Skeeter Pee

Williams 728
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LBussy said:
I have not but i am thinking of giving this a try. I found this article:

http://morebeer.com/public/wine/Product Directions/CuSO4.pdf
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That is EXACTLY what I needed, thank you!

"Keep in mind that a 0.1% solution can be made by diluting your 10mL of 1% solution
into another 90mL of water, in which case you would want to add 15mL/gal to achieve
0.1ppm Cu in solution. This can be helpful if you are working with smaller volumes of
wine and are having trouble measuring multiples of 0.15mL. Dilutions should always be
performed with distilled or de-ionized water. "
 
D_Nyholm said:
Alcohol has a lower SG than water. So the sugars are replaced with alcohol getting the fg below 0
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I love this forum. Have a question, post it and an hour and a half later you get an answer.:rockin:

Thanks for the reply.
 
Mark, There are two causes of rotten egg smell or sulfur. One can be driven off of with CO2. One cannot. I would try the CO2 method first.
 
Started my first attempt at making SP last night. Made my slurry out of Welch's white white grape juice a couple of days ago. Only a one gallon batch and it fermented out in two days. Pitched the slurry into the SP mix last night around 11pm. I already have some activity showing in the airlock.
 
I think the Welche's white juice wine types make good SP starters. What type of yeast did you use?
 
adriedel said:
I just kegged mine and it keeps coming out of the post when i carb it has this happened to anyone else?
And what can i do to solve it.
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Sounds like the post needs to be checked. That has nothing to do with the skeeter pee. Probably needs the poppet gaskets cleaned/lubed and/or replaced.
 
Arpolis said:
I think the Welche's white juice wine types make good SP starters. What type of yeast did you use?
Click to expand...

I used Lalvin 71B-1122. Started a little slow, but I think it was because the temperature was too low, 68F. I used a warmer and now the temp is holding around 76. It seems to be working well now.
 
Arpolis said:
I think the Welche's white juice wine types make good SP starters. What type of yeast did you use?
Click to expand...

I make my sp starters with 1/2 gallon (any brand) white grape juice and EC1118. Re-hydrate the yeast per instructions, pour the grape juice into a gallon jug, pitch the yeast, put the lid on loosely, and swirl the jug when I walk by or think about it. While the starter is working, I prep the skeeter pee per instructions, and pitch the starter into the pee 36~48 hours later. A few hours later, the magic starts!
 
Bottled today. Wow this stuff cleared amazingly...almost looks like water! After killing a 24oz mason jar worth and I'm feeling pretty good! Slightly lemon tart but also sweet...great stuff!!

image-2514880556.jpg

Cheers!
 
Made up two 5-gallon batches of this today.

No idea why it says to make a starter. There's tons of simple sugars in this recipe and the pH isn't all that low IMO.

Otherwise exactly to recipe. 10g of EC-1118 ($6 per 30g at LHBS, so $1 extra for the double pitch) in each batch. Just looked over to investigate a noise and it's already bubbling away, 6 hours later.
 
Following up on a previous post: I made mine with a Montrachet cake from Apfelwein. It took off like a rocket and I did what I was supposed to do but the yeast still produced a crapton of H2S. Degassing and racking helped, but when it came time to keg the now clear nectar the sulfur nose was almost too much. I found MoreWine’s Copper Sulfate Addition Procedure (on MoreBeer.com strangely) and decided to give it a try. While the document was correct it was rather rambling and not straightforward to follow. Still, good results.

After doing my bench tests I ended up using 0.6 ppm CuSO4. Since this is a level found to get rid of the H2S and no more, it should nearly all precipitate out as an insoluble copper sulfide. Even so, the EPA's "action level" for copper is 1.3 ppm so I've added less than half of that.

The process was not difficult, and I saved a batch so maybe this will help someone else. All I ended up using was 1.53g of CuSO4 (still nearly all left over as a 1% solution), 6 baby food jars, a few oral syringes (the 1mL was the most helpful, free from pharmacist) and some distilled water.

I'm left wondering if the other method on that document, racking through a copper cane, would be easier and just as effective. As acidic as this is it might end up stripping too much copper and not be a good thing for those sensitive to it. SO many experiments, so little time.
 
LBussy said:
Following up on a previous post: I made mine with a Montrachet cake from Apfelwein. It took off like a rocket and I did what I was supposed to do but the yeast still produced a crapton of H2S. Degassing and racking helped, but when it came time to keg the now clear nectar the sulfur nose was almost too much. I found MoreWine’s Copper Sulfate Addition Procedure (on MoreBeer.com strangely) and decided to give it a try. While the document was correct it was rather rambling and not straightforward to follow. Still, good results.

After doing my bench tests I ended up using 0.6 ppm CuSO4. Since this is a level found to get rid of the H2S and no more, it should nearly all precipitate out as an insoluble copper sulfide. Even so, the EPA's "action level" for copper is 1.3 ppm so I've added less than half of that.

The process was not difficult, and I saved a batch so maybe this will help someone else. All I ended up using was 1.53g of CuSO4 (still nearly all left over as a 1% solution), 6 baby food jars, a few oral syringes (the 1mL was the most helpful, free from pharmacist) and some distilled water.

I'm left wondering if the other method on that document, racking through a copper cane, would be easier and just as effective. As acidic as this is it might end up stripping too much copper and not be a good thing for those sensitive to it. SO many experiments, so little time.
Click to expand...

When did the smell start to show up for you? Did you notice? I just hit mine with the 2nd round of nutrient/energizer/lemon juice and it still smells nice and lemony. Just curious.
 
SilverZero said:
When did the smell start to show up for you? Did you notice? I just hit mine with the 2nd round of nutrient/energizer/lemon juice and it still smells nice and lemony. Just curious.
Click to expand...

My smell showed up very early on. Before the point you are at. Thanks for the info LBussy!

I read somewhere the EPA changed their standard to 6ppm, I'll try and dig that up. I created yeast from a starter, Montrachet from a packet in some sugar and lemon water, that's where ours differs. I didn't oxygenate it much though. It fermented fast and I didn't get to add the second stage until I hit 1.020. I wonder if that caused a problem. By the time I hit 1.000 I had a TON of CO2 to whip out. I may have even more now. I'll now this weekend when I bottle! Even though, man this stuff is good:)
 
SilverZero said:
When did the smell start to show up for you? Did you notice? I just hit mine with the 2nd round of nutrient/energizer/lemon juice and it still smells nice and lemony. Just curious.
Click to expand...
Early ... the Montachet is apparently good at that. My yeast *should* have been happy but I guess not.

I got the "Rhino Farts" early on and it just never went away. It's good now though, very clean smelling. The CuSO4 was like magic.
 
thadius856 said:
No idea why it says to make a starter. There's tons of simple sugars in this recipe and the pH isn't all that low IMO.
Click to expand...
I'm with ya. I've made two batches so far an used a single packet of EC1118 on each. I had a slow start, but it still fermented them into the high .990's.

My next batch I will use two packets (heck, it's just a dollar!), but will also up the sugar a bit and add some pureed cranberries or cherries.
 
looneybomber said:
I'm with ya. I've made two batches so far an used a single packet of EC1118 on each. I had a slow start, but it still fermented them into the high .990's.

My next batch I will use two packets (heck, it's just a dollar!), but will also up the sugar a bit and add some pureed cranberries or cherries.
Click to expand...

To update, it's been bubbling away like mad ever since. More than 1 bubble ever second in my Gatorade bottle blowoffs. I whipped them after 24 hours, then went to whip again today at 44 hours. This time, the CO2 erupted out of suspension in a huge frothy plume.

Think I might need to buy a proper whip (not this 1 gallon nylon helical paint mixer) and learn proper technique. :D
 
So how do we feel about bottling this SP in plastic containers? I've got a few 1-gallon apple juice jugs from my last batch of Brandon O's Graff, some 1-gallon bottled water jugs that I've had frozen in the freezer, and some 48oz lemon juice bottles from . . . I forget where. ;) Will this stuff behave in plastic?
 
SilverZero said:
So how do we feel about bottling this SP in plastic containers? I've got a few 1-gallon apple juice jugs from my last batch of Brandon O's Graff, some 1-gallon bottled water jugs that I've had frozen in the freezer, and some 48oz lemon juice bottles from . . . I forget where. ;) Will this stuff behave in plastic?
Click to expand...
None of those sound like bottles in which you will be carbonating .... with that understanding I don't think there's a thing wrong with using whatever you have. I believe it is better carbonated, but if you want it still that should work. Chances of it being around long enough to be an issue are slim.
 
I've used plastic water bottles (non-carbonated) water, 2 liter soda bottles as well as 20 oz soda bottles. It looks great in a Sprite bottle! I do however force carb so I'm putting a lot more pressure on them then normal carbonation would and all of these bottles have worked great. I actually left a partial Sprite bottle at a friends house last weekend, her husband didn't know that it wasn't Sprite and poured a big glass of it, he was extremely surprised when he started drinking it. Skeeter Pee and vodka don't mix very well apparently. However, Skeeter Pee and a lemon wheat beer mixed makes an awesome Shandy.
 
LBussy said:
None of those sound like bottles in which you will be carbonating .... with that understanding I don't think there's a thing wrong with using whatever you have. I believe it is better carbonated, but if you want it still that should work. Chances of it being around long enough to be an issue are slim.
Click to expand...

DrHops said:
I've used plastic water bottles (non-carbonated) water, 2 liter soda bottles as well as 20 oz soda bottles. It looks great in a Sprite bottle! I do however force carb so I'm putting a lot more pressure on them then normal carbonation would and all of these bottles have worked great. I actually left a partial Sprite bottle at a friends house last weekend, her husband didn't know that it wasn't Sprite and poured a big glass of it, he was extremely surprised when he started drinking it. Skeeter Pee and vodka don't mix very well apparently. However, Skeeter Pee and a lemon wheat beer mixed makes an awesome Shandy.
Click to expand...

Yeah, for the first batch, I won't be carbonating. I can always cut it with some soda water if I really want the fizz. :)
 
Have my first batch in! I thought I had everything, but found I didn't have any nutrient, so I added a 1/2 tsp extra energizer. 1 packet of EC1118 and away it went. Do u guys see any problem with leaving in primary until moving to carboy or moving to another primary bucket before racking to a carboy to final clear?
 
To keep odors down (sulfur) you may want to head to LHBS and pick up some cheap nutrient. Also, I rack mine to secondary a week or so after it's done fermenting.
 
I feel like this batch is taking forever to finish. I'm finally down to just a hair over 1.000 after 3 weeks and a couple of days, kept at 75F all along. I guess that's not too long, I'm just not used to waiting so long. I brewed a pale ale 2 weeks ago that might be in the bottles before this stuff gets stabilized. :)
 
Ha Ha, Sorry but I take the mead makers approach to SP rather than the Beer brewers aproach. My primary goes 2 - 3 months and secondary another 3. Then I think about bottling but get lazy and end up bottling a couple months later. So if this goes 30 days and you hit it with finnings and bottle in another couple of weeks you are going fast.
 
So I've just about killed the keg containing my first batch. It's now named "Peeter Skee" because no matter what the website owner says about "Skeeter Pee" being easier to say than "Hard Lemonade" when drunk, "Peeter Skee" is how it comes out.

A note about yeasts and some common practices: In here somewhere and in a complimentary thread we talked about SO2 production. I have a VERY sensitive nose unfortunately and where most of my friends happily quaffed this I was unhappy with it at first. I used a Montachet from Apfelwein as many people do. The yeast in its first reincarnation was well-treated and should have been perfect - the problem is, "perfect" for Montrachet still produces what is for me a noticeable amount of SO2. I ended up using a CuSO4 treatment which was phenomenal but I was still left with an apple background which was not exactly what I wanted. Apple and lemonade does not go - at least with my sensitive palate. A slice of fresh lemon did brighten it up a bit however.

So, my ultra-uber-expert observations after exactly one batch from cradle to grave: Use something other than a cider as a starter, and use something other than Montrachet as a yeast. Next time I will use a 1-gallon white Welches as a starter and see how that works. Maybe something like a Lalvin ICV-K1 (V1116) yeast to enhance the brighter lemon notes maybe.
 
LBussy said:
So, my ultra-uber-expert observations after exactly one batch from cradle to grave: Use something other than a cider as a starter, and use something other than Montrachet as a yeast. Next time I will use a 1-gallon white Welches as a starter and see how that works. Maybe something like a Lalvin ICV-K1 (V1116) yeast to enhance the brighter lemon notes maybe.
Click to expand...

After seeing how easy it was to start it from the must itself, I wouldn't bother with any "outside" juices myself. My Premier Cuvee took off fast and worked hard, it's just been chugging slowly along for the last week or so.

Add 1c warm water + 1 tablespoon sugar + pinch nutrient and energizer to flask (2L)
Sprinkle 2 packs Red Star Premier Cuvee, allow to bloom 30mins
Add 1c must, allow activity to pick up
Add 1c must, allow activity to pick up
Add 2c must, allow activity to pick up (final starter volume = 1300mL)
When must is at 74F, pitch yeast starter

Each step probably took 30 minutes, though I think I left it to sit longer because I was in and out of the kitchen.
 
LBussy said:
So I've just about killed the keg containing my first batch. It's now named "Peeter Skee" because no matter what the website owner says about "Skeeter Pee" being easier to say than "Hard Lemonade" when drunk, "Peeter Skee" is how it comes out.

A note about yeasts and some common practices: In here somewhere and in a complimentary thread we talked about SO2 production. I have a VERY sensitive nose unfortunately and where most of my friends happily quaffed this I was unhappy with it at first. I used a Montachet from Apfelwein as many people do. The yeast in its first reincarnation was well-treated and should have been perfect - the problem is, "perfect" for Montrachet still produces what is for me a noticeable amount of SO2. I ended up using a CuSO4 treatment which was phenomenal but I was still left with an apple background which was not exactly what I wanted. Apple and lemonade does not go - at least with my sensitive palate. A slice of fresh lemon did brighten it up a bit however.

So, my ultra-uber-expert observations after exactly one batch from cradle to grave: Use something other than a cider as a starter, and use something other than Montrachet as a yeast. Next time I will use a 1-gallon white Welches as a starter and see how that works. Maybe something like a Lalvin ICV-K1 (V1116) yeast to enhance the brighter lemon notes maybe.
Click to expand...

WHITE GRAPE PEACH WINE STARTER! Lol that has been my staple for the last couple SP incarnations and I love it. I like lalvin 71b but 1116 would do well too.
 
So I am planning something easy drinking for summer lawn cutting season, and this sounds like it fits the bill very well. Has anyone cut the recipe down to a smaller batch size for testing? I would like to make a gallon or two to see how it goes, then ramp up from there!

Also, what is the expected flavor here? Closer to Mike's Hard Lemonade, or overpoweringly sour like Limoncello?
 
wheineman said:
So I am planning something easy drinking for summer lawn cutting season, and this sounds like it fits the bill very well. Has anyone cut the recipe down to a smaller batch size for testing? I would like to make a gallon or two to see how it goes, then ramp up from there!

Also, what is the expected flavor here? Closer to Mike's Hard Lemonade, or overpoweringly sour like Limoncello?
Click to expand...

You can make the batch whatever size you want, just scale it correctly. It is so easy and cheap to make this stuff, you might as well make 5 gallons though.

I would say the taste is more like a hybrid of the two. If you carb it up, it can be like mikes, just not as sweet (depending on how much you backsweeten?) And a little less lemonade tasting. More like lemon flavor, not like drinking a lemonade from the bottle.

The only problem with it is that if you want to drink a lot, be prepared to take the next day off from work. It really sneaks up on you!

If I want to drink a decent amount of it, I put it in a glass full of ice and sometimes either few lemon wedges or some lime slices in it. You can also use sprite if you drink it still. It will sweeten it and give it some carbonation. And cut the abv for ya.
 
I can verify that the stuff sneaks up on you ... no hangover today though. :)

Do make 5 gallons. It's so inexpensive there's no reason not to. You will be irked that you drank your one and only gallon if you go that route.
 
I agree with LBussy. You will fly through a 5 gallon batch of this with ease. I make wine just so I have an excuse to make a batch of pee off the lees.

:mug:

image-3165837380.jpg
 
FermentNEthinG said:
I agree with LBussy. You will fly through a 5 gallon batch of this with ease. I make wine just so I have an excuse to make a batch of pee off the lees.

:mug:
Click to expand...

Very pretty glass you have there. I am having to hold back on drinking my SP too quickly. I have a braggot bottled now thankfully but if not for that I would be done with the SP by now. I cant wait for my next batch to clear and age a bit.
 
I am laughed at in my circles because I smell grapes with mine and that was only using lemon sugar water to make my starter. It is probably from the finings and it is very pleasant but still wasn't expected...

I need to make the white grape peach wine!
 
Forgive me for the dumb question but there's no way i could sit and sift through 130 pages looking for the answer..

The "yeast cake" or "yeast slurry" described.. Is this the sediments/ lees left over at the bottom of your fermentation container that gets left behind after a racking?

If so, i'll have to save the slurry from my white grape peach I have going..

Thanks
 

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