How to Build a Grape Press

Fresh-squeezed grape juice can be fun to make and fun to drink.

For those who love fresh juice, having a press of any kind is a great way to make your juice fresh daily. Grape juice is no different. You can purchase your own grape press, but making one is not extremely difficult and can be fun. You also get the added benefit of having fresh grape juice whenever you want it--as much as you can press. To make a grape press requires patience, a little elbow grease--and your choice of favorite grapes.

Things You'll Need

• 4 five-gallon pails
• 3 to 4 gallons of grapes
• Soap
• 4x4 piece of wood or masher

Instructions

1. Clean all of your supplies. Clean your buckets or pails thoroughly and allow then plenty of time to dry. Even if your buckets are new, rinse them out with soap and water and allow them to dry. The grape juice will be made and possibly stored in the pails, so having them sterile is very important. If you have a masher, clean that as well. If you are using a 4x4 piece of wood, make sure that it is clean and that it has no edges or splinters that would fall off in your pail. Also rinse your grapes in cold water to get them clean.

2. Pour your grapes into the first bucket. Make sure the grapes do not come higher than 6 to 8 inches from the top of your pail so there's no splashing or spilling

3. Hold the 4x4 vertically. Push it down into the grapes and continue to smash the grapes until you get as much juice as you think is possible. If you are using a masher, mash the grapes until it looks like they've given all their juice.

4. Remove the grapes from the first bucket and place them into second bucket. Continue to mash them with the 4x4 or masher. Although the majority of juice will come out in the first bucket, once you remove them into a clean bucket, there will be more room to mash and get additional juice.

5. Remove the grapes again and place in new bucket. Repeat this step through all four buckets. You may want to try a fifth bucket or pail for any additional juice.

6. Pour your juice into a container of your choice. You can chill it for a while if you choose, or drink it fresh from pressing.

References

• Wine Club Web: How To Make A Grape Press