Hard Lemonade - Page 8

Dauntless · 11-22-2009, 10:20 PM

Still haven't pitched (its a 6 gallon batch) but that rubber smell is essentially gone and the mixture still churning. I add sugar every 2 or so hours and shake it up to get some oxygen in there too. This is with the full strength must too.

I'm using nutrient but no yeast energizer.

Dauntless · 11-28-2009, 03:34 AM

This is turning out to be a very steady fermentation, dropping about 8 points a day (gravity, not plato). I'm really surprised that the hydrometer sample I pulled tasted so good. I guess there won't be a 4 week primary on this one...

MrInternet · 12-02-2009, 03:01 PM

Has anyone tried a less attenuative high-alcohol yeast like WLP720 to get this to stall out closer to 1.010-1.020? I didn't know if a sweeter "finished" fermentation could be engineered just by switching up yeast.... seems people in the mead and sweet wine world have great things to say about it...?

ds5160 · 12-05-2009, 05:47 AM

Did the basics of this about 3 weeks ago, using the Lavlin EC1118. Racked to a secondary last week on a friend's advice when he saw the layer of stuff on the bottom of the bucket. After moving to a secondary, the fermentation kicked in again. Gravity is at 1.00, and the flavor is good, surprisingly sweet, but dry, if that's possible. Very strong yeast taste, so I will have to wait that out. Had the same issue with my batch of cider using the Lavlin yeast. Took about 2 weeks for the yeast flavor to calm down. I'm kind of excited.

MrInternet · 12-05-2009, 06:15 AM

I just did two one-gallon batches of this to break in my new jugs.

One batch had two cans of lemonade concentrate, the other had three cans, one of them pink. Each batch had 2.5 Cups of table sugar as well. Did the stepped-up yeast started over two days, also using 1118... was rolling like a hot boil, I think I'm in love with this yeast.

Gravities were 1.088 and 1.092, respectively. If this ferments out to 1.000... some people are going blind at our New Year's party.

Dauntless · 12-06-2009, 04:05 AM

Well mine fermented out to 0.996 which is retarded sour. Backsweetened with splenda, primed and bottled. With all that nice tough as nails yeast cake I pitched another batch on top. This time it's orange juice (fake stuff) with lots of orange zests. I can't wait.

Trislism · 12-15-2009, 03:06 AM

Okay, sorry I am a giant newb but when you say
"1# of DME
1# of sugar
4c of sugar (sweetening)"

Does # mean pound? how does that work

scray24 · 12-15-2009, 03:41 AM

Yes, # typically mean's a pound (16 oz/453g).

Not sure what you're asking with the "how does that work" - if its in response to the sweetening, the potassium sorbate will knock the yeast out and prevent it from fermenting any additional sugars. This will allow you add additional sweetening sugar to your personal taste without fear of bottle bombs (overcarbonation) or further fermentation....

hope that helps.

corexcore · 12-24-2009, 04:09 AM

I'm looking to start some of this right after Christmas, getting some new brewing supplies that I want to break in, and I've been wondering; how long should the secondary be on this? I realize that it varies by brew and ambient conditions, but what's the average, or what have people been finding is their secondary length, after the weekish primary?

immcpat · 12-31-2009, 05:26 AM

sorry to keep bring this up in this thread but everyone keeps throwing in parts and its kinda hard to follow. basically what i have to do is have an amount of lemonade that i want. put it into the fermenter. I get confused at this point. So do i add sugar for sweetness or fermentation so basically if i have drinkable do i still add more sugar at this point? Now do i add all the yeast or do i add a little bit per day. Or do i add all the nutrient at once and a little yeast per day. now once the gravity is around 1.00 i add potassium sorbate and back sweeten so it's not super tart. do i basically have the main idea the biggest part I'm confused with is how to add the yeast and nutrient and also what type of yeast should i use.