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I need to strain the plum wine must I have made. I have scooped out most of the big bits already. How finely do I need to strain it? I have a fairly fine metal sieve which is nice and big and should make an easy job of it - or I have an old pillow case made of almost muslin-like fine cotton, although that will be much messier.... I didn't really want to buy anything else if I don't have to - the nylon sieve I looked at and the cheese cloth I saw in shop were not much finer than the metal sieve I have.
Do I need to get as many bits out as poss, or will smaller bits clear themselves or settle to the bottom anyway?
Thanks for any tips....
Jo

Go with the pillow case, best boil it first to remove washing powder residue!

I'd use both - the sieve first to remove what it can (which would tend to block up the pillow-case) and then the pillow case. You still won't have a clear liquid but, as you say, any residue will settle when fermentation has finished. Then again, as it's plum wine, it probably still won't be clear unless you used a pectic enzyme. If you want it REALLY clear, it'll take time, a few cooling sessions and rackings, fining and possibly filtration.

If you just want to drink it, simply rack it off the deposit when fermentation's finished and leave it for a few weeks. Then enjoy - it will be perfectly OK - just don't hold it up to the light to rejoice in its crystal clarity.

Mike

Oh - don't squeeze that pillow-case too hard. Plum residues will happily go straight through the finest mesh in the world if you do that.

follow up question... I am sure I have books that say not to use any metal utensils for making wine...




Baring in mind that some of my books were first published 100+ years ago, and most normal people wouldn't use them for advice. I already made the same mistake when pickling onions because the 140 year old book I was following was referring to silverware, because sterling silver wasn't around yet

not sure about the metal,i was told not use it,i got a cheap plastic one from the euro shop and covered it with nylon curtain net,got a lot for my money too,

I've used a stainless steel sieve for years with no bother. That's the thing, though - stainless steel - it wasn't common at the beginning of the 20th century. Now most utensils are made from it or coated with a non-reactive metal. It's not as if you're going to leave the wine in contact with the metal for any great length of time.

Mike

Thanks for the tips. I used the pillowcase (hopefully not squeezing too hard - I hadn't read your post by then )
I actually used a stainless steel pan for making the must (left for 4 days) as I'd read somewhere not to use other metals but stainless steel was ok - so hopefully it will be! I've bought a plastic fermenting bin for my next attempt (blackberry I hope) as the pan was a bit too small and must kept bubbling through the lid attracting fruit flies... so in fact if my wine survives the flies, the over-squeezing and the metal pan it'll be a miracle. It looks good bubbling away in the demi-john though.
Jo