Hard Pink Lemonade

4 can of pink lemonade concentrate(no preservatives)
2 lbs. sugar
Water to make 2 gallons

I'm using montrachet yeast for this. The way I figure it should come to around 6% ABV. I plan to carbonate in the bottle around 3 months. I was wanting some input whether I should use acid blend and nutrients. I'm still pretty green at 'winemaking' so I figured I'd ask for all of your input. Constructive criticism on my recipe is welcome!

I like to add 1/2 - 1 C DME (dried malt) when I make hard lemonade. I also use a yeast starter because it's hard to start a ferment with lemonade. I also use yeast nutrient in the starter, for the same reason.

Good luck - hope you like it.

I've never heard anything good about lemonade mix to make a hard lemonade. Think about it... you wouldn't use grape kool-ade to make merlot.

That being said, I say since you've already got it mixed up go ahead and let it go thru fermentation. I am guessing that you'll have to backsweeten when you're done because the yeast is going to eat up most/all of the sugar you dumped into it. I have a feeling you'll want this to be sweet.

how would you make it? Lemonade concentrate will make a product like Mike's Hard Lemonade.

I have made several batches of hard lemonade over the past few years and I use a yeast starter or a slurry from another batch of wine. No acid blend is needed as the lemonade is already acidic enough. Nutrients are a good thing.

You may want to acclimate your yeast to the lemonade a little at a time until it is working nicely, then pitch it into your primary. Add maybe 1/2 cup to your starter every few hours and let it work.

I don't carbonate my lemonade, but do add some sprite or soda water to the drink is someone wants it fizzy. Another alternative is to force carbonate the beverage then bottle it.

I also add 375ml of Lemoncello to my hard lemonade to kick it up a bit. We make the Lemoncello from Everclear so it's quite potent and flavorful.

I am at work and do not have my notes, but we make 3 gallon batches and I use 8 cans of minute maid lemonade and sugar (Simple Syrup if possible) to an S.G. of 1.075. You can sweeten or adjust your flavor by adding more lemonade mix later, but I have never had to do so. I have added a simple syrup made with fresh lemons as a sweetener and it works nicely.

Good luck.

Salute!