so... how do you clean out the fruit?

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Maylar

Got Mead? Patron
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May 23, 2015
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Racked my JAOM to a secondary jug today, will be bottling as soon as my corker arrives. The oranges in the gallon jug are all swollen and won't fit through the bottle opening. Any tricks for cleaning them out?
 
It's not a pretty and clean solution, but I would recommend a thin set of tongs if you can find them. Make sure they can fit through the neck of the carboy before you buy, though.
 
I used one of those meat forks to get mine out of my jug. Pretty much anything that can snag them will work, just takes some finagling. I would think a coat hanger, bent so that you have a bit of a hook on the end would work great. It's just getting harder to find those old wire types anymore. Thrift stores usually have a bunch for a decent price though.
 
I'm told a crochet hook is good.
I hold the bottle upside down and shake it.
One segment will fall partway through the neck. Use your finger to pull it out.
Rinse and repeat (literally if necessary - adding a little water helps the bits fall and slip more easily)
 
There are a few tricks that might work, google 'get cork out of wine bottle' or 'get stopper out of carboy'. I assume they would also work with fruit.