Kinds of grape crushers

Hi Ken,

The twin fluted-roller is the classic grape crusher design. The other one (by which I assume you are referring to ebay Item #2343897607, or similar) is probably an apple crusher or "all purpose" fruit crusher. It won't work very well for grapes.

When crushing grapes it's very important to avoid breaking open the seeds, as this may cause your wine to become very bitter. This is accomplished with adjustable roller-spacing (not all grape seeds are the same size) and/or nylon or rubber rollers, preferably both (adjustable and soft rollers). However, aluminum rollers work well if the spacing is adjusted correctly.

With apples, the seeds are apparently not a concern. But it is necessary to break the apples open prior to crushing. This is accomplished with a number of specialized crusher designs, all involving some sort of sharp blades or teeth to slice or pulverize the apples. You can also place the apples in a barrel and pound them with a 4x4 post, or push them through some sort of grating, before (or instead of) placing them in a regular grape crusher.

Although there are occasionally some bargains to be had, many of the crushers offered on eBay are over-priced in comparison with the cost for a new crusher from a reputable source. I would avoid the ones with wooden hoppers, as they may be very difficult to sterilize. Before purchasing an eBay crusher, have a look at the following links:

All three are reputable companies, with very good prices on their products.

Bullpucky. I have a vintage apple press that has lobed screws for crushing but with widely varying spacing opportunities. I could open the spacing on this crusher to 100% and have trouble crushing small grapes...

I can't recall every eating an apple seed, so I can't say whether or not they are bitter. [I have eaten grape seeds, and they are.]

I have made apple wine with and without seeds. There is a noticeable difference in tannin levels, and some other characteristics, but not in the bitterness. However, I crush my apples with a heavy block of wood, not with an "apple crusher", so I am not slicing them or pulverizing them.

I've previously assumed that breaking them (or at least cutting them in pieces) is not a problem --- because all the specialized apparatus that I've seen (homebrew and commercial) for crushing apples and extracting their juice does just that.

However, it now occurs to me that the commercial apple "crushers" are very similar to a garbage disposal, but the pulp is forced through a fine stainless-steel strainer --- leaving behind the stems, peel, and probably most of the seeds.

So, I'm guessing that it's not so much a matter of whether the apple seeds impart bitterness, but whether they are filtered out of the juice before fermenting or not. If you use some sort of pre-fermentation filtration method, or press the juice with a press-bag before fermentation, a modified (and thoroughly cleaned) garbage disposal would probably work.

I prefer the "traditional" method of fermenting apples "on the skins" (and stems and seeds) to achieve the special flavour that everyone seems to enjoy. This being the case, I would be hesitant to use any "crusher" that chops up the seeds. You can crush a hundred pounds of apples in a barrel with a 4x4 post in a matter of minutes (and drink a few bottles of last year's brew to soothe your aching muscles afterward). This leaves the seeds intact.

??? Bullpucky? Just what is it in my post that you disagree with?

I don't recall saying that apple presses lack adjustable roller spacing [although I haven't seen one that did]. I said that, based on the cutting blades and other "harsh" devices employed for chopping the apple up so it can be crushed, it would appear that breaking (or cutting) open a seed is not the same concern it is with grapes.

Then, in a subsequent post, I said that PERHAPS this is because the juice is intended to be filtered through a strainer, or pressed and filtered through a press bag, prior to fermentation, and the seeds do not remain in the fermenting wine.

Furthermore, the original question was in respect to the difference between two separate crusher designs that the poster had seen featured on eBay. I attempted to explain that the crushers with the twin-fluted rollers were designed for grapes, and that the "porcupine" design was not suitable for grapes, and was probably designed for apples. I also mentioned some of the other factors involved in crusher design (since there are more than two varieties out there).

If you disagree with this, please explain how the former can be used for apples (without the addition of some sort of cutting teeth), and how the latter can be used for grapes (without risking breaking open the seeds).

Wouldn't recommend St. Pats for service or efficiency. Waited seven months on a destemmer/crusher, and other items, with all kinds of verbal and email misrepresentations as to what was in inventory, when the items would be shipped, etc. Finally, when I told her I was tired of waiting on the crusher and asked her to send the balance of the order, she got pissy and cancelled my entire order. Didn't have the time to do it right and didn't want to be reminded of it either.