Using a Steam Juicer

A steam juicer is a nice gadget for extracting and canning fruit juice for later use. It consists of three containers, the bottom container holds the water that makes the steam. The middle container holds the juice and has a hose to drain the juice into canning jars. The top container holds the fruit to be juiced. After adding water to the bottom and fruit to the top you place the juicer on the stove and heat. Steam goes up through the center of the steamer and steam extracts the juice from the fruit. The juice drains into the center container. Once you have enough juice in the center you drain it into clean sterile canning jars and seal them. You now have juice that can be stored and used when you have time to make some wine. One bit of advise, when buying a steam juicer get a stainless steal one as the acid in fruits are very unforgiving to aluminum.

Below is the procedure I use for making most of my fruit wines. There is also a list of the equipment and chemicals I use.

Preparing Must:

1. Obtain a food grade bucket large enough to hold planned batch plus at least one gallon.  Sometimes better to use 2 buckets for larger batches.
2. Add 1/2 to 1 inch of hot water to bottom of bucket. 
3. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp Bentonite per gallon of wine being made in water while swirling water around until Bentonite is mixed in.
4. Add steamed fruit juice to bucket.
5. Make simple syrup (2 parts sugar 1 part water (or juice) heat until dissolved.
6. Using hydrometer add simple syrup until specific gravity reaches 1.080 to 1.090.
7. Check must level in bucket, may need to add water and simple syrup until desired level is reach (1/2 gallon more than batch total) while keeping the specific gravity in range.
8. Check and adjust pH and acid level (Ideal pH 3.3 to 3.5 and Acid 5.5 to 6.5) Use Acid Blend to raise acid and lower pH according to directions. Use potassium Bicarbonate or Calcium carbonate to lower acid and raise pH according to directions.  Can also dilute with water to lower acid.
9. Add Yeast Nutrient and Energizer according to directions.
10. After 12 hours and must temp between 65 and 112 degrees add Pectic Enzyme according to directions.
11. After 12 hours add Yeast according to directions to start primary fermentation.

Primary Fermentation:

1. Stir twice daily.
2. Rack to Clean Carboy around Specific Gravity of 1.020 and install airlock.
3. Begin Secondary Fermentation.

Secondary Fermentation:

1. Rack to Clean Carboy when Specific Gravity is below 0.999 and stable (doesn’t change for 3 days in a row)
2. Add Potassium or Sodium Metabisulphite (1 Campden Tablet per gallon or 1/8 tsp per 3 gallons if using powder)
3. Degas
4. Time to Age.

Aging:

1. Age 90 Days
2. Rack to Clean Carboy
3. Add Potassium or Sodium Metabisulphite (1 Campden Tablet per gallon or 1/8 tsp per 3 gallons if using powder)
4. Add Potassium Sorbate (need if adding Flavor Pack (f-pac) or simple syrup (sugar))
5. Add Flavor Pack
6. Age 90 Days
7. Rack to Clean Carboy
8. Degas
9. Check and adjust pH, Acid and SO2 Levels
10. Sweeten to taste with simple syrup
11. Add fining agent (to clear)
12. Wait 14 days or until clear
13. Rack to Clean Carboy
14. Filter
15. Bottle

Items in RED are optional but highly recommended

Equipment I Use:

• 2, 5 and 6 gallon Plastic pails
• Carboys (all sizes can never have enough)
• Triple Scale Hydrometer (Must Have)
• Stoppers & Air Locks (can never have to many)
• 3/8″ siphon tubing
• Funnels (different sizes)
• Auto-Siphon
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Spray Bottle
• pH Meter (worth every penny)
• Acid Test Kit
• Oak Stick
• Floor Corker (double lever hand corker as backup)
• 1/2 gallon jugs for cleaner and sanitizer
• bottle wand
• scale
• drill mounted mixer degasser
• aeration/oxygenation test kit (nice to have)
• Vacuum pump
• Vinbrite Wine Filter Kit
• And of course Steam Juicer
  

Chemicals I have on hand:

• Potassium Metabisulphite (must have)
• Acid Blend (must have)
• Yeast Nutreint (must have)
• Yeast Energizer (Good to have)
• Potassium Sorbate (must have)
• Pectic Enzyme (must have)
• Wine Tannin (Good to have)
• Potassium Bicarbonate (lower acid post fermentation)
• Tartaric Acid (Good to have)
• Citric Acid (can use on some fruits)
• Ascorbic Acid (helps stop browning in fruit)
• Sparkolloid Powder (fining agent)
• Bentonite (fining agent)
• Polyclar 10 (fining agent)
• Super-Kleer K.C. (fining agent)
• Calcium Carbonate (lower acid in must)
• Sodium Hydroxide Solution or NOaH (Acid and SO2 testing)
• Phenolphthalein Indicator (color) Solution (Acid testing)
• Methylene Blue Methyl Red Indicator Solution (SO2 Testing)
• Phosphoric Acid 25% (SO2 Testing)
• Potassium Acid Phthalate N/10 Solution (used to check NOaH Solution)
• Hydrogen Peroxide Solution (SO2 Testing)
• pH 4.01 Buffer Solution (pH meter)
• pH 7.01 Buffer Solution (pH meter)
• Electrode Cleaning Solution (pH meter)
• Milwaukee pH Meter Electode Storage Solution (pH meter)
• Powdered egg whites (for fining blackberry wine)
• Glycerine (for smoothing berry wines)
• Star San (mix in spray bottle for contact sanitizing)
• Easy Clean (for cleaning equipment)
• Oak cubes and chips