Hard Lemonade

Derrick123 said:

Excellent!

I understand now.

I will go back and have a good read and hope to make a batch this weekend.

Would you recommend that I just follow the directions on the first page of this thread or is there an updated version?

Thanks again

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Yooper is the BOMB, but when I started I was a little confused.
I took some notes, and basically stepped out Yoops directions .

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f79/hard-lemonade-68144/index11.html#post2012013

Thanks for the link that has what you did.

I have a couple of questions for you:

1: silly question - you mention in step 1. To remove 2 qt. Is this the 3 cups you refer to in step 2?

2: what is O 2? And what is stir plate? Can I just stir to aerate?

3: do you remember how long it took to get to the point when your starter was ready to add to the remainder?

Thanks very much

1. Yes, this is the "must" that you will use for a starter.
2. O2 = Oxygen. A stir plate is used for constantly stirring a starter, aiding in aeration. You don't have to have either.
3. I just made this a few weeks ago. I added 2 EC1118 packs to a 1/2 cup warm water and let hydrate, then added this to 2c of must with the yeast nutrients and such. I'd say 3 hours, it was foaming on top. added a cup every hour or so, and let it get comfy overnight, pitched in the morning.

~3 weeks later, it was at .998, I threw in some potassium sorbate, the next day, added the finishing stuff (enough sugar to bring it up to 1.025 or so, sweeten to your taste) and some fresh lemons.

Excellent! Thanks for the clarification.

I think I now have a project for the weekend. Ha ha

Thanks again

Hi,

I just wanted to confirm that you boil that water and sugar when you make the must.

Do you just bring it to a boil to dissolve the sugar or to you boil it longer to condense it down a bit?

Thanks

Derrick123 said:

Hi,

I just wanted to confirm that you boil that water and sugar when you make the must.

Do you just bring it to a boil to dissolve the sugar or to you boil it longer to condense it down a bit?

Thanks

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Boiling helps the sugar dissolve. It's not really necessary, but it makes it easier to dissolve the sugar.

LooyvilleLarry said:

I'd give it a few more days. That was some quick fermentation time. Note that later on, I just drypitched the EC1118 and was good to go.

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Just wondering if this means that you made the must with the full recipe and then hydrated the yeast and added it to the must. Meaning that you did not make a starter

Thanks

bovineblitz said:

So I decided to try this out. I used 7 cans of store brand lemonade mix and 4lbs sugar... my OG was waaay high at 3gallons (I don't want a 15% alcohol lemonade!) so I diluted it down to 1.080. I dry pitched two packets of EC-1118 and holy crap, it's ALREADY active 10 minutes after pitching! I've never seen activity that fast before!

I decided to skip the campden for 24h step, I figured between stringent sanitation, a very low pH, and a HUGE pitching rate, an infection is very unlikely.

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Do you mean that you did not make a starter? You just hydrated the yeast and added it to the full recipe?

Starter my batch today (may 7, 2011)

Making a 5 gallon recipe.

Made the starter with two packages of EC-1118. Currently I have 6 cups (1.5 liters) fermenting very well.

It's still early in the day so I could do one of three things

1) let it sit as is and pitch the starter to the recipe tomorrow.

2) pitch the starter as is to the recipe later today

3) continue to make my starter bigger by adding more must a little at a time

What would you suggest?

I'd do #3- that's what I just did this last time. It was stuck and not budging, so I started another yeast starter and kept making it bigger and then pitched it. It's working now!

Excellent!

That is what I will do.

I'll be sure to post results.

I managed to get 10 cups in the starter and it is nice and bubbly.

I have the primary all ready and will pitch the starter tomorrow. My reading in the primary was only 1.052 when I ran out of sugar.

I will add more sugar tomorrow before I add the starter. I hope to start at about 1.070 or so

Derrick123 said:

I managed to get 10 cups in the starter and it is nice and bubbly.

I have the primary all ready and will pitch the starter tomorrow. My reading in the primary was only 1.052 when I ran out of sugar.

I will add more sugar tomorrow before I add the starter. I hope to start at about 1.070 or so

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Next day: used about 6 pounds of sugar in the total recipe. Have a reading of 1.075.

I think I have a bit more than 5 gallons in the bucket so it more than likely will not all fit in my Carboy. Should I save the extra? If I should where do I save it? Or is it drinkable at that time?

If I understand correctly it's important to incorporate oxygen to the must during the fermentation process.

All I have is a stir stick. How often would you suggest I stir?

Derrick123 said:

If I understand correctly it's important to incorporate oxygen to the must during the fermentation process.

All I have is a stir stick. How often would you suggest I stir?

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Maybe once or twice a day until it's going well without stirring.

Ok. Thanks. That is what I will do

Derrick123 said:

Do you mean that you did not make a starter? You just hydrated the yeast and added it to the full recipe?

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I would have responded sooner but I was away this weekend.

I didn't even rehydrate the yeast, I just added it dry and gave the whole thing a swirl every so often. It worked out but your mileage may vary. Yooper's method is the smarter way to do it.

bovineblitz said:

I would have responded sooner but I was away this weekend.

I didn't even rehydrate the yeast, I just added it dry and gave the whole thing a swirl every so often. It worked out but your mileage may vary. Yooper's method is the smarter way to do it.

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Thanks bovineblitz,

The airlock is "burping" once every 11 to 15 seconds or so. I hope this is a good sign. I added the starter 10 hours ago.

Update...

Air lock is "burping" once every 3 seconds.

Reading started yesterday (pitched yeast) at 1.075.

Today we,re at 1.070. I gave it a good stir.

Would you suggest I still stir everyday?

Derrick123 said:

Update...

Air lock is "burping" once every 3 seconds.

Reading started yesterday (pitched yeast) at 1.075.

Today we,re at 1.070. I gave it a good stir.

Would you suggest I still stir everyday?

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Yes, definitely. You want it to get to 1.030-1.040 easily, and then you can stop.

Ok...sounds like a plan. That is what I'll do.

Can't wait for this stuff to be ready. Smells great already. Ha ha

Thanks for your help

Awesome, glad to hear it started up for you.

Day5: Things seem to be going well. It has been five days since I added the starter ( two packs of EC-1118). Started at 1.075 and today it's at 1.060.

Derrick123 said:

Day5: Things seem to be going well. It has been five days since I added the starter ( two packs of EC-1118). Started at 1.075 and today it's at 1.060.

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It should read: EC-1118

Derrick123 said:

Day5: Things seem to be going well. It has been five days since I added the starter ( two packs of EC-1118). Started at 1.075 and today it's at 1.060.

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That's not much- keep an eye on it and keep stirring it! In 5 days, mine dropped about 50 points!

I wonder if it's too cool in my house? This morning the temperature on the bucket said 70. Right now it's at 72. What do you think?

Derrick123 said:

I wonder if it's too cool in my house? This morning the temperature on the bucket said 70. Right now it's at 72. What do you think?

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That's about 10 degrees warmer than my house! Your temperature is fine.

That is the temp on the bucket though. Still, you don't see this as an issue?

Hmm... Any ideas on how I could get it moving or do you think it's just being a bit slow?

I mix once per day with a stir stick. I just stir for about two minutes, maybe it's not enough?

Truly appreciate your insight.

Derrick123 said:

That is the temp on the bucket though. Still, you don't see this as an issue?

Hmm... Any ideas on how I could get it moving or do you think it's just being a bit slow?

I mix once per day with a stir stick. I just stir for about two minutes, maybe it's not enough?

Truly appreciate your insight.

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If you've got any yeast nutrient or energizer, you could add that at the next stirring. that might help.

Ok...great.

I have tons of the stuff, how much do you recommend I put in?

I have a five gallon batch

Derrick123 said:

Ok...great.

I have tons of the stuff, how much do you recommend I put in?

I have a five gallon batch

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One teaspoon would be fine. You can pull out a sample first, stir it up with the energizer, and pour it back.

I have both nutrient and energizer, do you suggest a teaspoon of each?

Derrick123 said:

I have both nutrient and energizer, do you suggest a teaspoon of each?

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No- maybe 1/2 tsp of each to start.

Ok. Thank you very much.

I will do this tomorrow when I stir.

I'll keep you updated.

Thanks again

Yesterday when I stirred I had a reading of 1.052. That is down from 1.060 from the day before. I then added 1/2 tsp. each of nutrient and energizer.

Today, at less then 24 hours later it's at 1.048

Yoopers...how often would you suggest to add nutrient and energizer?

Derrick123 said:

Yoopers...how often would you suggest to add nutrient and energizer?

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Sorry, meant to say "Yooper"

Eight days in and went from 1.075 to 1.042.

Added extra ( half a teaspoon of each) nutrient and energizer on day 5.

What do you think?

Update: 10 days in.

Initial reading was: 1.075
Day 8: 1.042
Today: 1.038

Since the fermentation has slowed down today I added 1/2 tsp each of nutrient and energizer.

Was anyone else's this slow?

I must say that it taste great... Still a hint of yeast though

Derrick123 said:

Update: 10 days in.

Initial reading was: 1.075
Day 8: 1.042
Today: 1.038

Since the fermentation has slowed down today I added 1/2 tsp each of nutrient and energizer.

Was anyone else's this slow?

I must say that it taste great... Still a hint of yeast though

Click to expand...

Mine is going pretty slow right now also. But my house is pretty cold and I think that's why it's going so slow. As long as the SG is dropping, it's doing well!