Full Hard Lemonade recipe

Williams 728
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gt_andy said:
Bottling day for me. I made a 6 gal batch and plan on getting 15 12oz bottles and putting the rest in the Keg for force carb. Do these things carb quickly in the bottles? Or wait the standard 4 weeks?

Now I have a question about the keg and carb. Is this best at the same carb level as a standard beer?
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it only took my last batch at 21 degrees C three days to carb up perfect.


has anyone tried the full 8 cups of sugar???
 
TexasWine said:
Hey gt. Keep in mind if you're going to bottle condition this stuff, which I think you indicated you were in a previous post, you can't use sorbate.
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I followed the recipe. So I added the sorbate. Does this mean I don't bottle condition?

I got about 15 bottled and the rest went into a keg.

Honestly it has a weird taste. Kind of tart. I used 6 cups of sugar when sweeting. Im wondering if it will mellow after carbonated.
 
gt_andy said:
I followed the recipe. So I added the sorbate. Does this mean I don't bottle condition?

I got about 15 bottled and the rest went into a keg.

Honestly it has a weird taste. Kind of tart. I used 6 cups of sugar when sweeting. Im wondering if it will mellow after carbonated.
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It won't carb in the bottles. It's done. To carb what's left in the keg, use your normal method.

If you want to carb whats in the bottles, you'll have to just use a carb cap provided you bottled it in plastic.

6 cups of sugar was perfect for me - no tartness at all, just all around goodness.
 
I think I may try 8 cups...I liked it last time...but some folks suggested that it may need more sugar???
 
I'll add that even with the sorbate, I still got some carbonation, So if you're looking to bottle condition, add the sorbate, and just let them condition 6 weeks or so. They didn't get super carbonated, but enough to give it a little zing.
 
Sorbate doesn't kill the yeast, it just prevents the ones that are there from reproducing, so the one that are already there will eat on the sugar until they die, which is why mine carbonated a little even with the sorbate, not enough to bomb out though.
 
If you want a still beverage, then de-gas what you've got prior to adding sorbate and bottling. It'll make the carbonation that you're speaking of minimal to non-existant if there isn't already CO2 dissolved in the liquid.
 
kingogames said:
Sorbate doesn't kill the yeast, it just prevents the ones that are there from reproducing, so the one that are already there will eat on the sugar until they die, which is why mine carbonated a little even with the sorbate, not enough to bomb out though.
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What's the difference between adding sorbate and adding sorbate AND camden? Thanks.
 
Drinking my own now with a bit of a twist. Instead of pouring over ice, juice some oranges and freeze in an ice tray. Add a cube or two and stir as it melts. Good stuff.
 
I need to make this again. Still too hot, but next month, it will be my first brew out the gate. Want it to be ready for next summer. This year's batch went waaaay too fast!

Definately going to try that orange ice cube idea!!!
 
I just made a batch of this last Wednesday. OG was 1.064. I only had about 48 hours of airlock activity with 24 hours of really strong activity. I decided to check the gravity today to see how it was doing. It's down to 1.001 already--in just 5 days.

I've brewed about 10 batches of beer, but no wine. I'm unfamiliar with EC-1118 yeast. Do i need to let this sit the full 14 days? I'm content with the 8.3% ABV it currently has. I'm not planning on using the potassium sorbate. I want to bottle it, get some carbonation, then bottle pasteurize.

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
MusicalBrewer said:
I just made a batch of this last Wednesday. OG was 1.064. I only had about 48 hours of airlock activity with 24 hours of really strong activity. I decided to check the gravity today to see how it was doing. It's down to 1.001 already--in just 5 days.

I've brewed about 10 batches of beer, but no wine. I'm unfamiliar with EC-1118 yeast. Do i need to let this sit the full 14 days? I'm content with the 8.3% ABV it currently has. I'm not planning on using the potassium sorbate. I want to bottle it, get some carbonation, then bottle pasteurize.

Thanks in advance for your help!
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It might go lower, to 0.998 or so. If it tastes good, then add your sugar, bottle it up, and pasteurize when ready. No sense waiting for something to finish when it's already finished.
 
Well I decided to bottle this up tonight, after just 7 days of fermentation. I'm on my 3rd glass and this is a fantastic drink! Very dangerous! :drunk: Can't wait to see what it's like with a little carbonation...just over ice is great.
 
chuckalope said:
Update, it turned out great! I carbed it up in the bottles and stovetop pasteurized. Perfect bubble, great taste too. This stuff is strong, very dangerous, I had 4 last night and I was feeling really good, lol. Thank you for a great recipe!
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How did you do this! I want to try....if you can be specific I would appreciate it, this will be my first brew....thanks in advance!

Update, it turned out great! I carbed it up in the bottles and stovetop pasteurized. Perfect bubble, great taste too. This stuff is strong, very dangerous, I had 4 last night and I was feeling really good, lol. Thank you for a great recipe!
 
Hollyberries4343 said:
How did you do this! I want to try....if you can be specific I would appreciate it, this will be my first brew....thanks in advance!

Update, it turned out great! I carbed it up in the bottles and stovetop pasteurized. Perfect bubble, great taste too. This stuff is strong, very dangerous, I had 4 last night and I was feeling really good, lol. Thank you for a great recipe!
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Search the stickies for Stovetop Pastuerization. All the details and pictures you will need.
 
How did you force carb in bottles? I know about the pAsturization in bottles part....I'm new to brewing, sorry if silly question....
 
E-Mursed said:
Can this stuff be filtered without losing any of it's character?
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I've got a few bottles that have been cold-conditioning for a looooong time. They pour crystal clear and are still very tasty.

I'd say it's fine - but of course the best way to find out would be to give it a go yourself (and report back!).
 
I would like to attempt this to get me in the neighborhood of a Black Cherry hard lemonade, next up would be a simple cherry lemonade. I've watched several videos and read several threads, but I can't get a consensus on what ingredients to use. Some use apple juice to top off with, some use water. Some put in a cpl lbs of fruit, some don't. Some use ingredients to stop the yeast from fermenting further, some don't. As a new guy, I don't really know which direction to go. Everyone seems to enjoy their own recipes so it must be something that taste good.

I don't mind adding cherries and other fruits if needed. But don't know how doing so will affect the other amounts of ingredients.

I would like to have this bottle conditioned with a nice layer of foam, but not spewing over the top. I think the pasteurization method explained in the cider forum would be ideal for me, but I don't know which ingredients to omit for going that route.

Any of you guys got a recommendation?
 
One thing about brewing, there is no one right way to do anything. I'd suggest pick a method, try it, and try a different method next time. You'll find yourself gravitating towards what fits you best. Only way to know is try it all.
 
I think this will be added to my off day chores today.

I’ve compiled this recipe from some videos that I watched. Could some of you review this to see that I’m in the ball park. My main concern is that I want this carbonated as mentioned in this thread previously.

So in doing so, would I omit the Potassium Sorbate and then let carbonate a few days to the desired level and then go through the pasteurization steps as discussed in the cider forums? Aside from that small part, the recipe looks straight forward. The guy in the video pitched his yeast at 80* which seems kinda high, but then again, I’ve never used wine yeast so this may be the norm?

Here is the recipe and instructions:
1. Add: 2lbs Golden LME or Light DME
Add: 2lbs of corn sugar
Add: 2lbs of honey
Add: 2-3lbs of cherries or other desired berries
2. Steep for 20 minutes at 160*
3. Add: 5 cans frozen Lemonade/Limeade concentrate
Add: 1 Gallon apple juice
Top off to 5 gallons water.
4. Reduce wort temperature to 80*
5. Add ¾ tsp of Pectic Enzyme
Add 5 tsp of Yeast Nurtient
Add: 1 ½ tsp of Yeast Energizer
6. Add: 2 packs of Lalvin EC-1118 wine yeast
7. Primary 7-10 days
8. Secondary 7 days or until clear
9. One day prior to bottling add 2 ½ tsp of Potassium Sorbate
10. Bottling day: Heat water to dislove 4-8 cups of cane sugar or to taste, add three cans of Lemonade/Limeade concentrate
11. Transfer to bottling bucket, add sugar/concentrate from above – mix well and bottle.

Soon as I get the carbonation part straight, this will be going in the bucket today. This recipe differs just a bit from post #2 of this thread. Seems like he suggested using 3 1/2 tsp. of Potassium Sorbate. Is this difference a big deal?
 
bigken462 said:
Soon as I get the carbonation part straight, this will be going in the bucket today. This recipe differs just a bit from post #2 of this thread. Seems like he suggested using 3 1/2 tsp. of Potassium Sorbate. Is this difference a big deal?
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If you are carbing you don't want the potassium sorbate. Just leave it out and let the bottles carb up naturally for a few days.

I used a few PET bottles so I could give them a squeeze to see how things were progressing. I think it ended up being 4 days until they were carbed up right. Tried to pasteurize in the dishwasher but it didn't work.

If you can keep them cold then you can simply not pasteurize them at all and just drink whenever. I've had some carbed up ones in my fridge now for 4 months.
 
I wished I had the extra fridge space, but just not there to use. I was thinking it would be correct to leave the sorbate out. I think I'll bottle most, and maybe stick back 12-18 in some soda bottles to enjoy while another batch of brew is going.

On a run to walmart this morning, I looked over the juices, and maybe I'm blind, but from name brand to elcheapo, not one said anything about "No Preservatives". Most just simply said pasteurized, 100% juice from concentrate with the only additive being ascorbic acid. That just being a vitamin, would something like that not be just as good? As for that matter, even the frozen concentrates did not list anything as being "no preservatives" etc. 42 years drinking the stuff and I never once gave a thought about preservatives. lol

Would you guys seed and stem the cherries?

Hope to grab the rest of the supplies today and get this going.
 
bigken462 said:
I wished I had the extra fridge space, but just not there to use. I was thinking it would be correct to leave the sorbate out. I think I'll bottle most, and maybe stick back 12-18 in some soda bottles to enjoy while another batch of brew is going.

On a run to walmart this morning, I looked over the juices, and maybe I'm blind, but from name brand to elcheapo, not one said anything about "No Preservatives". Most just simply said pasteurized, 100% juice from concentrate with the only additive being ascorbic acid. That just being a vitamin, would something like that not be just as good? As for that matter, even the frozen concentrates did not list anything as being "no preservatives" etc. 42 years drinking the stuff and I never once gave a thought about preservatives. lol

Would you guys seed and stem the cherries?

Hope to grab the rest of the supplies today and get this going.
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None of them say preservative free as ascorbic acid is the preservative. It's fine to use.
 
Thanks much for the replies Paul. Hope this stuff tastes as good as it looks. Was half tempted to do a dual batch of raspberry till I started to price some of those ingredients. Maybe i'm not so thirty after all. lol
 
I stopped at the LHBS to get the supplies for this. Go figure he was out of corn sugar. I did notice the only quantity he sells is 4 lb bags. Rather than contending with the headache of trying to repackage the unused 2lbs of corn sugar from this opened bag, would it not be possible to omit the 2lbs of honey in the recipe that I posted above and just use the whole 4 lbs of sugar? Would be able to shave off 8 bucks from the grocery list if I could do that.

The only thing I think it would change would be the ABV, unless the honey contributes to the overall flavor of the recipe. I can deal with the slight increase of ABV. lol
 
bigken462 said:
I stopped at the LHBS to get the supplies for this. Go figure he was out of corn sugar. I did notice the only quantity he sells is 4 lb bags. Rather than contending with the headache of trying to repackage the unused 2lbs of corn sugar from this opened bag, would it not be possible to omit the 2lbs of honey in the recipe that I posted above and just use the whole 4 lbs of sugar? Would be able to shave off 8 bucks from the grocery list if I could do that. The only thing I think it would change would be the ABV, unless the honey contributes to the overall flavor of the recipe. I can deal with the slight increase of ABV. lol
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I buy my corn sugar at a bulk food store. Bonus is you can weigh it out ahead of time - I make these useful 2# bags. Cheaper than the lhbs and they never run out.

I would scrap the honey and use 3# of sugar max.
 
bigken462 said:
...Rather than contending with the headache of trying to repackage the unused 2lbs of corn sugar from this opened bag...
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Use a gallon sized zip lock. And also, don't use honey in this recipe. It's a waste. Just use sugar.
 
subscribed thanks all for there inputs I am currently making this recipe i will let everyone know how mine turns out
 
Could I make this and then secondary it on top of 5-6 pounds strawberries to give it a slight strawberry lemonade flavor?
 
bigken462 said:
I would like to attempt this to get me in the neighborhood of a Black Cherry hard lemonade, next up would be a simple cherry lemonade. I've watched several videos and read several threads, but I can't get a consensus on what ingredients to use. Some use apple juice to top off with, some use water. Some put in a cpl lbs of fruit, some don't. Some use ingredients to stop the yeast from fermenting further, some don't. As a new guy, I don't really know which direction to go. Everyone seems to enjoy their own recipes so it must be something that taste good. I don't mind adding cherries and other fruits if needed. But don't know how doing so will affect the other amounts of ingredients. I would like to have this bottle conditioned with a nice layer of foam, but not spewing over the top. I think the pasteurization method explained in the cider forum would be ideal for me, but I don't know which ingredients to omit for going that route. Any of you guys got a recommendation?
Click to expand...

Your best bet is to search for Dragons Blood. It's a strawberry hard lemonade that's awesome!!! You could very easily follow the recipe using frozen cherries instead of frozen strawberries. I've made the original recipe several times over the past year, out of the several dozen beers, ciders and hard lemonades I've made over the last 5 years, it's my wife's favorite!
 
bigken462 said:
I would like to attempt this to get me in the neighborhood of a Black Cherry hard lemonade, next up would be a simple cherry lemonade. I've watched several videos and read several threads, but I can't get a consensus on what ingredients to use. Some use apple juice to top off with, some use water. Some put in a cpl lbs of fruit, some don't. Some use ingredients to stop the yeast from fermenting further, some don't. As a new guy, I don't really know which direction to go. Everyone seems to enjoy their own recipes so it must be something that taste good.

I don't mind adding cherries and other fruits if needed. But don't know how doing so will affect the other amounts of ingredients.

I would like to have this bottle conditioned with a nice layer of foam, but not spewing over the top. I think the pasteurization method explained in the cider forum would be ideal for me, but I don't know which ingredients to omit for going that route.

Any of you guys got a recommendation?
Click to expand...

I've made this recipe 4 times now. The first time I did it per the original recipe, then I modified it and made a hard raspberry lemonade twice, and a hard cherry limeade once. All have turned out fantastic. I'll post my cherry limeade recipe below.

The biggest change I made was the yeast. I'm a beer drinker and didn't like the taste of the Lavlin EC-1118 yeast. I have used Nottingham for the 3 of the batches. It handles the acidity fine and tastes great. The key is to rehydrate the yeast and make a mini starter (outlined below).

This is for a 3 gallon batch. If you want 6 gallons simply double everything.

Ingredients:
5 cans Limeade --- must be preservative free!!
.5 lb Extra Light or Pilsen Light DME
1 lbs of Corn Sugar
3.5 tsp Yeast Nutrient
2 tsp baking soda (to neutralize acid)

Proof / rehydrate yeast by doing following: Boil 1 cup of water. Cool down to 86-92. Add 1 tablespoon limeade concentrate (make sure it's still between 86-92). Add yeast. Wait at least 1/2 hour--should have vigorous signs of activity.

Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil.
Remove from heat, stir in sugar and DME--stir until it's all dissolved.
Add yeast nutrient.

Cool wort.
Combine wort with 5 cans of limeade in fermenter (final temp goal is 65-75)
(I cooled wort to 115 degrees then added it to concentrate. Wort ended up at 72 degrees. Almost perfect)
Add water to make 3 gallons
Take hydrometer reading
Stir in baking soda.
Check PH (came in at 4.5)

Take rehydrated yeast, add a solution of 50% water / 50% limeade wort to make a 1000ml starter. Wait till starter is actively fermenting then pitch to fermenter (Usually less than 1 hour)

Ferment 2 weeks (I have had airlock activity within 12 hours every time using Nottingham)

After fermentation is complete:
Put 2 cups of sweet cherry juice in a saucepan and bring to a simmer
Stir in 3-4 cups of regular sugar--make sure it's dissolved
Add in 1 can of Limeade.
Put in the bottom of a bottling bucket.
Transfer from primary into bottling bucket.
Stir thoroughly.

Bottle, wait 2-3 days, test for carbonation, and bottle pasteurize.

Just a note on bottle carbonation--if the yeast has not completely finished it's job in the fermenter then bottle carbonation will be extremely fast. I was eager to drink my first batch and bottled after just one week--I had over carbonation in just 12 hours and ended up with several bottle bombs when trying to pasteurize :mad:
 
Just made this in a 3 gallon carboy. If it turns out good it will be a staple in my brewing
 

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