Skeeter Pee

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christopherrburns said:
my SWMBO loves summer shandy(yuck) Going to blend this with a light wheat beer. will likely do 2.5 gal of each and then keg it. Anyone done this? if so how did it come out?
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I made a great shandy last summer by combining a summer wheat with some skeeter pee then force carbing the keg. The only problem was they were both in separate kegs and already carbonated, so mixing the two together made for a very foamy afternoon! After a few minutes the mix settled down and the shake method worked great to recarb the keg.
 
After 3 days my skeeter pee finally started working. How long are you guys noting (roughly of course) its taking to drop to 1.050? This is my first attempt on it and not sure how fast yeast can consume the sugars.

My SP is sitting in ideal temps around 71 degrees using the EC1118 yeast.
 
EHV said:
After 3 days my skeeter pee finally started working. How long are you guys noting (roughly of course) its taking to drop to 1.050? This is my first attempt on it and not sure how fast yeast can consume the sugars.

My SP is sitting in ideal temps around 71 degrees using the EC1118 yeast.
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I used a slurry of Lalvin 71b and it took about 30 hours to notice good fermentation and at around the 48 hour mark I was at the 1.050 gravity mark.

Mine went real fast but your ec-1118 yeast is a beast. Once it starts it should be fast so I bet would be close to mine. A lot of people say anywhere from 1 - 3 days from the visible fermentation mark.
 
Using one packet of EC1118, it took a little while to hit 1.050, maybe a week? I can't remember. It certainly wasn't an explosive fermentation like racking an imperial stout on top a Wyeast 3787 yeast cake. However, like the little engine that could, the single packet took my skeeter pee recipes down from 1.075 and 1.078 to .996 and .997 respectively...I think. My memory is a tad foggy.
 
AreaKode said:
Yep. The only thing I changed was the amount of lemon juice. Instead of 64 oz at the beginning and 32 oz later, I just did 32 oz at the beginning, 32 oz later on. It still has a very lemony taste, just a lot less acid.
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Well I used 64oz at the beginning and the just added the nutrient and energizer at the1.050 mark....doesn't seem to make much sense now that I think about it. I will try it your way next time. I'll report back on the results. Don't think it would cause an adverse reaction, just a little bass acwards! ;-)
 
My EC1118 yeast in my Strawberry Skeeter Pee actually took over a small country last night. They enslaved the population and put them to work on a pyramid style monument to their victory. (aka, my yeast are chewing thru the fermentation like there is no tomorrow)

I will be pitching my additional nutrient, energizer, and lemon juice tonight. Quick stuff!
 
I made a starter with to much dme smelled like rotten eggs. I read about it I guess i put to much dme but 8 hours later the airlock is going nuts so I guess its ok. How long till it gets down to 1.05 roughly do you guys think?
 
From what I understand its is because it makes the yeasts job a little easier. The yeast will break the sugar down on its own if added as table sugar, but because the lemon juice creates a very acidic and stressful environment the idea is to do some of the work for it so as not to over stress the yeast and create off flavors or halt its activity. I believe the skeeter pee website might offer more info in the FAQ.
 
I made a starter of 2 cups of the invert sugar mixture and 2 T. Of sugar. I added the yeast package and then covered it with a paper towel for an hour, then I added another T. of sugar and mixed again. I covered it with the paper towel again for 24 hours, by then the yeast was going nuts. I added it to the bucket and had 1.050 within 8 days.
 
Have my first batch of this in primary right now. Made a few mistakes, notably sticking an unsanitized whip in there to aerate yesterday.

Well, i decided i needed my temp-controlled freezer for a batch of beer yesterday, and stuck the bucket of skeeter pee into my 38dd chamber, and just plugged the fermwrap directly into the wall. No on/off control.

I thought i had read that fermwrap would only heat up to about 10deg over ambient, and ambient was 69f, so i thought I'd be OK.

Well, the thermometer in the chamber read over 80deg this morning, and the temp of the bucket was so high that the "fermometer" stuck to it wasn't even registering.

The liquid was warmer than I was, I'd say at least 100deg. Wonder if i've killed the yeast?

It was a lalvin slurry from some apfelwein. Not sure of the exact strain, but i think it was 1118.
 
naga77777 said:
Have my first batch of this in primary right now. Made a few mistakes, notably sticking an unsanitized whip in there to aerate yesterday.

Well, i decided i needed my temp-controlled freezer for a batch of beer yesterday, and stuck the bucket of skeeter pee into my 38dd chamber, and just plugged the fermwrap directly into the wall. No on/off control.

I thought i had read that fermwrap would only heat up to about 10deg over ambient, and ambient was 69f, so i thought I'd be OK.

Well, the thermometer in the chamber read over 80deg this morning, and the temp of the bucket was so high that the "fermometer" stuck to it wasn't even registering.

The liquid was warmer than I was, I'd say at least 100deg. Wonder if i've killed the yeast?

It was a lalvin slurry from some apfelwein. Not sure of the exact strain, but i think it was 1118.
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Update to this post,

the pee is now fermenting! :ban:

didn't look @ the brew log or the timestamp of the last post, but I pitched the yeast at least a day or so before making that post.

I said a small apology to the yeasties for putting them through the "hot tub" treatment, and I'll say a salute once they're done with their life's work (twice! since this was a re-pitched apfelwein slurry). :rockin:

so at least 3 days before visible signs of fermentation. I've not cracked the bucket yet to look for infection due to my "unsanitized whip" incident. I'm gonna go RDWHAHB now :)
 
My EC1118 after a week from pitching finally dropped to 1.050 and then added the additional ingredients. The test samples tasted great.
Fermentation has not been to overly active till after the addition of more energizer, nutrient, and additional agitation. The SP is now bubbling away at a feverish pace.
 
I am so going to brew a batch of this and keg it... It would be wonderful to have some sparkling skeeter pee sitting around! I think I'll use EC1118 and maybe a little cranberry too...
 
Question on yeast / slurry. What is different in beer yeast to wine yeast? Wondering if I could use the dregs from an American Pale Ale or Guinness Clone to start the slurry.

Any thoughts?
 
Beer yeast might not be able to get you to the ABV you are looking for in your Skeeter. I'm not sure where that particular yeast tops off, but I guess it'd be around ~10% tops? That is just an educated guess so I could easily be wrong. I know there are plenty of higher alc. beer yeast strains, trappist, etc. that can get high.

I just started a batch of blueberry skeet yesterday, made a starter with ec-118 on a stirplate gradually adding must when it started to take off, got 5 gallons rocking hard right now. Cheers.
 
PDWhite said:
Question on yeast / slurry. What is different in beer yeast to wine yeast? Wondering if I could use the dregs from an American Pale Ale to start the slurry.

Any thoughts?
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Yeah, I think the alcohol tolerance is the biggest issue. If you add less sugar and make a weaker pee, u should be OK.
 
I don't make wine, except for Skeeter Pee so I always use a fresh pack of EC-1118 yeast. My LHBS sells it for just under $1 a package, once I bought a brew belt and started using it for every batch, I've never needed more than one packet. I could harvest the yeast from one batch to the next and store it, but for $1 a packet, it's really not worth my time. I've never had a stuck batch, and it always takes me 4 weeks from start to finish for crystal clear Skeeter Pee.
 
Hello. Im a newbie at wine making and i started a batch of sp last night. I did everything following the directions but forgot to get yeast energizer. What is the purpose of yeast energizer and will i be able to get by without it or should i wait until it comes in the mail in a couple days then add it to the mix and then add my yeast?
 
cosmatics said:
I just started a batch of blueberry skeet yesterday, made a starter with ec-118 on a stirplate gradually adding must when it started to take off, got 5 gallons rocking hard right now. Cheers.
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can I ask how you made your BB SP? thanks...:mug:
 
DrHops said:
I don't make wine, except for Skeeter Pee so I always use a fresh pack of EC-1118 yeast. My LHBS sells it for just under $1 a package, once I bought a brew belt and started using it for every batch, I've never needed more than one packet. I could harvest the yeast from one batch to the next and store it, but for $1 a packet, it's really not worth my time. I've never had a stuck batch, and it always takes me 4 weeks from start to finish for crystal clear Skeeter Pee.
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I have a couple extra packets of 1118, do you just sprinkle it onto the must?

Would make it much easier to get a batch going, when I don't have other wines ready for bottling.

dconway10 said:
Hello. Im a newbie at wine making and i started a batch of sp last night. I did everything following the directions but forgot to get yeast energizer. What is the purpose of yeast energizer and will i be able to get by without it or should i wait until it comes in the mail in a couple days then add it to the mix and then add my yeast?
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I'm by FAR not an expert, or even an authority, but I'd say go ahead and pitch now.

My only reasoning is reading threads on here that give the general impression that the longer a batch sits without yeast, the longer nasties/infection have to take hold. You want the yeast to colonize faster than anything else and outnumber the nasties.

If it were me, I'd go ahead and pitch, and just add the energizer when it comes in.

Maybe do a search for "skeeter pee forgot energizer"-- I'm willing to bet at least one person has made a batch without energizer alltogether.
 
dconway10 said:
Hello. Im a newbie at wine making and i started a batch of sp last night. I did everything following the directions but forgot to get yeast energizer. What is the purpose of yeast energizer and will i be able to get by without it or should i wait until it comes in the mail in a couple days then add it to the mix and then add my yeast?
Click to expand...

The energizer is very important in this must especially if not using a yeast slurry. The acidic must should be able to keep most infections away for 48-72 hours as long as you used normal sanitation practices when mixing up the must. Worst case scenario then have this 48 hours then add a dose of K-meta or Camden to kill off anything and then wait till the energizer gets there.

I might think that if you pitch without energizer you risk a yeast colony that is weaker and the ferment might stall.
 
naga77777 said:
I'm by FAR not an expert, or even an authority, but I'd say go ahead and pitch now.

My only reasoning is reading threads on here that give the general impression that the longer a batch sits without yeast, the longer nasties/infection have to take hold. You want the yeast to colonize faster than anything else and outnumber the nasties.

If it were me, I'd go ahead and pitch, and just add the energizer when it comes in.

Maybe do a search for "skeeter pee forgot energizer"-- I'm willing to bet at least one person has made a batch without energizer alltogether.
Click to expand...

Thanks i forgot google answers almost everything. I found something that said i can add the energizer when i pitch my yeast and per directions for the sp it says to let sit for 24-48 hours to let the preservatives out and my energizer should arrive tomorrow afternoon which would be 48hours of letting the must sit. Thanks for the help!
 
Here was my most recent batch of blueberry skeeter for the record:

1 gallon blueberry juice (technically mix of blueberry, grape and apple, Costco)- no perservatives
64 oz. Real Lemon juice from concentrate- no perservatives
4lbs brown sugar
3lbs sugar
2 gallons water

I heated in pot on stove for about 30 mins at around 190degrees to dissolve sugars and sterilize water.

Yeast starter:

1 packet ec-118 yeast, rehydrated in 2oz boiled cooled water about 100 degrees.
1 cup of cooled must mixture from stove
1 cup water to approx. gravity of about 1.040
1/2 tsp yeast energizer

Put starter on stir plate, let go overnight, about 12 hours later I add some bubbling from starter, I added 1/2c of must, let go another 4 hours, added 1/2c must. Let finish about 4 more hours, was really fizzing like crazy.

I sanitized a bucket, added room temp must, about 1 gal boiled cooled water, yeast starter, to a shade under 5 gallons. I whipped it with a whisk for a few minutes. I covered with a clean sanitized towel.

Next morning it was fizzing away, 2 days later I have a nice foam top. I have whipped it every morning for 1st 3 days. Will take a grav reading after a week.

I'm really liking this open top fermenting for the wine, its easy to degas, no volcanos and it really looks like its working well. Forgot to add my SG for this batch was about 1.088, I'm shooting for around 12%.
 
dconway10 said:
Thanks i forgot google answers almost everything. I found something that said i can add the energizer when i pitch my yeast and per directions for the sp it says to let sit for 24-48 hours to let the preservatives out and my energizer should arrive tomorrow afternoon which would be 48hours of letting the must sit. Thanks for the help!
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Cool :rockin:

I misread your post, and was under the impression it had already sat out for a day or 2 to purge the preservatives.
 
A50SNAKE said:
can I ask how you made your BB SP? thanks...:mug:
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You can buy a 4 pound bag of frozen blueberries... I blend them and throw them right into my 5 gallon batch of sp and holy s*** is it good I have friends that fight over it!
 
black_talon said:
You can buy a 4 pound bag of frozen blueberries... I blend them and throw them right into my 5 gallon batch of sp and holy s*** is it good I have friends that fight over it!
Click to expand...

awesome thanks...there is a blueberry farm down the road from me, my freezer is kind of full of straw and blue berries right now...so this is very good news for me...

now can I also ask, when do you introduce the frozen berries, afters its already fermented, but before the sparkoloid and clearing stage?

thanks again,
 
cosmatics said:
Here was my most recent batch of blueberry skeeter for the record:

1 gallon blueberry juice (technically mix of blueberry, grape and apple, Costco)- no perservatives
64 oz. Real Lemon juice from concentrate- no perservatives
4lbs brown sugar
3lbs sugar
2 gallons water

I heated in pot on stove for about 30 mins at around 190degrees to dissolve sugars and sterilize water.

Yeast starter:

1 packet ec-118 yeast, rehydrated in 2oz boiled cooled water about 100 degrees.
1 cup of cooled must mixture from stove
1 cup water to approx. gravity of about 1.040
1/2 tsp yeast energizer

Put starter on stir plate, let go overnight, about 12 hours later I add some bubbling from starter, I added 1/2c of must, let go another 4 hours, added 1/2c must. Let finish about 4 more hours, was really fizzing like crazy.

I sanitized a bucket, added room temp must, about 1 gal boiled cooled water, yeast starter, to a shade under 5 gallons. I whipped it with a whisk for a few minutes. I covered with a clean sanitized towel.

Next morning it was fizzing away, 2 days later I have a nice foam top. I have whipped it every morning for 1st 3 days. Will take a grav reading after a week.

I'm really liking this open top fermenting for the wine, its easy to degas, no volcanos and it really looks like its working well. Forgot to add my SG for this batch was about 1.088, I'm shooting for around 12%.
Click to expand...

awesome!!! thanks so much for the detailed info.
 
A50SNAKE said:
awesome thanks...there is a blueberry farm down the road from me, my freezer is kind of full of straw and blue berries right now...so this is very good news for me...

now can I also ask, when do you introduce the frozen berries, afters its already fermented, but before the sparkoloid and clearing stage?

thanks again,
Click to expand...

Right from the start it gives the yeast more sugar and really infuses the flavor and the color is amazing... Turns out almost purple
 
I just finished up my 1/2gallon test batch before my main 5 gallon batch is done. It fermented to .995 then treated with sorbate and 1/2 a cam tab. Then backsweetened with cran grape and sugar to 1.020. Tasted great.
Is it necessary to treat the wine even after fermentation has stopped? (I did it to be safe)
 
EHV said:
I just finished up my 1/2gallon test batch before my main 5 gallon batch is done. It fermented to .995 then treated with sorbate and 1/2 a cam tab. Then backsweetened with cran grape and sugar to 1.020. Tasted great.
Is it necessary to treat the wine even after fermentation has stopped? (I did it to be safe)
Click to expand...

Yes, if sugar is added after fermentation has stopped it will likely pick up again with the addition of new fermentables. You could add a fake sugar that is nonfermentable and not have to treat, but personally I don't care for the taste or... Personal side effects of fake sugars....
 
EHV Posted "I just finished up my 1/2gallon test batch before my main 5 gallon batch is done. It fermented to .995 then treated with sorbate and 1/2 a cam tab. Then backsweetened with cran grape and sugar to 1.020. Tasted great.
Is it necessary to treat the wine even after fermentation has stopped? (I did it to be safe)"

What is back sweetening and why do you have to treat the wine? how do you treat the wine? what is a CAM tab?

Thanks
David
 
Back sweetening is what you do when you sweeten a wine, mead... After stabilizing because the yeast used did not hit it's ABV limit. Stabilizing is where the "CAM tablet" or Camden tablet comes in. Camden is potassium metabisulfate compressed in a solid form to make it easier to measure. Usually one tablet crushed per gallon. K-meta is the same thing. But sulfates are not enough to stabilize. You now need potassium sorbate which usually looks like long white granules. 1/2tsp per gallon works with that. When both added to a finished ferment they should keep yeast from starting to reproduce again and eat up all your sugar.
 

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