Drop top Cranberry HARD lemonade

[Jaybird]

warm 1 gallon of bottled spring water on stove to about 120 deg add 2# of light DME and 2# corn sugar with 3 camdon tabs. disolve totally. It may take some more heat to do that and a little time.
I used
3 cans of minute made lemonade
1 can minute made PINK lemonade
3 cans of LANGERS cranberry juice
all frozen without any presertives
in fermenting bucket I added all the juice the 1 gal of warm H2O with sugars and 2 more gallons of spring water then added my yeast starter this was almost 4.5 gal total. cover and top with an airlock and give a small shake everyday for the first 5 days fermentation started after 24 hours

I transfered to secondary and added 3 tsp of sorbate-K to kill the yeast @ 1.014
I will add some more DME and corn sugar and maybe some more cranberry and lemonade consentrate to taste. I am not sure how much as this is in secondary as I type this.

 

[jdtriumph]

Sounds tasty, have you done this or a similar recipe before? I am thinking of something like this, maybe with peach for the SWMBO and friends.

How long do you plan on having this in secondary and do you plan on carb'ing this?

thanks for the info, and good luck

 

[Jaybird]

no.. this is the first try on this type of thing. its in secondary now and I am going to keg and carb tonight. It is very tasty thus far and I only forsee it getting better. it does need to be sweetend I will probably add a little more DME and the rest corn sugar. not sure how much yet I will let you know how much I use and you can use that as a guide. I will be carbonating this.
cheers
JJ

 

[jdtriumph]

Thanks for the info, I may try to brew something like this soon, one last question as i am a complete noob, where do you get the pot. sorbate? I hear it talked about but have no clue.

Also, did you use any nutrient? I noticed in the other thread it was mentioned to help with the acidity

 

[Jaybird]

LHBS for the sorbate or on of the online dealers like B3. I only heated 1 gallon of H2o so no need for a big boil kettle, just add the H2o to the bucket with the starter and all the goodies and youll be well on your way
JJ

 

[billpa]

So how ist it after a couple of months?

 

[Jaybird]

So how ist it after a couple of months?

very drinkable! when I do this again I will use a beer yeast. not really sure what one yet but the yeast I used takes to long to drop out and lose the yeast taste.
JJ

 

[Jaybird]

Yeast taste gone and a KILLER taste I love the stuff and the wife WELL I GOTTA GO!!!!!!

 

[strangebrewer]

I made a keg of this and the SWMBO loves it. It's only been carbing for 3 days and Even I have to admit it's pretty awesome.
Here are some notes I took on it.
I made it on 2-2-08 and forgot to take the OG, I also used Welch's cranberry concentrate instead of Langers (I couldn't find any)
Started fermenting on 2-3-08 and and finished with an f.g. of 1.010 7 days later fermented at about 68 degrees
Racked to the secondary and added 1/2 lb of corn sugar and dme heated up in some water 1 can cranberry and 1 can lemonade concentrate. Along with some pre sorbate k to stop the fermentation.
On 4-13-08 I racked to the keg and added (due to the wifes request) 1 can lemonade and 1/2 gallon ocean spray cranberry juice.
She already wants me to make this again. JJ did you make this a second time? and did you use another kind of yeast? I'm thinking maybe a weizen yeast? Something to keep the frutiness.
Thanks for this recipe, its a keeper!

 

[Jaybird]

I made a keg of this and the SWMBO loves it. It's only been carbing for 3 days and Even I have to admit it's pretty awesome.
Here are some notes I took on it.
I made it on 2-2-08 and forgot to take the OG, I also used Welch's cranberry concentrate instead of Langers (I couldn't find any)
Started fermenting on 2-3-08 and and finished with an f.g. of 1.010 7 days later fermented at about 68 degrees
Racked to the secondary and added 1/2 lb of corn sugar and dme heated up in some water 1 can cranberry and 1 can lemonade concentrate. Along with some pre sorbate k to stop the fermentation.
On 4-13-08 I racked to the keg and added (due to the wifes request) 1 can lemonade and 1/2 gallon ocean spray cranberry juice.
She already wants me to make this again. JJ did you make this a second time? and did you use another kind of yeast? I'm thinking maybe a weizen yeast? Something to keep the frutiness.
Thanks for this recipe, its a keeper!

just got you PM but to share no I didn't make it again yet.. just finished the keg out a couple of months ago. Weizen yeast may be good but I want something that will flock out like WLP001 or maybe even an english ale yeast. I ma glad you like it I know everyone around here enjoyed it
Enjoy the brew
Cheers
JJ

 

[strangebrewer]

I made 2 1 gallon batches of this today. I used 1/2 lb dme and 1/2 lb corn sugar. 1 can lemonade 1 can cranberry and 1/3 can pink lemonade for both batches. The O.G. was 1.110 which I thought was a little high but I guess I'll see what happens. I pitched with some yeast that was previously washed, 1 with wyeast 1056 and 1 with wyeast 1028. I'll update whenever I get some progress.

 

[Jaybird]

ahhh....that looks nice. Love the color
JJ

 

[strangebrewer]

I used yoopers info from this thread to make a starter for this. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=12104
I used about 1/4th cup corn sugar,200 ml of water, 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient, and 2 turkey basters full of the hcl mixture. That took off in about 30 mins, then I kept adding turkey basters full until I felt ready to throw in. It took off in about 1 hr.
Now just to wait!

 

[strangebrewer]

The 1056 was a very vigorus ferment. It fermented to 1.028, it's ok, but a little sour. I'm going to have to add something, maybe some sugar,cranberry or lemonade. The 1028 never showed any signs of fermentation, but it fermented all the way down to 1.002 and is way too sour. I'm not quite sure what to do with this one. That's alot of alcohol content in either any way you look at it.

 

[Jaybird]

Brother you have taken this to a whole new level!!! Rock on my man... rock on. I just dont see why the 1056 just went to 1.028??? I wonder if its the acid??
good research all the same.
JJ

 

[strangebrewer]

SOrry I meant to write that the 1056 had a gravity of 1.020, I don't know how I got 1.028 haha sorry. It may not have been done either, I kinda stopped it after 2 weeks to leave some sugars in it. They are in the fridge right now and when they're cool enough I'm gonna experiment with additions.

 

[strangebrewer]

Just an update, the wife didn't like either batch I made with the beer yeast, she said they tasted too much like beer. I thought they tasted just fine! So I made a batch using welch's berry splash,and the same exact method as the origional hard cranberry lamonade,and she said the same thing about that. Tastes like a berry beer. I rather like it, but I'm not really into fruity drinks. I kinda drink it in between keg kicks. I made another batch of the hard cranberry lemonade exactly the way I did it the first time and that's a winner. I guess I'll always have some of that on tap. A matter of fact, she's so proud of this stuff she makes me take some to every outing we go to so everyone can try it! Thanks jay! I can finally make something my wife will drink.

 

[Jaybird]

Good for you bro. Now she will stay out of your beer!! LOL
Cheers

 

[Hegh]

I'm about ready to backsweeten this. Any reason not to go with a sucrose solution or high fructose corn syrup? Plus some lemonade concentrate, of course...

 

[Jaybird]

I'm about ready to backsweeten this. Any reason not to go with a sucrose solution or high fructose corn syrup? Plus some lemonade concentrate, of course...

None at all. You might want to add a bit of DME as well, If you want that malt taste. Just make sure you kill off all the yeast.
Cheers
Jay

 

[Hegh]

None at all. You might want to add a bit of DME as well, If you want that malt taste. Just make sure you kill off all the yeast.
Cheers
Jay

Cool.

Yeast should be dead, I threw some potassium sorbate in last month (just letting it clear now). I'll probably avoid the DME, since I'd prefer not to have the malt flavor in a cranberry lemonade.

 

[Hegh]

Just finished bottling about an hour ago. I sweetened with 1 can of lemonade concentrate, 1 can of cranberry juice concentrate, and 5 cups of invert sugar solution (explained below). It's a little sweeter than I meant, but I think it'll be great if poured over seltzer. I don't have a method of carbing it, so I bottled still in wine bottles.

Inverted sugar syrup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is a solution of glucose + fructose made by splitting sucrose molecules. It is sweeter than an equal amount of syrup without splitting the sucrose. To make it, combine 2 parts sucrose (table sugar) with 1 part water and 10 mL lemon juice per 1 kg sucrose in a saucepan and simmer for 20+ minutes.

Wife doesn't seem to like it but I'm hoping that she'll come around when she's not exhausted and trying to take a nap. I think it'll make a great party drink, perhaps mixed with seltzer in a punch bowl.

 

[Hegh]

After a week in the fridge, it still tastes yeasty... I used champagne yeast, anyone have any suggestions? I guess I could leave it in the fridge for two weeks and see...

 

[Hegh]

It's aged for a bit, an I really like it. I mix it with plain seltzer, about 2-3 parts cranberry lemonade and 1 part seltzer.

SWMBO not such a big fan, my guess is that it tastes too yeasty for her. She might like it more now than when I was bottling it, but she hasn't wanted to try it...

Good recipe, I just drank close to 1.5L tonight

 

[Jaybird]

I am wondering if Lalvin yeast would be a better yeast choice for this brew

 

[BeerBrods22]

I made a keg of this and the SWMBO loves it. It's only been carbing for 3 days and Even I have to admit it's pretty awesome.
Here are some notes I took on it.
I made it on 2-2-08 and forgot to take the OG, I also used Welch's cranberry concentrate instead of Langers (I couldn't find any)
Started fermenting on 2-3-08 and and finished with an f.g. of 1.010 7 days later fermented at about 68 degrees
Racked to the secondary and added 1/2 lb of corn sugar and dme heated up in some water 1 can cranberry and 1 can lemonade concentrate. Along with some pre sorbate k to stop the fermentation.
On 4-13-08 I racked to the keg and added (due to the wifes request) 1 can lemonade and 1/2 gallon ocean spray cranberry juice.
She already wants me to make this again. JJ did you make this a second time? and did you use another kind of yeast? I'm thinking maybe a weizen yeast? Something to keep the frutiness.
Thanks for this recipe, its a keeper!

Why did you decide to add the DME after the fermentation?
was it to leave a "malty" taste?
IF you would have added it originally wouldn't you have a similar (maybe formore subtle) taste?

 

[ubnserved]

Just looking for any updates on recipes. Anyone figure a good yeast to use?

 

[mutate]

I made this almost two weeks ago. using the original directions, plus I used the WLP001 yeast. Serious Overcarb, so had to put a blow tub in it. after a few days of that its still bubbling pretty regularly.

will see how it tastes, hopefully i won't have to add anything can take it right to the keg.