Skeeter Pee

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I made my first batch of skeeter pee and it has some problem with an off taste to it that is not very appealing at all. My batch is about 14 days old, it fermented dry, I racked it, added k-meta, sorbate and sparkolloid. After it got crystal clear (6 days) it was racked again. The taste is not sulfur in nature, any ideas? Will it get better with age? Just don't know what else to do any help would is appreciated.

It WILL typically improve with age, a few weeks to months make a huge difference. Though it starts to deteriorate after nine months and people tell me it tastes of mint toothpaste. Anyway, I always tell people who are interested that they should be able to bottle around 3 months and drink a month later, without using Sparkolloid.

But I need to ask because you do not mention....did you add the sugar that is called for in order to sweeten this back up? Many complain their SP is off-tasting and we find out that they never backsweetened. And there are some who report that the generic brand of lemon product just does not taste the same as ReaLemon--not sure what you used.
 
I have used both the Real Leamon and the generic brands and I have to say there is a taste difference. But with that being said the starters, the yeast strains the inverted or not inverted sugars and the way you handle the SP will all have an affect in how it will taste.
 
I pulled some of the SP off and backsweetened it for taste testing. I believe I used off brand lemon juice, I don't remember for sure and I am at work so I can't look. It was purchased at Aldi. I put it up for now and will let it sit then I will give it another try later to see if it gets any better.
 
How long does it typically take to see some airlock activity? I pitched my yeast 3 days ago and still haven't see anything.
 
Bottled it up tonight!

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I was planning on flavoring my pee with unsweetened koolaid packets to give it a little something extra, but am concerned with it being too sour. How tart is unsweetened koolaid mix? I backsweetened my pee with 8 cups of sugar to get to 1.022 gravity & it's still fairly lemony-tart, not sweet. Will adding unsweetened koolaid make it extra tart? Should I go with sweetened koolaid instead? I started the pee about 3 weeks ago so maybe the lemon just hasn't mellowed out yet. Any suggestions?
 
^ complicated post now that I reread it. I guess what I'm getting at is if people have more success with sweetened or unsweetened koolaid?

Anyways, here's a pic from my first batch. Scooped out a jar full after backsweetening cause I couldn't wait!

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Acyr90 said:
I was planning on flavoring my pee with unsweetened koolaid packets to give it a little something extra, but am concerned with it being too sour. How tart is unsweetened koolaid mix? I backsweetened my pee with 8 cups of sugar to get to 1.022 gravity & it's still fairly lemony-tart, not sweet. Will adding unsweetened koolaid make it extra tart? Should I go with sweetened koolaid instead? I started the pee about 3 weeks ago so maybe the lemon just hasn't mellowed out yet. Any suggestions?

I have used the lemon lime unsweetened and not noticed really any extra tartness, but I also add 10 cups of sugar to back sweeten. Love it sweet! Goes great with ice tea lol
 
I might add a few more cups of sugar. It tastes good now, but I don't want it to be too tart after adding the unsweetened koolaid. Alternatively, I could just use sweetened koolaid. Any idea how many packets of sweetened I should use to make up for the extra 2 cups of sugar in a 5 gal batch?
 
Not to sure, but I think it's 2c sugar per 1pk of koolaide. So the sweeten would mirror that amount of sweetness. If you add 1pk per gallon that would equal 10c of sugar. Pull off a gallon and give it a try first and adjust the rest to match.
 
I might add a few more cups of sugar. It tastes good now, but I don't want it to be too tart after adding the unsweetened koolaid. Alternatively, I could just use sweetened koolaid. Any idea how many packets of sweetened I should use to make up for the extra 2 cups of sugar in a 5 gal batch?

Im pretty sure pre sweetened Kool Aid packs use chemical sweeteners which might give your SP a ugly twang
 
Hmmm, both helpful posts. Looks like ill use unsweetened and add more sugar if necessary. Thanks guys!
 
Well my first batch was bottled last night. It was a hit around the jacuzzi! Below is the picture of the Swing Tops, 22 oz bottles, crappy custom labels :) , and a shot in the glass for visual. It is clear as a bell, a bit sweet (I used recipe recommendation of 6 cups of sugar to sweeten), and delicious! It definitely has a sneaky punch to it. After two full glasses I was feeling it, and I am pretty big guy.

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Just kegged my first batch and poured a glass. It hasn't fully cleared yet, but this stuff is GOOD! Scary summer drink right here. I used generic lemon juice, and I have heard some people say that they have off flavors, but this tastes pretty darn good to me!
 
Had a BBQ last night and I served up my latest batch if SP to a few friends and family that has never had it before. I had 2g lemon-lime flavored and the rest original. Need less to say I have none left, it went over so well that I have orders for more from 6 different people. July 4th is gonna have to be at least a 10g batch lol.
 
Gratz on the successful batch and BBQ. That is what makes this hobby all worth it. Seeing all your friend plastered and stupid on your awesome brew :mug:
 
Arpolis said:
Gratz on the successful batch and BBQ. That is what makes this hobby all worth it. Seeing all your friend plastered and stupid on your awesome brew :mug:

Ty, it was great, none of them believed me when I said "drink in moderation or you'd be belly up" they were all hammered lmao.
 
Hey everyone. Many of us use a slurry to start a SP and that method works well. What about using the same slurry after racking the SP? I attempted to wake up some yeast from a SP slurry last night. I added one part slurry, one part water, two tsp honey, a pinch of DAP and some B6. as of today about 21 - 22 hours later and after whipping up the starter a few times there is no sign of activity. The yeast just settles to the bottom of this little starter. I poured off half the clearer liquid and topped back up with water again thinking that the PH may be still too high. I'll give it a few more hours and see if it looks like it wakes up. Anyone have any first hand experience with re-starting a SP slurry?
 
Can I get a little clarification on the recipe from those who have made a batch already? I'm confused by the "rack into a clean carboy" a few days after the additional nutrients, etc added and then racking into a clean carboy once the fermentation stops. I'm going from my bucket (current fermentation) to a carboy...then to another carboy? (I only have 1 spare carboy which is why I ask).

As posted on the Skeeter Pee Recipe Page:

When it gets down to around 1.050, add the other 3 tsp of nutrient the second tsp of energizer, and the last bottle of lemon juice; vigorously mix it in. Don’t be afraid to introduce some oxygen to the mix at the same time. This late addition of yeast food and oxygen helps reduce the likelihood of your batch developing a sulfur-dioxide problem. (Because of the high acidity and low nutrition, lemon has a higher propensity to developing the sulfur-dioxide rotten egg smell.) After a couple of days, you can rack into a clean, sanitized carboy.

Allow the Pee to ferment dry and for fermentation to stop (SG between 0.998 and 0.995). Rack into a clean, sanitized carboy. Give the batch a quick degas (use agitation and vacuum if you have the equipment). Add 1/2 tsp Kmeta, 2 1/2 tsp sorbate, and Sparkolliod (follow directions on the
 
I only racked twice. Once before adding the stabilizer and clearing agent and then again when backsweetening. Swapping back and forth between fermenters 4 times seemed excessive & my SP still came out great.
 
Racking only needs to be done as needed. Depending on the yeast slurry you use racking is more or less important. Like Lalvin 71B should be racked often so yeast does not collect and give off flavors or with lalvin D47 you can let it sit on lees a few months and it accentuates the citrousy flavors. Just let her go in your bottling bucket and when fermentation finishes, rack to carboy. Airlock it and hit it with finnings or let gravity/time do the clearing. Wait till crystal clear then rack back and forth between your bucket and back to the carboy once cleaned out while adding stabilizers. Back sweeten and then bulk age it till you can't stand it.
 
Hey everyone. Many of us use a slurry to start a SP and that method works well. What about using the same slurry after racking the SP? I attempted to wake up some yeast from a SP slurry last night. I added one part slurry, one part water, two tsp honey, a pinch of DAP and some B6. as of today about 21 - 22 hours later and after whipping up the starter a few times there is no sign of activity. The yeast just settles to the bottom of this little starter. I poured off half the clearer liquid and topped back up with water again thinking that the PH may be still too high. I'll give it a few more hours and see if it looks like it wakes up. Anyone have any first hand experience with re-starting a SP slurry?

If anyone was Interested in the results from my above starter foray. I checked it this morning and the yeast finally looked active. Not as active as if I pitched a fresh dry packet of 71b but active non the less. So it just took 1.5 days there about to get rolling.
 
I started this whole project before I realized I didnt have more than 1 3-gallon carboy. I'm weighing some options as it ferments (sloooowwwwly)
 
CreamyGoodness said:
I started this whole project before I realized I didnt have more than 1 3-gallon carboy. I'm weighing some options as it ferments (sloooowwwwly)

Go buy a 5g bucket from the hardware store, I had to do the same thing.
 
Just mix up the sugar and water add yeast and nutrient. When it starts fermenting add all three lemon juice bottles. When it is finished rack off yeast back sweeteen with four to six cups sugar and add sorbate. When clear rack to bottle bucket and bottle. So simple.
 
I'm thinking about making my first batch of this and have been reading up on it but have a few questions. I was only able to find some Red Star Champagne yeast (and I don't have any wine going so I can't pitch the slurry). What's the best way to use this yeast without having it stall? I was thinking about inverting the sugar and basically adding that the enough water to get me to 4.75 gallons. I have nutrient and energizer that I plan to add. From what I've read, it's the lemon juice that really inhibits the yeast. Why not let the sugar solution ferment out, then add the lemon juice toward the end? Is this viable?
 
I'm thinking about making my first batch of this and have been reading up on it but have a few questions. I was only able to find some Red Star Champagne yeast (and I don't have any wine going so I can't pitch the slurry). What's the best way to use this yeast without having it stall? I was thinking about inverting the sugar and basically adding that the enough water to get me to 4.75 gallons. I have nutrient and energizer that I plan to add. From what I've read, it's the lemon juice that really inhibits the yeast. Why not let the sugar solution ferment out, then add the lemon juice toward the end? Is this viable?

Here is the best way to use that yeast:

Take a 1 gallon glass jar.

These can be found at Target, LHBS or many grocery stores in the form of gallon sized pickle jars and the like.

Add to it the following:

4 cans of Welch's 11.5oz frozen juice concentrate (white grape peach is a favorite of mine but any will work)
1 tbs of black tea
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/2 tsp yeast energizer
Water to one gallon

Now pitch the yeast and let it rip. place a couple paper towels in between the lid and jar and that will allow for gas to escape. I have heard of that recipe finish fermenting in a matter of days but anywhere from 1 - 2 weeks can be normal.

Once wine is dry throw the jug in the fridge. It will clear quickly. Siphon off 3 - 4 wine bottles worth and the rest can be pitched for your skeeter pee. Depending on temps and how quickly the yeast works/flocculates you can have a yeast slurry in 2 - 4 weeks. If you want to flavor the skeeter pee the flavor of the fruit juice you can just pitch the whole active gallon of wine after 5 - 10 days from pitching yeast.

That is my suggestion and if followed you will not have any stalling issues.
 
I have used Arpolis' method and it works. Unlike some folks who don't follow directions, get lucky once, then try to talk other folks into it, that method works repeatably.

The issue with just starting with sugar and adding the juice later is there is some considerable sulfites in the juice that will gas off when you follow the directions. If you add all at jiuce the end the sulfur will not have a chance to gas off and will be overpowering.
 
LBussy said:
. If you ass of all at the end the sulfur will not have a chance to gas off and will be overpowering.






Someone been into the Peter Skee tonight? :)
 
LBussy said:
I have used Arpolis' method and it works. Unlike some folks who don't follow directions, get lucky once, then try to talk other folks into it, that method works repeatably.

The issue with just starting with sugar and adding the juice later is there is some considerable sulfites in the juice that will gas off when you follow the directions. If you ass of all at the end the sulfur will not have a chance to gas off and will be overpowering.

Would it help to pour the juice only into a bowl and allow it to gas off by itself for a day before adding to the sugar/yeast combo? Maybe add one bottle at a time, each already individually gassed off separately.
 
ChrisL_ said:
Would it help to pour the juice only into a bowl and allow it to gas off by itself for a day before adding to the sugar/yeast combo? Maybe add one bottle at a time, each already individually gassed off separately.

It's just easier to follow how it's played out. It seems like a lot of steps but really it's not. Just whip the shat out of it couple times a day while its fermenting and it'll degas the so2 with no problem. Another good step would be to use a o2 set up. I use it with mine and works great.
 
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