiene. The method is used by small manufacturers or amateurs.
Presses and crushers
To process a large amount of raw materials, it is worth choosing special tools. The mechanism of operation of the devices is based on the movement of shafts that rotate in different directions. They squeeze the fruit, which leads to the release of juice.
There are different options for crushers, each of which has certain features:
- With a comb separator. This detail allows you to completely separate the fruit from the brush. Thanks to this, it is possible to avoid the ingestion of tanning components from the combs into the drink. Separators differ in design.
- Without comb separator. The use of such a crusher slows down the juice production process, since the raw materials require preparation. Before carrying out the procedure, it is worth separating the fruits from the stem.
- Roller comb separators. Such devices help to process grapes in the same way as it is done in a production environment. In this case, the shafts squeeze the juice out of the fruit, after which the wort is filtered by means of a comb separator. The distance between the shafts is adjustable. It is determined by the grape variety. The standard option is considered a gap in the size of the bones.
- Shock-centrifugal devices. They can be horizontal or vertical.The mechanism of operation is based on the impact force of the motor. It makes 300-400 rpm. In addition, the crusher has a comb separator that removes pulp from the juice.
Do not use juicing devices for wine. Under thermal influence, the structure of the substance is disturbed. As a result, the wine cannot be prepared.
Hand tools
If there is little raw material, it is permissible to squeeze it out with your hands. It is also allowed to use hand tools. If you plan to carry out the procedure with your hands, you should wash them well and put on gloves. It is recommended to knead the berries slowly. In this case, your hands should be near the bottom of the container.
It is advisable that the juice does not come into contact with metal. An exception is stainless steel. Otherwise, there is a risk of deterioration of the taste of the drink and the occurrence of oxidation processes.
It is also permissible to use a wooden rolling pin to prepare the grapes. A pestle is also a good option.
To speed up the processing process, use a drill or screwdriver with a mixer-shaped attachment. This method does not require additional tools. However, in such a situation, it is not possible to break all the grapes. Small fragments of ridges penetrate into the pulp with fruits.
How to make a press for pressing grapes with your own hands
Presses greatly facilitate the production of wine juice. The fixture includes a frame, a barrel, a pallet. It also includes a pressing device, a mesh with small holes and a power screw.
To make a device, it is worth taking 2 pipes, which will play the role of racks. Their diameter should be 22 millimeters. Then, by welding, attach a profile to them. It must have a U-shape. Its height should be such that the nut fits well inside. A clamp should be located at the base of the pipes. With its help, the press is easily attached to the windowsill.
To make the frame, it is worth using wooden blocks. Their cross section should be 4x10 centimeters. The length of the product should reach 60-70 centimeters. The size of the rollers affects the width of the attachment. A suitable parameter is 20 centimeters.
The spacing between the bars must match the length of the drums. For the press, it is worth using corrugated rolls. Their depth should be up to 3 centimeters. The rolls should be guided towards the axles in a helical manner.
With an interval of 10 centimeters, it is worth making shifts. They should be 2 centimeters. Then the device is attached to the frame with bearings. The rolls rotate at different rates. Therefore, the gears must be different in diameter.
It is recommended to load berries into a bucket. It should have a pyramidal shape. It is recommended to place the bucket on cross rails. The spacing between the bucket and the roller is kept to a minimum. It shouldn't be more than a centimeter.
At the heart of the press should be a vessel for the accumulation of juice. For correct squeezing of the fruit, the gaps must be controlled. They help to keep the seeds intact, which allows for a delicious high quality wine. Damaged bones make the drink bitter. This is due to the large number of tanning elements.
The basket is made of stainless steel. Its thickness should be 2 millimeters. It is recommended to separate portions of raw materials with spacers. They are made from 2 discs of steel and fixed by means of spot welding. They make holes 3 mm in size.
Frequent mistakes
When making juice, inexperienced winemakers make the following mistakes:
- use metal dishes;
- put combs in the product;
- grind the bones;
- use a juicer.
There are quite a few ways to get grapes for making wine. Thanks to this, each person will be able to choose the appropriate option.
