Extra Hard Lemonade

[HessenHelles]

Has anyone tried Brown sugar?

 

[HessenHelles]

Bump.

Just wondering if using Brown sugar would be beneficial in keeping the yeasties working in the high acidity?

 

[brazedowl]

hadn't thought of that.... hmm... worth a try?

 

[HessenHelles]

I only have a few brews under my belt, but I plan to try this next. Do you think if I used Brown sugar, I would get some off flavors?

 

[HessenHelles]

I tried this one today. I followed the recipe exactly as listed, using great value concentrate from wally world. 7 lemon, 3 lime. I added water to 6 gallons. My question is. What is your OG when you make this? Mine was 1.130, does that seem high to you?

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

should be around 1.112

 

[HessenHelles]

48 hours later.....No action.

I popped the top on the bucket, and I looked like the yeast was floating on top. So, I gave it a good stir and put the top back on.

Any idea's?

 

[kingogames]

Got the stuff for this today. Following the OP recipe exactly. Don't have any yeast nutrient, just energizer, so I'll have to pick some up. I'm putting this into two 3 gal containers (they are actually 4 gal, but 3 gaal in each). Can I put 1/2 yeast pkt in each or should I use a pkt. each, and put the full nutrient and energizer in each just to be safe or 1/2 those too?

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

From experience I tried a full pack of yeast and it wouldn't take off. I'd make a starter with sugar (I also threw in apple juice) and after that gets going add about 100ml of the recipe ingredients at a time every couple hours. After you get a litre or so and it's going good, then add it to your primary. Just pitching the yeast seems to be a hard if not impossible go for them lil buggers.

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

1

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

48 hours later.....No action.

I popped the top on the bucket, and I looked like the yeast was floating on top. So, I gave it a good stir and put the top back on.

Any idea's?

Did you make a starter. I pitched a pack of EC1118 and nothing. Made a quick starter with same yeast and some sugar and apple juice. She took off in 2 hours.

 

[HessenHelles]

Did you make a starter. I pitched a pack of EC1118 and nothing. Made a quick starter with same yeast and some sugar and apple juice. She took off in 2 hours.

What I did was. Rehydrate one pack of Montrachet in a mason jar with 1 cup 85 deg water. About a half hour later I added a few cups from the primary. Two hours later the yeast was really going to town. So I pitched. I did not use nutrient or energizer.

So today, I rehydrated another packet in a 2 litter soda bottle, then added .5 liter must, and nutrient, and topped off with airlock. Before I go the sleep I will add another .5 liter.

How long should I let this go before I pitch?

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

I pitched the starter after about 4 hours. But I'm impatient. Couldn't hurt to leave it and do it the next day.

 

[HessenHelles]

Help!!!

I'm ready to pitch my 1L starter after 24 hours.

But, I'm not sure if I should scoop out the dead yeasties floating in the primary first. Looks discusting.

Any thoughts?

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

Help!!!

I'm ready to pitch my 1L starter after 24 hours.

But, I'm not sure if I should scoop out the dead yeasties floating in the primary first. Looks discusting.

Any thoughts?

Dead yeast are food and nutrients for the living. I'd fire it all in.

 

[HessenHelles]

Thanks. Going to dump it in now.

 

[PDWhite]

~~Ingredients~~
10# Regular Cane Sugar
7 Containers off brand lemonade concentrate
3 Containers limeade OR pink lemonade concentrate
1pkt Redstar Montrachet Yeast (have used yeast cake left from the cherry pie wine as well)
1 tbls Energizer
1 tbls Nutrient
Water to 5-6 Gallons

~~Prep~~
1) Dissolved sugar in 3-4 Gallons of H2O.
2) Placed concentrate in primary while sugar dissolves over med-low heat.
3) Added sugar water to primary
4) Started yeast in mason jar of combined solution at ~85F.
5) Pitched yeast into brewbucket and added water to bring to 6 gal

~~Primary~~
Sat in an Ale Pail on my kitchen counter for two weeks. Regular room temp 70F-75F

~Secondary~~
Used blue plastic 5gal water jug (the type found at lowes etc).

Continued fermenting at 70F-75F until bubbling has almost completely ceased

~~Bottling~~
Bottled into 12oz beer bottles with crown caps

~~Notes & Comments~~
- Limeade version tastes so much like mikes hard lemonade it's crazy
- Pink lemonade version is still bubbling... I'll report back later

~~Moral of the story~~
Cheap. Yummy. Enjoyed by all.

As I only have the 6 gallon bucket and 5 gallon carboy.. what kind of blow off did you get? I noticed Primary water to 6 gallons then secondary in 5 gallon jug.. did you get a gallon of blow off? where did the extra go?

I want to try this so it is a real question, As SWMBO would be very upset with a gallon of sticky stuff in the cupboard where I ferment.

Cheersipe:

 

[PDWhite]

How does this rate compared to Skeeter Pee? Anybody who have tried both?

 

[HessenHelles]

After a little more than 24 hours, after repitch, there is no airlock activity. But I popped the top, and it looks and smells like its going. Fingers crossed.

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

Mine sounded like pop in a glass. And take a SG reading. It goes slow and doesn't show much action.

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

As I only have the 6 gallon bucket and 5 gallon carboy.. what kind of blow off did you get? I noticed Primary water to 6 gallons then secondary in 5 gallon jug.. did you get a gallon of blow off? where did the extra go?

I want to try this so it is a real question, As SWMBO would be very upset with a gallon of sticky stuff in the cupboard where I ferment.

Cheersipe:

It ferments very slow and calm. No blowoff.

 

[HessenHelles]

SG was/is 1.130

 

[HessenHelles]

Mine sounded like pop in a glass. And take a SG reading. It goes slow and doesn't show much action.

Mine sounds exactly like that. Thanks for the help!!!

 

[brazedowl]

It ferments very slow and calm. No blowoff.

Agreed. I've never had a blow off issue with anything except beer and some ciders.

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

Hey braze, what was your fg on this stuff. Mines around 1.05 but she's still pretty syrupy.

 

[EZCyclone]

subed

 

[kingogames]

I put this in the two 4 gal primaries today. Filled them both to the mark, so diluted by 1 gal. (3.5 I think, each, left some headspace, but not much needed from what I've read on this thread.) Still clocking in at around 10%!! Used 1 packet of Montrachet and 1T energizer/nutrient each. Going great tonight!! Started within 2 hrs this afternoon!

 

[brazedowl]

Hey braze, what was your fg on this stuff. Mines around 1.05 but she's still pretty syrupy.

I'll have to crack open a bottle and check. haha sounds like a good enough excuse to me.

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

Well I transferred to secondary and after 5 days it's stayed 1.05 and syrupy. Gunna make a starter tommorow and pitch. Gotta drop it a bit.

 

[brazedowl]

Yea 1.050 is really syrupy. Did the starter take off?