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**Golddiggie** · 03-13-2011, 08:52 PM

If you're planning on having this carbonated, you don't want to leave too much yeast behind.

When making mead you rack several times to get it to clear. This is over a span of months, typically. You'll need to rack it several times, I think, to really get that much yeast out, that it won't start fermenting again if you add sugars to it.

Cold crashing it to get more particles to flocculate out is one thing. But, unless you actually use chemicals to stop the yeast inside it, then get them to flocculate out, and use other things to filter it, chances are there will be at least some yeast left in it.

I was thinking about carbonating mine, at least a bit... I'm hoping that I'll be close enough to the ABV ceiling that it will carbonate, but still leave some sweetness in the bottles...

Gordzilla · 03-13-2011, 09:16 PM

Im also making goldiggie's lemonade going to carbonate, its been going for just over a week now and its still has bubbles coming out of the airlock. I had planned on racking it to a secondary after 3weeks at which point i was gonna add 1.5cans of pink frozen lemonade to the secondary saving the the last .5can for carbonation. Im expecting mine to come in over 13%

newbee17 · 03-13-2011, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golddiggie

If you're planning on having this carbonated, you don't want to leave too much yeast behind.

When making mead you rack several times to get it to clear. This is over a span of months, typically. You'll need to rack it several times, I think, to really get that much yeast out, that it won't start fermenting again if you add sugars to it.

Cold crashing it to get more particles to flocculate out is one thing. But, unless you actually use chemicals to stop the yeast inside it, then get them to flocculate out, and use other things to filter it, chances are there will be at least some yeast left in it.

I was thinking about carbonating mine, at least a bit... I'm hoping that I'll be close enough to the ABV ceiling that it will carbonate, but still leave some sweetness in the bottles...

The problem im facing now is that i used a all purpose white wine yeast(that ill never use again)and i cant find the alcohol tollerance anywere on the internet even my supplyier doesnt know,and i dnt want this to go to dry,i tasted it 2day and already its a bit on the dry side for me but at the same time i dont want it to sweet.any ideas of what i can do??

**Golddiggie** · 03-13-2011, 09:57 PM

Without info on the yeast, it's almost impossible to say... Having good technical data on the yeast helps in many ways, this is just one of them.

If you don't want it to go dry, then you have a couple of choices.
1. Let it finish fully, then start adding sugar/honey until it stops fermenting and puts some sweetness back in.
2. Stop it from fermenting chemically, cold crash it and rack off of what's left in the bottom (give it at least a few days to a week cold crashed).
3. Let it ferment fully, prime it to carbonate, bottle it, and then let it age so that some sweetness comes back in.

The third option would be easier if you knew the info on the yeast, so you would also know if it's going to have enough tolerance left to carbonate.

If you don't care about carbonating this, then you'll probably want to use either of the first two options. Just keep in mind, that if you pick the first, you have no way to know what ABV you'll end up with. You could already be at the edge of the yeast tolerance, but without the info, who's to know?

This is why I use Lalvin yeast for anything that's not beer. Plus, enough people have used the different strains over the years that there's a solid knowledge base for getting more out of the yeasts, or how to stop them in their tracks... With the one I selected, I know it won't go over 14% (or not too far over)... Once it's actally at a FG, I'll probably prime it with enough sugar so that it's closer to the 1.005 mark... Of course, that also depends on where it finishes. If it doesn't finish dry, then it might not actually carbonate. Since this is my first batch, I'll be more forgiving if it's not carbonated. As long as the flavor is good.

newbee17 · 03-13-2011, 11:20 PM

Tanks for the info I tink ill go with option 2 as id like to no the abv of it.is it candem tabs dat stop the fermenting?
I've already invested in a lalvin yeast for my next batchs.
Just made a mistake with this 1

So I'm gona leave it another week for the fruit flavours to go trough it then ill stop it,rack it after another week in the cold and then leave to age for a while (couple of months)
Do I need airlock in when ageing?
Do I store in warm or cold for ageing?

newbee17 · 03-16-2011, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbee17

Its now 3weeks since i started my hard lemmonade,i racked both gal batches 2day
i got gravity reading of1.010

Racked 1gal onto 600grams of mixed fruit after i added the fruit i got a reading of 1,016
i just mashed fruit lightly with patato masher and added.
im planning on leaving the fruit in this for about 2 weeks in my conservitory should
be nice and cool out there.
is this to long to leave the fruit in this??

I left the other gal batch witout adding anyting "natural"

I have now left the fruit in for 5 days,racked both batches 2day as dere was a good load of sediment in both of them.

The 1 I added the fruit to I had a problem syphining of the fruit it kept blocking the syohon so had to pour it through a strainer so not sure if I've wrecked it of how it will turn out as I've read that I have to try keep it away from the air.

I have both demijohns or jugs as dere known on the other side of the pond in my consevatory with solid bungs as the gravity reading is the same as it was 5 days ago I will assume there finished fermenting

**Golddiggie** · 03-16-2011, 09:53 PM

I usually don't have any issue with the auto-siphon tube getting blocked until the very end... Even then, it depends on the fruit more than anything else.

I need to take a SG reading of my batch in the next day or two. It looks about ready to be racked off the trub/yeast cake. If it's not ready for bottles yet, then I might put in some more concentrate when racking back into the carboy (I don't have a spare 3 gallon on hand yet)...

Still debating adding the dried cherries to this or not... If I do, I probably won't add any more concentrate, so that I'll still be able to carbonate it up... Also need to start thinking about bottles for it... Since I used most of what I had empty for my last batch of brew... I only have Belgian's left, and those are being saved for BEER...

Gordzilla · 03-16-2011, 10:14 PM

when did you brew your lemonade? mines going on 2weeks now havent check gravity on it yet just let it sit, im thinking late next week im gonna bottle them and let sit for another 3-4weeks in the bottle

**Golddiggie** · 03-16-2011, 10:26 PM

Mine got started on 2/22/11 (technically it was the next day, since it was around 1am I think)...

I've just let mine be since I knew it would need time to ferment fully. I do plan on at least pulling a taste sample soon. I'll check the SG too, just to see where it is (before tasting it)... It could be at .990-.998 for all I know...

If it is, I'll have to decide what to do, since it could be at the yeast's tolerance level for ABV... Pink lightning anyone??

Pretty sure it's done, since I'm not seeing any more bubbles in the blow-off bucket... I left that connected in case it decided to go nuts again. The PET carboys 3 gallon mark is a bit high on them. Not sure if I'll use it for a primary again. At least not with a full 3 gallons in it. Maybe with 2.5 gallons.

Gordzilla · 03-16-2011, 10:33 PM

i might check my gravitys tomorrow, i only have the one fermentation bucket right now...i really need some more buckets but dont want to buy any right now