How long to leave on the fruit

[Mikeymu]

I've a mixed berry recipe brewing for about a week now.

Recipe for 2 gallons mixed berry wine as follows:

2lbs each: elderberries, blackberries, damsons (skins rolled on pointy side of cheese grater)
8oz ribena ( diluted a little and then heated for a while to drive off stabilisers)
0.5lbs chopped raisins
burgundy yeast
nutrient
2 teaspoons pectolase
2 campden tablets (crushed)
Sugar and water to 1.100

The fruit was frozen, poured boiled water over it in fermentation bucket and when cool added campden tablets, then 12 hrs later the pectolase. It was then put into two muslim bags tied with elastic bands (all sterilised). The yeast was rehydrated at 40C and hot water and sugar added to the must to give 35C. The yeast starter was pitched about the same temperature as the must and it sat bulling away on a thermostat-controlled heat mat @ 22C. I'm stirring the must twice a day and turning the fruit bags over so no dry spots that can lead to nasties.

According to CJJ Berry you leave the fruit in there for 5-7 days but I wonder if there's an optimum length of time before I should take the bags of fruit out for max flavour & reducing possibility of getting 'off flavours'.

 

[godfrey]

i took my pulp out after 7 days and after squeezing, there was not much left :P

 

[Moley]

I strained my first batch after 7 days but only gently squeezed the pulp. That was 30 litres (6.3 gallons) with 4kg (9 lbs) each of elderberries, blackberries and damsons.

The pulp went back into the bucket with some red grape juice, a bottle of (out of date) cherry syrup and a bottle of (very out of date) blackcurrant high-juice, both free from preservatives, and had a further 7 days for a 20 litre brew.

That got strained this morning, but this time the pulp was pressed dry.

 

[Mikeymu]

Are there any precautions when pressing/squeezing the pulp and putting back in to avoid infection/contamination?

 

[MattN]

It was then put into two muslim bags tied with elastic bands (all sterilised)

Well, I was sniggering at this. The Mrs woke up, (in a grump) and she told me off for laughing too early! She followed that with 'as you are so awake, why don't you go and brew up'

It could be a long day!.

Matt

 

[Moley]

Are there any precautions when pressing/squeezing the pulp and putting back in to avoid infection/contamination?

Not really, jug, sieve and stainless steel spoon were all disinfected, I had a second FV ready to receive the pulp, and I had checked the kitchen for fruit flies.

 

[Mikeymu]

My mrs is laughing cos my typo gave another lady chance to be waited on with a cuppa. :-)

 

[godfrey]

My mrs is laughing cos my typo gave another lady chance to be waited on with a cuppa. :-)

i dont think he was going to make tea.... :nono:

I think he was going to make beer :clap:

 

[Mikeymu]

i dont think he was going to make tea.... :nono:

I think he was going to make beer :clap:

She'd be waiting a long time for that brew!

 

[Mikeymu]

I strained my first batch after 7 days but only gently squeezed the pulp. That was 30 litres (6.3 gallons) with 4kg (9 lbs) each of elderberries, blackberries and damsons.

The pulp went back into the bucket with some red grape juice, a bottle of (out of date) cherry syrup and a bottle of (very out of date) blackcurrant high-juice, both free from preservatives, and had a further 7 days for a 20 litre brew.

That got strained this morning, but this time the pulp was pressed dry.

Did you mean that you used the pulp from the first brew for another one?