I never thought I'd ask, but....

[Brooothru]

My daughter and son-in-law are having a new outdoor kitchen built onto their home in Florida next to their pool. They're having a two-tap kegerator built and installed along with a bar, grill and deep sink, and under-counter refrigerator. Lately my son-in-law has gone over to 'the dark side' (no, not NEIPAs!) and has become quite enamored of seltzers. I've been advising them of what to request from the builder for the kegerator, and since SIL isn't a home brewer I advised going with Sanke D connections so they can order sixtels from any of the superb micros in St. Pete. Now my daughter has 'suggested' that I make a seltzer for ½ of the inaugural stocking. I make a lot of wine and occasionally brew a cider, but a seltzer will be a first.

There are a multitude of recipes and even a few kits out there, and it looks pretty simple and straight forward: water, sugar (dextrose usually), boil/chill, add yeast (I'll probably ferment under pressure and spund for carbonation), add flavoring to taste before packaging. Boom. Done. Is that really all it takes? It looks too simple.

For the most part the ingredients seem simple, cheap and easily attainable. The only question I have is about what yeast to use. All the recipes say "clean" yeast but don't suggest which one. The default for me would be a low ester ale or lager at the lower range of temperature for the specific strain. But then I got to thinking that since the only "tose" doesn't include maltose or maltriose that a fermenter more friendly towards simpler dextrins might be more appropriate, like EC-1118 Champaign yeast or similar that finishes dry and clean, and is very alcohol tolerant, even though most seltzers are in the 4 ½ to 5% ABV range.

So, I'm feelin' like a pretty big Noob here, looking for answers to what are probably simple questions. If anyone has suggestions or past experience with making 'good' (relatively speaking) seltzers, your comments are hereby solicited. This particular beverage isn't exactly my favorite, but it is well liked by the millennial crowd they hang with. I'll try anything once.

 

[wepeeler]

If you want insanely simple, you could literally fill a keg and carb it for plain seltzer. I use Amoretti flavoring and add some gin or vodka to make it hard seltzer. Either in the glass after pouring, or directly to the keg. I prefer in the glass, so I can enjoy NA seltzer if I don't feel like drinking. (Which is hardly ever, but just sayin...Nice to have options.)

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Yeast nutrients are recommended. Mangrove Jacks has a package of yeast and nutrients specifically for seltzer if you want to look at it.

 

[MaxStout]

Are you an AHA member? The Nov/Dec 2020 issue of Zymurgy has an extensive primer on hard seltzer.

 

[Brooothru]

If you want insanely simple, you could literally fill a keg and carb it for plain seltzer. I use Amoretti flavoring and add some gin or vodka to make it hard seltzer. Either in the glass after pouring, or directly to the keg. I prefer in the glass, so I can enjoy NA seltzer if I don't feel like drinking. (Which is hardly ever, but just sayin...Nice to have options.)

Good suggestion. I'd previously thought about (actually have) carbed up a keg of water for 'club soda'. Then add Ever Clear or cheap vodka to attain the desired ABV%, and finally blend in flavoring to taste. Then I figured that a dextrose fermentation would only take a few days to reach Final Gravity anyway, as would carbing with bottled CO2, so why not just spund it and save the need to refill the CO2 bottle sooner. Helps to amortize the $$$ of my Unitank, which makes SWMBO'd happy. Plus, dextrose is cheaper than neutral grain spirits.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

NGS Sugar yeast from White Star has been used with great success. Water, table sugar, and some flavoring will you where you want to be.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MPYLIV...id=23DCDT5NGWC7F&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it_im&th=1

 

[cubalz]

6 lbs Cane sugar, Propper Yeast nutrient, Kveik Lutra, and SuperKleer. Fermented out in 3-4 days at 80f and keg. Easy peasy. I make it for my wife all of the time. I have a ton of brewing flavorings for her to dose each glass a'la Berliner Weisse.

 

[Brooothru]

NGS Sugar yeast from White Star has been used with great success. Water, table sugar, and some flavoring will you where you want to be.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MPYLIV...id=23DCDT5NGWC7F&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it_im&th=1

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately on Amazon it's "currently out of stock" with no idea when it will be available. Must be a lot of moonshiners out there.

Fortunately, included in the link was a suggestion for using Whitestar D802 yeast which they described as "very neutral, especially in pure sucrose or glucose fermentations", so that gives me some direction with regards to yeast. Maybe a distiller's yeast or Turbo yeast is a better choice than sacc. cerevisiae or Pastorianus, although EC-1118 still looks like a possible choice. Not sure how well it would play with dextrose however.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately on Amazon it's "currently out of stock" with no idea when it will be available. Must be a lot of moonshiners out there.

Fortunately, included in the link was a suggestion for using Whitestar D802 yeast which they described as "very neutral, especially in pure sucrose or glucose fermentations", so that gives me some direction with regards to yeast. Maybe a distiller's yeast or Turbo yeast is a better choice than sacc. cerevisiae or Pastorianus, although EC-1118 still looks like a possible choice. Not sure how well it would play with dextrose however.

Awe, but then also 'yay!'. I didn't notice it was out of stock, but good to know on the D802!

 

[Geezer-Glide]

Simple baker’s yeast works well For low ABV washes. I have started fermentation with “Red Star” and finished with EA-1118 as bakers yeast is not terribly alcohol tolerant. The up-side is BY is dirt cheap and you can massively over pitch if you like. Not saying you should buy you can if you like.

 

[AzOr]

I love a good challenge. If tasked to make something outside of my normal repertoire, I usually geek out and try several varieties and brand of that beverage.
More than a couple of times, I grew fond of whatever style I was chasing.

As far as seltzers, sorry can’t be much help. Although one of the frequent guest on Basic Brewing podcast wrote a whole book on seltzers. Iirc, it’s Chris Colby. Maybe a good place to start.

Best of luck

 

[beren]

Don’t forget you can make a 2l starter with it, save half, next batch make a 2l starter, save half, etc. no need to spend money of packets every brew and rely on someone else’s stock.