Full Hard Lemonade recipe

[Hollyberries4343]

How did you force carb in bottles? I know about the pAsturization in bottles part....I'm new to brewing, sorry if silly question....

 

[sfrisby]

So that I understand your question, are you wanting to carb a dry cider (SG-1.000ish) or are you wanting to back sweeten and carb?

 

[E-Mursed]

Can this stuff be filtered without losing any of it's character?

 

[paulster2626]

Can this stuff be filtered without losing any of it's character?

I've got a few bottles that have been cold-conditioning for a looooong time. They pour crystal clear and are still very tasty.

I'd say it's fine - but of course the best way to find out would be to give it a go yourself (and report back!).

 

[bigken462]

I would like to attempt this to get me in the neighborhood of a Black Cherry hard lemonade, next up would be a simple cherry lemonade. I've watched several videos and read several threads, but I can't get a consensus on what ingredients to use. Some use apple juice to top off with, some use water. Some put in a cpl lbs of fruit, some don't. Some use ingredients to stop the yeast from fermenting further, some don't. As a new guy, I don't really know which direction to go. Everyone seems to enjoy their own recipes so it must be something that taste good.

I don't mind adding cherries and other fruits if needed. But don't know how doing so will affect the other amounts of ingredients.

I would like to have this bottle conditioned with a nice layer of foam, but not spewing over the top. I think the pasteurization method explained in the cider forum would be ideal for me, but I don't know which ingredients to omit for going that route.

Any of you guys got a recommendation?

 

[sfrisby]

One thing about brewing, there is no one right way to do anything. I'd suggest pick a method, try it, and try a different method next time. You'll find yourself gravitating towards what fits you best. Only way to know is try it all.

 

[bigken462]

I think this will be added to my off day chores today.

I’ve compiled this recipe from some videos that I watched. Could some of you review this to see that I’m in the ball park. My main concern is that I want this carbonated as mentioned in this thread previously.

So in doing so, would I omit the Potassium Sorbate and then let carbonate a few days to the desired level and then go through the pasteurization steps as discussed in the cider forums? Aside from that small part, the recipe looks straight forward. The guy in the video pitched his yeast at 80* which seems kinda high, but then again, I’ve never used wine yeast so this may be the norm?

Here is the recipe and instructions:
1. Add: 2lbs Golden LME or Light DME
Add: 2lbs of corn sugar
Add: 2lbs of honey
Add: 2-3lbs of cherries or other desired berries
2. Steep for 20 minutes at 160*
3. Add: 5 cans frozen Lemonade/Limeade concentrate
Add: 1 Gallon apple juice
Top off to 5 gallons water.
4. Reduce wort temperature to 80*
5. Add ¾ tsp of Pectic Enzyme
Add 5 tsp of Yeast Nurtient
Add: 1 ½ tsp of Yeast Energizer
6. Add: 2 packs of Lalvin EC-1118 wine yeast
7. Primary 7-10 days
8. Secondary 7 days or until clear
9. One day prior to bottling add 2 ½ tsp of Potassium Sorbate
10. Bottling day: Heat water to dislove 4-8 cups of cane sugar or to taste, add three cans of Lemonade/Limeade concentrate
11. Transfer to bottling bucket, add sugar/concentrate from above – mix well and bottle.

Soon as I get the carbonation part straight, this will be going in the bucket today. This recipe differs just a bit from post #2 of this thread. Seems like he suggested using 3 1/2 tsp. of Potassium Sorbate. Is this difference a big deal?

 

[paulster2626]

Soon as I get the carbonation part straight, this will be going in the bucket today. This recipe differs just a bit from post #2 of this thread. Seems like he suggested using 3 1/2 tsp. of Potassium Sorbate. Is this difference a big deal?

If you are carbing you don't want the potassium sorbate. Just leave it out and let the bottles carb up naturally for a few days.

I used a few PET bottles so I could give them a squeeze to see how things were progressing. I think it ended up being 4 days until they were carbed up right. Tried to pasteurize in the dishwasher but it didn't work.

If you can keep them cold then you can simply not pasteurize them at all and just drink whenever. I've had some carbed up ones in my fridge now for 4 months.

 

[bigken462]

I wished I had the extra fridge space, but just not there to use. I was thinking it would be correct to leave the sorbate out. I think I'll bottle most, and maybe stick back 12-18 in some soda bottles to enjoy while another batch of brew is going.

On a run to walmart this morning, I looked over the juices, and maybe I'm blind, but from name brand to elcheapo, not one said anything about "No Preservatives". Most just simply said pasteurized, 100% juice from concentrate with the only additive being ascorbic acid. That just being a vitamin, would something like that not be just as good? As for that matter, even the frozen concentrates did not list anything as being "no preservatives" etc. 42 years drinking the stuff and I never once gave a thought about preservatives. lol

Would you guys seed and stem the cherries?

Hope to grab the rest of the supplies today and get this going.

 

[paulster2626]

I wished I had the extra fridge space, but just not there to use. I was thinking it would be correct to leave the sorbate out. I think I'll bottle most, and maybe stick back 12-18 in some soda bottles to enjoy while another batch of brew is going.

On a run to walmart this morning, I looked over the juices, and maybe I'm blind, but from name brand to elcheapo, not one said anything about "No Preservatives". Most just simply said pasteurized, 100% juice from concentrate with the only additive being ascorbic acid. That just being a vitamin, would something like that not be just as good? As for that matter, even the frozen concentrates did not list anything as being "no preservatives" etc. 42 years drinking the stuff and I never once gave a thought about preservatives. lol

Would you guys seed and stem the cherries?

Hope to grab the rest of the supplies today and get this going.

None of them say preservative free as ascorbic acid is the preservative. It's fine to use.

 

[bigken462]

Thanks much for the replies Paul. Hope this stuff tastes as good as it looks. Was half tempted to do a dual batch of raspberry till I started to price some of those ingredients. Maybe i'm not so thirty after all. lol

 

[bigken462]

I stopped at the LHBS to get the supplies for this. Go figure he was out of corn sugar. I did notice the only quantity he sells is 4 lb bags. Rather than contending with the headache of trying to repackage the unused 2lbs of corn sugar from this opened bag, would it not be possible to omit the 2lbs of honey in the recipe that I posted above and just use the whole 4 lbs of sugar? Would be able to shave off 8 bucks from the grocery list if I could do that.

The only thing I think it would change would be the ABV, unless the honey contributes to the overall flavor of the recipe. I can deal with the slight increase of ABV. lol

 

[paulster2626]

I stopped at the LHBS to get the supplies for this. Go figure he was out of corn sugar. I did notice the only quantity he sells is 4 lb bags. Rather than contending with the headache of trying to repackage the unused 2lbs of corn sugar from this opened bag, would it not be possible to omit the 2lbs of honey in the recipe that I posted above and just use the whole 4 lbs of sugar? Would be able to shave off 8 bucks from the grocery list if I could do that. The only thing I think it would change would be the ABV, unless the honey contributes to the overall flavor of the recipe. I can deal with the slight increase of ABV. lol

I buy my corn sugar at a bulk food store. Bonus is you can weigh it out ahead of time - I make these useful 2# bags. Cheaper than the lhbs and they never run out.

I would scrap the honey and use 3# of sugar max.

 

[bknifefight]

...Rather than contending with the headache of trying to repackage the unused 2lbs of corn sugar from this opened bag...

Use a gallon sized zip lock. And also, don't use honey in this recipe. It's a waste. Just use sugar.

 

[IYAOYAS]

subscribed thanks all for there inputs I am currently making this recipe i will let everyone know how mine turns out

 

[smileyak87]

Could I make this and then secondary it on top of 5-6 pounds strawberries to give it a slight strawberry lemonade flavor?

 

[DrHops]

I would like to attempt this to get me in the neighborhood of a Black Cherry hard lemonade, next up would be a simple cherry lemonade. I've watched several videos and read several threads, but I can't get a consensus on what ingredients to use. Some use apple juice to top off with, some use water. Some put in a cpl lbs of fruit, some don't. Some use ingredients to stop the yeast from fermenting further, some don't. As a new guy, I don't really know which direction to go. Everyone seems to enjoy their own recipes so it must be something that taste good. I don't mind adding cherries and other fruits if needed. But don't know how doing so will affect the other amounts of ingredients. I would like to have this bottle conditioned with a nice layer of foam, but not spewing over the top. I think the pasteurization method explained in the cider forum would be ideal for me, but I don't know which ingredients to omit for going that route. Any of you guys got a recommendation?

Your best bet is to search for Dragons Blood. It's a strawberry hard lemonade that's awesome!!! You could very easily follow the recipe using frozen cherries instead of frozen strawberries. I've made the original recipe several times over the past year, out of the several dozen beers, ciders and hard lemonades I've made over the last 5 years, it's my wife's favorite!

 

[Inkdrop]

I like this recipe. Gonna try it. Just bought some extra fermenters from AHB for cheap black Friday sell, so I am good to go.

 

[MusicalBrewer]

I would like to attempt this to get me in the neighborhood of a Black Cherry hard lemonade, next up would be a simple cherry lemonade. I've watched several videos and read several threads, but I can't get a consensus on what ingredients to use. Some use apple juice to top off with, some use water. Some put in a cpl lbs of fruit, some don't. Some use ingredients to stop the yeast from fermenting further, some don't. As a new guy, I don't really know which direction to go. Everyone seems to enjoy their own recipes so it must be something that taste good.

I don't mind adding cherries and other fruits if needed. But don't know how doing so will affect the other amounts of ingredients.

I would like to have this bottle conditioned with a nice layer of foam, but not spewing over the top. I think the pasteurization method explained in the cider forum would be ideal for me, but I don't know which ingredients to omit for going that route.

Any of you guys got a recommendation?

I've made this recipe 4 times now. The first time I did it per the original recipe, then I modified it and made a hard raspberry lemonade twice, and a hard cherry limeade once. All have turned out fantastic. I'll post my cherry limeade recipe below.

The biggest change I made was the yeast. I'm a beer drinker and didn't like the taste of the Lavlin EC-1118 yeast. I have used Nottingham for the 3 of the batches. It handles the acidity fine and tastes great. The key is to rehydrate the yeast and make a mini starter (outlined below).

This is for a 3 gallon batch. If you want 6 gallons simply double everything.

Ingredients:
5 cans Limeade --- must be preservative free!!
.5 lb Extra Light or Pilsen Light DME
1 lbs of Corn Sugar
3.5 tsp Yeast Nutrient
2 tsp baking soda (to neutralize acid)

Proof / rehydrate yeast by doing following: Boil 1 cup of water. Cool down to 86-92. Add 1 tablespoon limeade concentrate (make sure it's still between 86-92). Add yeast. Wait at least 1/2 hour--should have vigorous signs of activity.

Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil.
Remove from heat, stir in sugar and DME--stir until it's all dissolved.
Add yeast nutrient.

Cool wort.
Combine wort with 5 cans of limeade in fermenter (final temp goal is 65-75)
(I cooled wort to 115 degrees then added it to concentrate. Wort ended up at 72 degrees. Almost perfect)
Add water to make 3 gallons
Take hydrometer reading
Stir in baking soda.
Check PH (came in at 4.5)

Take rehydrated yeast, add a solution of 50% water / 50% limeade wort to make a 1000ml starter. Wait till starter is actively fermenting then pitch to fermenter (Usually less than 1 hour)

Ferment 2 weeks (I have had airlock activity within 12 hours every time using Nottingham)

After fermentation is complete:
Put 2 cups of sweet cherry juice in a saucepan and bring to a simmer
Stir in 3-4 cups of regular sugar--make sure it's dissolved
Add in 1 can of Limeade.
Put in the bottom of a bottling bucket.
Transfer from primary into bottling bucket.
Stir thoroughly.

Bottle, wait 2-3 days, test for carbonation, and bottle pasteurize.

Just a note on bottle carbonation--if the yeast has not completely finished it's job in the fermenter then bottle carbonation will be extremely fast. I was eager to drink my first batch and bottled after just one week--I had over carbonation in just 12 hours and ended up with several bottle bombs when trying to pasteurize

 

[smileyak87]

Just made this in a 3 gallon carboy. If it turns out good it will be a staple in my brewing

 

[Countryboy73]

I've had a 2 gallon batch sitting on the counter for 4 months now , still in the primary. This stuff is clear. Lol. Its at 13% abv. I fixed a glass the other day, half hard lemonade and half regular lemonade. It had my head spinning after drinking it with supper. I'll be finishing it up tomorrow when I get home from work. Can't wait to taste the finished product.

 

[bigken462]

When computing potential ABV for recipes that contains concentrates, juices and solid fruits, do you add in their respective amounts of sugars as part of the fermentables in your recipe?

For instance, using the dietary information on the containers of the ingredients for the hard Cherry Limeade that I’m doing, it uses 5 cans of concentrate (960 total grams) 1 gallon of apple juice (128 total grams) and 36 ounces of cherries (135 total grams) This adds up to about 1223 grams or 2.69 lbs of sugars. So when adding this stuff up in Beer Smith, Would I add in this 2.69lbs to my ingredient list as a sugar to see how that would affect the overall ABV level, or do I just use the levels that the LME and corn sugar give?

Thanks,

 

[MusicalBrewer]

When computing potential ABV for recipes that contains concentrates, juices and solid fruits, do you add in their respective amounts of sugars as part of the fermentables in your recipe?

For instance, using the dietary information on the containers of the ingredients for the hard Cherry Limeade that I’m doing, it uses 5 cans of concentrate (960 total grams) 1 gallon of apple juice (128 total grams) and 36 ounces of cherries (135 total grams) This adds up to about 1223 grams or 2.69 lbs of sugars. So when adding this stuff up in Beer Smith, Would I add in this 2.69lbs to my ingredient list as a sugar to see how that would affect the overall ABV level, or do I just use the levels that the LME and corn sugar give?

Thanks,

I can't help with the fruit or apple juice, but I've done some testing and have the concentrate somewhat figured out. You definitely want to add it to your recipe...it has lots of sugar and will affect your OG.

I enter the concentrate as a sugar in Beer Smith and set the yield to 42%. Then I enter each can of concentrate as one pound when I'm doing the recipe. It hits the OG really close for me.

The yield percent will probably vary depending on the concentrate you use, but this should get you a starting point anyway.

Hope this helps!

 

[bigken462]

I put this together today. Good Lord I could drink it as is. Hard Cherry Limeade will be coming down the pipe in about a month. OG 1.093

I never done anything with this high of a gravity. Should I pick up some 1/2" tubing tomorrow to make a blow off tube. I put 5.5 or so in a 6.5 glass carboy.

 

[Countryboy73]

I got 2 gallons that's been sitting for a while an I finally have time to do something with it. I started with frozen concentrate and was wondering if I can use the lemonade that you can get on the juice isle instead of the concentrate.

 

[MusicalBrewer]

I put this together today. Good Lord I could drink it as is. Hard Cherry Limeade will be coming down the pipe in about a month. OG 1.093

I never done anything with this high of a gravity. Should I pick up some 1/2" tubing tomorrow to make a blow off tube. I put 5.5 or so in a 6.5 glass carboy.

1.093...WOW! Does that put you up in the 14% ABV range? Please post your results when you're done...I'd love to hear how it turns out.

Did you end up doing the recipe you laid out in post #187?

 

[bigken462]

1.093

Did you end up doing the recipe you laid out in post #187?

No, I changed it up just a bit.

4lbs of corn sugar instead of the two since I did not use the honey.
Used a tater masher on the cherries
Steeped for 30 minutes at 160* instead of 20
Used 6 cans of Limeade concentrate instead of 5. This was by accident since I had accidentally opened all 8 cans that I purchased instead putting three in the freezer till bottling day. So I poured in one extra, and made a gallon of mix just to put in fridge to drink. All the other parts of that recipe I stuck with.

I rehydrated the the two packs of yeast in a cup of warm water, added a tablespoon of the Limeade concentrate and a 1/4 tsp of yeast nutrient and set that aside for 30 minutes. When that time was up, I used a small bowl of cold water to reduce the yeast slurry to match my carboy temp.

I was not quite sure when to actually oxygenate the wort. Before or after adding the yeast, so I made a judgement call and poured it in, stuck a sanitized aquarium stone on the end of some tubing then used rubber bands to attach the stone and the tubing to the end of my stir paddle. Turned the O2 on 5-6 liters and let it churn for 2-3 minutes.

I capped it and set it in the utility room. Within a hour, I had activity in the airlock. Within 3 hours, I already had about 1/2" of Krausen on the top. This morning when I woke up, the airlock is going crazy and there is a vigorous boil going on. The utility rooms smells awesome - for once. lol

Since this was my first batch of this type of drink, I made several on the fly judgement calls. Hope they do not bite me in the keester. So far the yeasties look happy. lol As for ABV? I think the most potential it will have will be about 12% if it were to go all the way. We'll see.

Ken

 

[bigken462]

Until this batch, I've always used a plastic fermenting bucket and never got to see the show. Out of curiosity, I set my camera up to take a picture every 10 minutes. To say it had a vigorous boil is a understatement. For two days it looked like someone dropped a 10lb block of Alka-Seltzer in it. The airlock was damn near hissing Co2. There was so much turbulence in the carboy that the chunks of cherries seemed to blow up, then rain down to be churned back up again.

The color started out as a deep red, authentic cherry appetizing looking color, to now a milky mess. The cherries continue to break down, but form a layer of pasty goop on the top. The funny thing is, this morning, I was fast forwarding through the pictures and seen that the Krausen steadily throughout the night kept getting thicker and thicker going from the bottom neck curve to the top neck, just below the bung over 8 hours. Then, all of the sudden, within about the time period of a 1 hour, the foam disappeared. The airlock is still going nuts, but there is no foaming. Just the steady fizzing through the pasty cherry top.

It's neat to look at the several hundred picture thumbnails. It looks like a paint color chart from a paint store going from one color to another. Sure as heck hope it gets to looking better. lol

One question I have. Since this is a hard limeade. do I call the contents a wort since I used LME, or is it a must or cider? Not sure what term to use.

 

[MusicalBrewer]

So are ya just gonna tease us, or are you going to post a couple pictures?

 

[bigken462]

The first one was taken a short time, probably 2-3 hours or so after I set the airlock. The solids which were at the bottom had already floated to the top. Was taken around 8:15Pm on Dec 20th, and the last was taken 10:47Am on the 22nd. By then, there was not much anything worth taking pictures of. Activity has slowed down a ton this morning. About a bubble a second or so. Now it has a peach colored tint to it.

I wish I knew a way to compile these still pictures into a short video w/o having a monstrous size file to upload. I only get 10gigs a month on my data plan. Grrr. Anyway, below are a cpl pictures while I had the camera set.

Since I brewed this up Friday, I might try to rack to a secondary on my next free off day which will be Monday.

**added** Ran in there just a second ago and grabbed one shot for this morning. 0830hrs 23rd Dec.

Up to 1.016 as of today. OG was 1.091 9.78% ABV

Activity is down, going to let it sit till Next Monday before transferring. Obviously, it taste pretty sour, but you can tell there is some ETOH on board. Hope the lil yeasties continue to eat.
Cheers,