Want a clone for Vex coolers ? (fruit coolers)

brewman ! · 12-17-2006, 06:31 AM

My wife and her friends really like these fruit coolers. They are made with vodka, but could I get close with a really light malt and almost no hops ? Anyone done something like these ?

http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/31807

Oh, and the other "beer" they like is Corona... should I dare ask... *laughs

Sir Humpsalot · 12-17-2006, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewman !

My wife and her friends really like these fruit coolers. They are made with vodka, but could I get close with a really light malt and almost no hops ? Anyone done something like these ?

http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/31807

Oh, and the other "beer" they like is Corona... should I dare ask... *laughs

Are you sure its made with vodka? Surprisingly, most of those types of drinks are actually a malt liquor. They use rice as the fermentable, which gives you a minimal amount of flavor and is a good base for adding whatever flavors and artificial colorings you want.

So could you make something like it? Sure! Maybe use some light malt, but I'd say focus on rice syrup and corn sugar. Ideally, you will use campden tablets to kill the yeast so that you can add sugar to make the concoction sweet. Then carb it with CO2. Make a couple gallons, and then divide it up into 20 batches and try a bunch of flavorings. Here are some of my silly suggestions:

Frozen or pureed fruit (kind of like a lambic, but without the pesky beer flavor)
or Just add lemonade mix
Other Kool-Aid mixes
RootBeer extract (yum!)

brewman ! · 12-22-2006, 07:57 AM

Good ideas, Toot ! Thanks.

**Orfy** · 12-22-2006, 08:01 AM

7kg of sugar, 23l water, 1 pack of turbo yeast, ferment for one week.
Filter with active carbon, clear. Poor through filter paper.

You'll have a 14% syrup that you can add to fruit juice and then bottle to carbonate or add to a soda 50/50 and serve.

brewman ! · 12-22-2006, 08:10 AM

Is it really that simple ?

Why do you filter it ?

**Orfy** · 12-22-2006, 08:22 AM

The turbo yeast works really hard and chucks out allsorts of stuff that a 6% yeast doesn't.

You can get away without the carbon and filter but I think the flavour will be cleaner and there maybe less hangovers if you go the extra step and you should end up with a cleaner better product.

I have one on the go now. I've had 250g of active carbon in there, I've just racked it after 5 days in the carbon and have added the finnings.

brewman ! · 12-22-2006, 08:31 AM

You add activated carbon to the fermentation ? Tell me more ! I've got a filter setup, so filtering is not a problem.

While we are at it, what is turbo yeast ?

**Orfy** · 12-22-2006, 08:37 AM

I've read that people add it in when pitching yeast but I like to give the yeast a clear run at the sugar so go the secondary route and add it after primary fermentation. The carbon I add is already mixed in a paste. I add it , mix and wait till the majority has settled. Then rack to a clearing tank along with a large pack of finnings.

brewman ! · 12-24-2006, 07:33 AM

OK, I brewed up 3 1.5L fermentors of this stuff tonight. We'll see what happens.

One thing though, 7kg of sugar in 23L is way too much ! Thats 660g per L. I measured out my water and sugar and boiled and cooled and filled the fermentors and then checked the SG. OMG 1.150 !

According to Winemaking (Anderson), page 236, that amount of sugar is good for about 21% alcohol if it ferments dry ! I say about because their table only goes to 1.135, so I am guessing.

The correct amount of sugar for 14% alcohol bv would be 306 g/L, which would give a starting gravity of 1.100.

So either this stuff will ferment dry and I'll have a really strong base for the coolers or it will stop and I'll have a sweet base for the coolers. As long as the yeast don't conk out from sugar overload !

I guess I will know for next time.

**Orfy** · 12-24-2006, 08:44 AM

Depending which yeast you use then you can do as you say, have it dry and strong or sweet and not as strong.

Mine should be cleared now. I may look after.