Extra Hard Lemonade

[Brewmiser]

Funny i was just thinking the same thing about using extra light malt extract.

 

[Brewmiser]

Taste great, didn't go as low as I thought it would though but i'm okay with that. So i'm going to prime & Bottle today.

 

[hyperslug]

I was trying to decide between skeeter pee and this but ended going with this because it seemed a bit easier. I rehydrated and then pitched 1.5 packets of EC1118. I used the recipe to a tee other than the yeast and I filled a 6 gallon better bottle to close to the top. I had disolved all 10lbs of sugar in 4 gallons of water but it still collected on the bottom after it cooled. On day two it is bubling nicely, every 2-3 seconds. I am going to ignore if for awhile but maybe shake it a bit the first couple of weeks.

I didn't do a gravity reading so won't truly know the ABV. I would think it is going to take more yeast pitching to eat up all that sugar. Any thoughts and how much and how often to repitch. Seems like if you are not getting 10%+ alcohol content from this then you are wasting a lot of sugar.

 

[brazedowl]

I've never repitched. I just let it go until it's done and clear. The last batch was actually too sweet and I "watered" it down with some skeeter pee that was painfully dry and sour. worked out pretty well. Going to drink a significant amount of it watching Isabel roll through tomorrow.

 

[Ecc97]

I am very new to wine making. When the recipe calls for "regular cane sugar," is the "sugar-in-the-raw" type or would regular brown sugar or white sugar work just as well?

 

[lextasy23]

Regular old white sugar from Domino in a 5lb bag. (Sucrose)

...as opposed to corn sugar (dextrose)

 

[hyperslug]

Mine has been fermenting since 8/24/11 and followed the recipe except used EC1118 and re pitched about a month ago. Waiting for it to become less sweet. What is the longest anybody fermented this stuff and did it eventually get less sweet? I'm considering diluting and bottling.

 

[brazedowl]

I let mine go about this long once. how much did your sg go down?

 

[hyperslug]

I am beening lazy and did not take sg. Gonna bottle this weekend.

 

[Satisfaction]

Tossed this batch together last night, thanks for sharing!

Cheers

 

[Satisfaction]

Wow this one was difficult to start, I checked the acid content this afternoon and it was resting at 1.3%. Had to drop the acid content make a huge starter.. It is contently bubbling away now after 4 days of nothing.

 

[brazedowl]

I wonder if the acid varies from brand to brand on the lemonade concentrate?

 

[Satisfaction]

That would be my guess. It would make sense why people have problems starting recipes like this one and others have a great easy experience.

 

[Capecodwhale]

I brewed this on 4/29/11 according to recipe. I made several yeast starters knowing from previous posts that there was some trouble. Original yeast could not takeoff. I added the EC1118 and it was like a volcano. I had to cover the carboy opening and let it pressurize until the foaming stopped. 20 days in primary, 30 days in secondary, then bottled. It took a few month before it was drinkable because it tasted hot. End result is a dry, not sweet concoction with very good clarity. It does not have much lemonade flavor and has to be poured over ice to dilute. As of today it is still good bottled, so I would say it has a good shelf life thus far.

 

[nukinfuts29]

I just made mine, doing the pink version. Got it in a better bottle under airlock for the primary since i pitched it on top of my Apfelwein cake.

 

[brazedowl]

I just made mine, doing the pink version. Got it in a better bottle under airlock for the primary since i pitched it on top of my Apfelwein cake.

Never used an apfelwein cake! Let us know how it turns out. I'll be interested to see if it takes off right away.

 

[SenorPepe]

Indeed. I think I'm going to do a batch of this after my apfelwein is done.

 

[nukinfuts29]

It took off within an hour and is flying along with 0 issues. Original Gravity at time of pitch was 1.051

 

[nukinfuts29]

23 hours later and Gravity went from 1.151 to 1.141 so fermentation is off with a bang. It sounds like someone dropped 40 cups of pop rocks in there!

 

[brazedowl]

Ok so the new plan is Apfelwein then lemonade

Wat apfelwein recipe did you use? I'm intrigued as to how you trained the yeast so well.

 

[nukinfuts29]

Well I'm using Nottingham, they don't need training. They are to yeast what mexicans are to day laborers

Recipe is Ed's to a T

 

[nukinfuts29]

New update since people have asked:

As of 12/15 @ 12:40AM: Gravity is at 1.130

 

[Colesrt8]

New update since people have asked:

As of 12/15 @ 12:40AM: Gravity is at 1.130

Where do you plan on stopping it at? 1.01 or 1.02 that about 18-19% its gonna be potent. let us know how it turns out

 

[nukinfuts29]

I really haven't decided. My general plan is to let it drop to around 1.10, then rack off to a secondary and leave it until it balances out on it's own.

 

[SenorPepe]

At 1.10 or 1.010? If 1.10, can you elaborate on why you'll do this? Thanks.

 

[nukinfuts29]

At 1.10 or 1.010? If 1.10, can you elaborate on why you'll do this? Thanks.

Stupid inverted numbers, I mean 1.010

 

[SenorPepe]

Gotcha.

 

[nukinfuts29]

My only fear is that if it comes out ~ 18% it may be a headache magnet. I'm willing to find out

 

[SenorPepe]

Science thanks you.

 

[nukinfuts29]

yea when i pull Gravity tonight i'm looking forward to seeing how its coming along

 

[nukinfuts29]

Very tastey so far.

Tonight, back up to 1.140. interesting.

 

[brazedowl]

haha gotta love that mystery rise in SG

 

[JoshuaW]

I pitched mine with Nottingham on Friday, since that was all the "spare" yeast I had, and I didnt really feel like driving 20 miles to the LHBS just for a yeast run. So far it has been slow to start. There is definitely some activity, the lid on the bucket kind swells after 2-3 hours, but there has not been any airlock activity. The airlock is floting, so I have a feeling that it is bubbling, just at a significantly slow rate. It hasnt been very long, so I am going to stick it out and see what happens. At what point should I consider repitching, or is there anything I can do to help it along? I am kind of thinking maybe make up a warm sugar/water solution, take a sample from the batch, and create a second "starter" assuming that the sample has enough viable yeast, of course. Good learning experience, I suppose.

 

[nukinfuts29]

RDWHAHB.

It's nottingham, it's fine, leave it be

 

[nukinfuts29]

I have a few more minutes now, so i will elaborate:

Lemonade is VERY hard on yeast. It is one of the toughest construction jobs your yeast will face all season. They will catch up, they are just in shock right now. Wait 4 days, if on the fourth night they haven't improved at all (base this on gravity readings) then make a starter with lots of food and put it under airlock. Let it really get going, and then pitch it.

 

[brazedowl]

I would like to say that Nukinfuts is EHL's most helpful fan

 

[nukinfuts29]

 

[Colesrt8]

RDWHAHB.

It's nottingham, it's fine, leave it be

RDWHAHB what the f does that stand for lol

 

[nukinfuts29]

Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew.

 

[bigbeergeek]

12 pages and not one shot of this stuff in a glass? For shame gentlemen...