Skeeter Pee

Yakima 728
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Ostomo517 said:
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?
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I've done both. it's all preference, if you don't boil just pour the sugar in and stir the crap out of it.
 
LoneTreeFarms said:
I've done both. it's all preference, if you don't boil just pour the sugar in and stir the crap out of it.
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+1, I have done both also. For me it saves time to just add and stir.
 
Acyr90 said:
Isn't that a ton of stirring? You don't worry about oxidation?
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No worries. The CO2 that is present prevents the oxidization, plus the nature of the lemon itself adds another level of antioxidant. Not to mention the SO2 on board.

This is the perfect must to take any aggression out on.
 
I melt the sugar with a cup of water but never bring it to a boil. You run the chance of cooking it into candy sugar which once it's cooked that long can crack when poured into liquid. I bring it to a simmer then turn the heat to low for 10 minutes until its crystal clear. That way there isn't a lot of stirring to mix it in.
 
Can this just be "bottled" into growlers and other large vessels? Would there be a problem with oxidation if drinking from a larger bottle over several days? My capper broke during my last batch
 
I had the same question a while back in this thread. Typical response was to treat it like wine. Drink within a few days of opening.
 
Thanks for the replies, do I definitely need to degas for safe use of these containers or is that more for clarifying the skeeter pee? I've been taking extra time at each step and it cleared pretty fast on its own after adding the finings without any degassing
 
zachary80 said:
Thanks for the replies, do I definitely need to degas for safe use of these containers or is that more for clarifying the skeeter pee? I've been taking extra time at each step and it cleared pretty fast on its own after adding the finings without any degassing
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If you are clear, it is most likely degassed anyway. I never did it to my first batch that turned out crystal clear and still.

Are you planning on carbing it or just bottling it still? Should be fine in the growlers. I sometimes use beer bottles and I also have a corker so I bottle it in wine bottles as well.
 
Not a dumb question at all.

Tannin helps to complete the taste of the wine and round it out along with provide a level of positive mouthfeel. The tannin is slightly bitter and that just balances the highly acidic and sweet wine once back sweetened. Some on this thread say the 6 cups of sugar is too much per the original instructions and I bet a good handful of those that say that did not add the proper amount of tannin.
 
Arpolis said:
Not a dumb question at all.

Tannin helps to complete the taste of the wine and round it out along with provide a level of positive mouthfeel. The tannin is slightly bitter and that just balances the highly acidic and sweet wine once back sweetened. Some on this thread say the 6 cups of sugar is too much per the original instructions and I bet a good handful of those that say that did not add the proper amount of tannin.
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Wow, I've never added tannin to my pee and thought it was too sweet. I actually missed that step on my first two tries. Pee was awesome anyway but I can't wait to add it on the next batch if it will be better!
 
This is interesting, I do not like wine at all, but like the idea of a hard lemonaid and actually started a thread asking if I could do skeeter pee without the tannin. The consensus was that although technically a wine, it does not taste like one. So I decided to stick with the recipe and added the tannin. I am not yet sure of the results as it is still fermenting.
If I don't like the original, I guess I will try a batch without the tannin.
 
ChrisL_ said:
This is interesting, I do not like wine at all, but like the idea of a hard lemonaid and actually started a thread asking if I could do skeeter pee without the tannin. The consensus was that although technically a wine, it does not taste like one. So I decided to stick with the recipe and added the tannin. I am not yet sure of the results as it is still fermenting.
If I don't like the original, I guess I will try a batch without the tannin.
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My fiancee hates winey kinda aftertaste you get from wine yeasts but she looooooves the Skeeter Pee, the EC1118 seem to have no wine aftertaste
 
ChrisL_ said:
This is interesting, I do not like wine at all, but like the idea of a hard lemonaid and actually started a thread asking if I could do skeeter pee without the tannin. The consensus was that although technically a wine, it does not taste like one. So I decided to stick with the recipe and added the tannin. I am not yet sure of the results as it is still fermenting.
If I don't like the original, I guess I will try a batch without the tannin.
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I don't use grape tannin or oak tannin in my SP like lots of people do but rather use black tea. 1 tbs if black tea thrown in dry into the primary has a similar effect of adding the bitter tannin quality & mouthfeel but I am sure there is some taste difference. I just never tried a SP with traditional wine tannins side by side to mine. You might give that a try if your current batch is not to your taste.
 
I love this board so many people willing to help and share feedback etc. :rockin:


Ostomo517 said:
My fiancee hates winey kinda aftertaste you get from wine yeasts but she looooooves the Skeeter Pee, the EC1118 seem to have no wine aftertaste
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Great! EC1118 is what i used.

I don't use grape tannin or oak tannin in my SP like lots of people do but rather use black tea. 1 tbs if black tea thrown in dry into the primary has a similar effect of adding the bitter tannin quality & mouthfeel but I am sure there is some taste difference. I just never tried a SP with traditional wine tannins side by side to mine. You might give that a try if your current batch is not to your taste
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Thanks, I will keep that in mind while drinking the first 5 gallons :drunk:
 
Arpolis said:
I don't use grape tannin or oak tannin in my SP like lots of people do but rather use black tea. 1 tbs if black tea thrown in dry into the primary has a similar effect of adding the bitter tannin quality & mouthfeel but I am sure there is some taste difference. I just never tried a SP with traditional wine tannins side by side to mine. You might give that a try if your current batch is not to your taste.
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Definately something I will try on next batch, I would think tea and SP would go hand in hand
 
Could anyone describe the taste before back sweetening. Mine was less than desirable, I poured in the sugar anyways and am waiting to bottle ill taste it a few days to check just wondering.
 
Whsoj said:
Could anyone describe the taste before back sweetening. Mine was less than desirable, I poured in the sugar anyways and am waiting to bottle ill taste it a few days to check just wondering.
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Mine wasnt very good either before sweetening and clearing. Was very yeasty and too tart but it turned out great
 
I've found it needs a bit more aging than is stated before it gets really good. Takes a bit for the active fermentation flavors to subside. I let my nose tell me when it's ready, sp has an off barf like smell to it to me that comes from the yeast mixed with the acidity of the lemon. This smell comes through in taste of course but it subsides in about 2 months after its cleared. Once it smells like sweet tasty lemon, it's amazing! I've had people curse me whom I let have a bottle without warning them. ;-)
 
D_Nyholm said:
If you are clear, it is most likely degassed anyway. I never did it to my first batch that turned out crystal clear and still.

Are you planning on carbing it or just bottling it still? Should be fine in the growlers. I sometimes use beer bottles and I also have a corker so I bottle it in wine bottles as well.
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No carbonating, just back sweetening. Everything we bottle into will have held something carbonated in the past, just to be safe
 
Arpolis said:
Not a dumb question at all.

Tannin helps to complete the taste of the wine and round it out along with provide a level of positive mouthfeel. The tannin is slightly bitter and that just balances the highly acidic and sweet wine once back sweetened. Some on this thread say the 6 cups of sugar is too much per the original instructions and I bet a good handful of those that say that did not add the proper amount of tannin.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help and patience, I appreciate it!
:mug:
 
hey all, I have some skeeter pee (~6G) and a cyser (~6G) (I just used apple juice fermented with honey) that I would like to get on draft and I was wondering a few things.

I've created a separate thread in the cider making section for my cyser.

1.I have a Buon Vino mini jet wine filter, I use for filtering my wines, can I use that to filter my SP? should I?

2.if I do filter, do I just filter from the carboy to the keg, via the lid hole, and then just close it up, and put it under pressure? sorry for the stupid question, as I said, I am new and I've watched soo many you tube videos and read so many posts...my mind is starting to get garbled

3. I have cleared my SP, but not backsweetened it yet. being that I am going to keg it, would I add the 6 cups of sugar and maybe some metabisulfites, let that sit for a bit and then put it into the keg? or can I just do all that in the keg, and let it sit in the kegerator to carb up? or do I need to add something else?

thanks for any and all help.
 
Followed the original recipe, pitched with a slurry of cab sauv after 24 hrs and lots of aeration
Checked this morning (12 hours in) and fermentation has started 20c OG 1070 I have about 3 or 4 inches of head space in my primary bucket hope this is enough?
 
A50SNAKE said:
hey all, I have some skeeter pee (~6G) and a cyser (~6G) (I just used apple juice fermented with honey) that I would like to get on draft and I was wondering a few things.

I've created a separate thread in the cider making section for my cyser.

1.I have a Buon Vino mini jet wine filter, I use for filtering my wines, can I use that to filter my SP? should I?

2.if I do filter, do I just filter from the carboy to the keg, via the lid hole, and then just close it up, and put it under pressure? sorry for the stupid question, as I said, I am new and I've watched soo many you tube videos and read so many posts...my mind is starting to get garbled

3. I have cleared my SP, but not backsweetened it yet. being that I am going to keg it, would I add the 6 cups of sugar and maybe some metabisulfites, let that sit for a bit and then put it into the keg? or can I just do all that in the keg, and let it sit in the kegerator to carb up? or do I need to add something else?

thanks for any and all help.
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I don't filter or keg my wines at all so can't be much help there. But when you add the sulfites and sorbate to stabilize do not immediately keg. You need some time for the sulfites to gass off or you run the risk of having a little sulfery smell left in the SP.
 
Arpolis said:
I don't filter or keg my wines at all so can't be much help there. But when you add the sulfites and sorbate to stabilize do not immediately keg. You need some time for the sulfites to gass off or you run the risk of having a little sulfery smell left in the SP.
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hey Arpolis, thanks for your reply!! :mug:

ok, theres no issues there, I actually cleared/stabilized over 2-3 months ago...LOL, got busy with work, life...you know, the usual...

so, when I backsweeten now, adding the 6 cups of sugar, can I keg it right afterwards? or should I wait some time?

thanks,
 
Again I don't keg but in case no one else chimed in I don't see why you can't keg immediately.
 
Arpolis said:
Again I don't keg but in case no one else chimed in I don't see why you can't keg immediately.
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oh ok sorry, I missed that you said you don't keg after don't filter, sorry to bother you...I'll just give it a go, and then learn...that's half the fun right? LOL

thanks again.
 
Mold?
I started a batch and was letting it sit the first 24hr to gass off, long story short it has sat for about 2 weeks and not pitched as im working on a ferm chamber for temp control. Looking in the bucket I see a couple spotches of mold...... :(

Should I clean as much off as I can and pitch the yeast OR should I dump it and start over, after cleaning things up...

Thanks!
 
A50SNAKE said:
oh ok sorry, I missed that you said you don't keg after don't filter, sorry to bother you...I'll just give it a go, and then learn...that's half the fun right? LOL

thanks again.
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Oh sorry I did not want to sound bothered at all. I just wanted to give my 2c but let you know to take my words with a grain of salt is all.
 
Personally, I would rather spend 10 more bucks to start over and not have to worry about mold. That being said, I've never had to deal with mold so it might not harm it at all, but I wouldn't risk it.
 
Arpolis said:
Oh sorry I did not want to sound bothered at all. I just wanted to give my 2c but let you know to take my words with a grain of salt is all.
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no worries Arpolis...I didn't mean it like that either, bad choice of words on my part...I understood perfectly, just read thru your post a little to fast and didn't pay enough attention...we are good...and thanks again for your help.
 
Made a batch of this a week ago and it fermented out. Cleared it the other day. I've never been more psyched to taste anything as I am about this. In fact, I'm making my second batch tonight.
 
First batch came out perfect and delicious! My fiancee wants me to get started on another batch asap! Thanks for all your help guys.

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