[Allotment Jon]

Being fairly new to the wine making I did my first kit using fruit from my Allotment. The only strainer I had was the std plastic tube with small filter on the end. This of course got blocked up with the blackcurrants every few seconds.

I have been advise to use a strainer bag that I purchased today. Could any one tell me if these are all right for steralising before use and if the fruit is going to get stuck in all the holes.

[JulieP]

If it is the "net" type, I usually steralise mine by putting it in boiling water and milton, let it cool off and then wash out with cooled boiled water.

Julie

[Allotment Jon]

Thanks Julie. I'll give it a go at the weekend.

[Stripey_cat]

You can also use cheesecloth (or an old pillowcase, or any well washed, lint-free cotton) - make sure there's no soap residue in it, then scald with boiling water.

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, i use one of those fine vegetable strainers in the top of a funnel then just bang it out if it gets cloged.

Keep on a troshing J W

[David.]

Seems to me that the specific use of strainer bag needs to be clarified by O.P.,

as they can be used for:

1) straining the must after fermentation in a bucket.

2) holding fruit within a fermenter during primary fermentation.

or

3) straining fruit when using a press.

[Allotment Jon]

Purchased a bag and used for the first time last night with Blackcurrant wine. Worked fine and the fruit washed out of the bag with minimum fuss. It was the type that sits in a 1 gallon fermentation vessel and can be stretched over the lid area to make things easy.

On a recent Raspberry and mixed berry wine I used a collander, however when I transfered to a demijohn for storage, I noticed a lot of fine bits at the bottom.

I will see how this goes or look into other staining methods.

Thanks for  the replies above.