Improvising in Winemaking: How We Overcame a Crusher/Destemmer Setback
Today, we found ourselves in a bit of a bind. Our friend, who usually loans us his crusher/destemmer, was on vacation, and we couldn’t access the equipment. So, we had to get creative!
We used a simple hand crusher and set up a plastic crate over our fermentation bucket to catch all the streams. It wasn’t the fastest method, but it worked perfectly! In the end, we successfully processed over 400 pounds of grapes.
We just wanted to share this in case any other winemakers find themselves in a similar situation. With a little ingenuity, you can always find a way to get the job done!