Skeeter Pee

Alright all, thanks for the suggestions. What if I slowly add the lemon juice over the fermentation period and whip the crap out of it each day? Will that work? If not, I'm definitely willing to go the slurry route. I'm just thinking I want to drink this over the summer so the quicker the better

thejudge said:

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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I appreciate your reply, but I really wonder if the approach of adding the juice after fermentation has really taken off is not much better. All I have read about SP is that the big problem is the acid and preservatives are the big issues in getting this to ferment. So why not keep it out until a strong fermentation has taken hold?
Lbussy has said the one issue is gassing off the preservatives, if that can be resolved it seems like a much easier process to me.
Even on a smaller level, if the juice needs to be gassed off, then why not do it before it is mixed with 5 gallons of water?

The original recipe as it has been laid out on the SP web sight is an award winning wine. Let's not try and fix what is not broken. If you use finnings and follow directions exactly. Even if you need to make a slurry first. Then this brew could be done in 5 - 6 weeks 8 weeks tops. It probably will not be too much shorter cutting corners and the results will probably be better following directions. Just my 2 cents.

I was thinking of bottle carbing this, will it carb up after all the finings and anyone know how much priming sugar to use for this?

Ostomo517 said:

I was thinking of bottle carbing this, will it carb up after all the finings and anyone know how much priming sugar to use for this?

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If you want to carb don't use finings. I use 1/2-3/4c priming sugar per 5g.

thejudge said:

If you want to carb don't use finings. I use 1/2-3/4c priming sugar per 5g.

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Cool, thanks

Well the scary news is my entire 5 gallon batch is almost gone after two week...YIKES!!! Friends and Families, and through no small effort of my own, have absolutely demolished this drink. Definitely tastes great and goes down so easy!

A tip, while it tastes great right at bottling, it tastes better after sitting in the bottle a week, and tastes even better after two weeks. Both my wife and I noticed a clear improvement in taste over the last 2 weeks. I am going to ferret away my last few bottles and let them sit for a month or so and try them. I would assume it will only get better!

Another tip, the recipe recommendation of 6 cups of sugar results in an almost "too much" sweetness and I like sweet wine / drinks. I would recommend starting out at 5 cups or less for a 5 gallon batch unless you REALLY like your drink almost cloyingly sweet.

Ostomo517 said:

I was thinking of bottle carbing this, will it carb up after all the finings and anyone know how much priming sugar to use for this?

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You won't be able to bottle carb if you stabilize with campden and potassium sorbate. That prevents additional fermentation from occurring.

AZ_IPA said:

You won't be able to bottle carb if you stabilize with campden and potassium sorbate. That prevents additional fermentation from occurring.

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Yeah was gonna leave those out but still not sure. I may just leave this one still because its my first batch then maybe carb next one.

IMO Arpolis Starter should be a sticky for Skeeter. I made this last night and this thing is going like gang busters in my sink. I should have a good starter in a few days plus I'll get some decent wine to start a batch of Port with as well. Thanks for the little mini-recipe!

Blew out the airlock due to activity after less than 12 hours. Switched to a blow off tube:


Glad I did as this thing is going nuts!

My SP is chugging along on the third day, should I be whipping air into it daily to degas?

On a degassing note: is there something I don't know? I put my degassing wand connect to my drill in my carboy, did a small burst, 2-3 seconds, to see what would happen. The resulting explosion ended with about a 3-4 inch geyser spouting out of my carboy and 1-2 liters of 1.030 Skeeter Pee on the floor.

Did I miss a step somewhere along the line?

Mmmm. Blue raz, cherry, lime and classic ( with grape wine slurry)

tylerverry said:

On a degassing note: is there something I don't know? I put my degassing wand connect to my drill in my carboy, did a small burst, 2-3 seconds, to see what would happen. The resulting explosion ended with about a 3-4 inch geyser spouting out of my carboy and 1-2 liters of 1.030 Skeeter Pee on the floor.

Did I miss a step somewhere along the line?

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Don't degas until its ferments out. .999 or lower

idrinkstuffnthings said:

Mmmm. Blue raz, cherry, lime and classic ( with grape wine slurry)

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Those look great! What did you do to flavor them?

At bottling time I added 2 packs of koolaid to 5 litres of pee. Adds a great flavour and very simple.

idrinkstuffnthings said:

Don't degas until its ferments out. .999 or lower

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Oh, ok. I guess this was the part of the recipe where I added the second round of lemon, nutrient, etc.

"Periodically check the gravity. 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."

So, "vigorously mixing" doesn't mean with a degassing wand?

Oops. No use a whisk or something like it and just stir the top kinda. It's just to introduce a little more oxygen too keep the ferment going. A wand would bring up all the co2 in the solution.

A whisk by hand*. No drill

Ostomo517 said:

My SP is chugging along on the third day, should I be whipping air into it daily to degas?

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It's not to degas as much as it is to add oxygen. If its going real strong you could skip the whipping. I whip it until its dropping a fair amount of sg a day. Then let it run its course. The oxygen is just helping them yeasties stay strong.

My gravity hit .996 today so I racked to a clean carboy and degassed before adding the Kmeta and stuff. Having never degassed a wine before.....I had no idea it would foam up so fast and hard The foam flowed out of the top of the carboy and all over the kitchen floor

Obviously I didn't read this post before I degassed....lol.

tylerverry said:

On a degassing note: is there something I don't know? I put my degassing wand connect to my drill in my carboy, did a small burst, 2-3 seconds, to see what would happen. The resulting explosion ended with about a 3-4 inch geyser spouting out of my carboy and 1-2 liters of 1.030 Skeeter Pee on the floor.

Did I miss a step somewhere along the line?

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So if you dont degas there is residual co2 in the solution correct? Can we just not degas and end up with a lightly carbed SP?

If you do not degas then it is really hard to get most of the yeast out of suspension. It would not taste nearly as good and be super cloudy.

idrinkstuffnthings said:

At bottling time I added 2 packs of koolaid to 5 litres of pee. Adds a great flavour and very simple.

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Those are the same 4 I planned on but couldn't find blue razz anywhere. Do you like the cherry? I found it to be too fake tasting.

Arpolis said:

If you do not degas then it is really hard to get most of the yeast out of suspension. It would not taste nearly as good and be super cloudy.

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I didnt degas and mine came out perfectly clear. Plus real lemonade is not clear any way. I followed the recipe with the clarifying agents. I might carb this next batch fermenting.

Every batch is slightly different and different yeast flocculate differently. There are tons of posts in this thread that troubleshoot cloudiness to lack of degassing. And SP can be crystal clear like water witha drop if yellow food coloring. No reason to look like lemonade.

DisturbdChemist said:

I didnt degas and mine came out perfectly clear. Plus real lemonade is not clear any way. I followed the recipe with the clarifying agents. I might carb this next batch fermenting.

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What yeast did you use?

Do I want to degas if I'm planning on carbonating?

Ostomo517 said:

What yeast did you use?

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wine yeast. montrachet yeast i believe

GenIke said:

Do I want to degas if I'm planning on carbonating?

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If you don't degas you're gonna get to much sediment in your bottles. You want as much to drop as possible. Now you're not gonna get it all and that's what's going to carb it up for you. So don't degas and get a 1/4" layer in your bottles that will turn to floaters like a lava lamp or degas and get a fine sediment. Do not use finings or kmeta and sorbate if you want to carb as well.

thejudge said:

If you don't degas you're gonna get to much sediment in your bottles. You want as much to drop as possible. Now you're not gonna get it all and that's what's going to carb it up for you. So don't degas and get a 1/4" layer in your bottles that will turn to floaters like a lava lamp or degas and get a fine sediment. Do not use finings or kmeta and sorbate if you want to carb as well.

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Unless you are force carbing with CO2

Hey all, another question. I know warmer is better to ferment this but it's there an upper limit? In the summer, my house can get to 85. That ok?

It depends on the yeast really. With my lalvin type yeast I like to ferment them at no more than 75*F. That is lalvin 71b and k1v-1116 as my go to yeasts.

I can keep it in my basement, that should be around 75. I'm thinking that's a nice temp. BTW, I'm going to use the Red Star Champagne yeast, it was what my LHBS had.

Acyr90 said:

Those are the same 4 I planned on but couldn't find blue razz anywhere. Do you like the cherry? I found it to be too fake tasting.

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Wife really likes the cherry. She adds a splash of sprite also. I like them all, an ya the cherry is a little fake tasting. But it is koolaid so kinda figures. Next batch is gunna be dragons blood. Natural flavouring should be pretty good I'm thinking.

Per the instructions:
" Add 1/2 tsp Kmeta, 2 1/2 tsp sorbate, and Sparkolliod (follow directions on the package). After two weeks, the Skeeter Pee should be crystal clear. Rack into a clean, sanitized carboy, add 6 cups sugar, and stir to dissolve. Wait two weeks to be sure no new fermentation begins and bottle."

Is there a reason to wait two weeks after adding these things or can I sweeten sooner if it's cleared?

Sweeten when ever you want. You just want the sulfites to gas off before bottling is all.

Can i degas with a whisk or do I have to go buy the equip (I dont have a drill)

Ostomo517 said:

Can i degas with a whisk or do I have to go buy the equip (I dont have a drill)

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Wire wisk are made to incorporate air into what ever you use it with. Use a cut wire hanger on a drill works best for home made.

I know I have had a bunch of questions but I have one more that I have not seen. When backsweetening do you just rack onto the sugar or boil it with some water and add the syrup?