Straining fruit pulp

[Michelle Smith]

When using whole fruit in the wine, when is it best to strain out the pulp? If I'm using a 'juicy' fruit should I just juice/strain it right away or should I start primary fermentation with the pulp? Does pulp add flavor? I'm wondering about oxidizing/contaminating the wine if I strain to secondary, or potentially losing a lot of volume if I try to rack off the pulp.

I haven't actually started fermenting anything, I'm in the "over research" phase.

 

[jgmillr1]

Yeast are good at breaking down the pulp and extracting juice, similar to the way pectic enzymes yield more juice when allowed to work on the fruit. So you will get more liquid out the pulp when you ferment with it.

Pressing the wine away from the pulp does introduce oxygen, but if you press before it has finished fermentation then the yeast can assimilate the dissolved oxygen. And you would be sulfiting the wine to protect it from oxidation/contamination soon anyway. So, I would not be overly concerned with pressing unless you plan to let the wine sit on the gross lees for a long time, which is not recommended for other reasons.

Some pulp can add negative flavors. I'm thinking of orange pulp and rhubarb bits that interact with the yeast to produce a rubbery aroma. However, usually the pulp does not impact the flavor nearly to the extent that the fruit skin or seeds do. The seed usually impart a bitter, astringent taste. The skin can add tannin and color along with some unique fruit characteristics. For example, Marechal Foch grapes develop a quite strong aroma when fermented on skin, that is nice but a little unusual and can be a bit strong if fermented too long on skin.

 

[Stephen Merriman]

What I usually do (based on what I have read) is put the pulp in a nylon straining bag in the primary fermenter until the specific gravity reads 1.03 and then remove the pump by removing the nylon bag and rack into a carboy for the remainder of the fermentation. The pulp adds flavor and juice during primary fermentation but if it sits in too long it can start to develop off flavors.

My source is from a book called “The Joy of WineMaking” by Terry Garey

 

[AkTom]

I usually make fruit wine. Fruit and or berries. I also remove fruit at a low sg, and freeze them. When I get enough I thaw them and make a “seconds” wine. I just did that with some fresh apples. Good stuff.
I live in Alaska so fruit is expensive.

 

[Michelle Smith]

I usually make fruit wine. Fruit and or berries. I also remove fruit at a low sg, and freeze them. When I get enough I thaw them and make a “seconds” wine. I just did that with some fresh apples. Good stuff.
I live in Alaska so fruit is expensive.

I'm liking this idea of "seconds" wine!

 

[AkTom]

Here’s 2 pics of my apple/seconds wine. I had made a couple of fruit mead with cinnamon sticks, so it has a slight hint of cinnamon in it.

 

[hamiltonkiler]

I have always fermentated friut in the primiary bucket with no bag for 7 days. Then rack off the juice after that 7days. If you use petic enzyme I belive, it's worked for me, that you can just stick your racking cane all the way to the bottom because all the fruit pulp and chunks float to the top. Top carboy head off with usually under a gallon of water when you rack over.
In about a month in the secondary everything left has fallen to the bottom and you can rack over again and the wine is pretty clear if you keep your cain out of the less.
Cheers