Full Hard Lemonade recipe

[Silentdrinker]

So a small homebrew setup?? 🍻

For beer I can do 15 gal batches, but I normally do 10 since I ferment in 15 gallon fermenters and serve in 10 gallon kegs.

But I have a ton of fermenters and corny kegs of all sizes, and I literally mean a ton. So I can ferment a lot and age a lot.

The lemonade and hopped cider is so easy to make and doesn't require stingy temp controlling. Plus it keeps forever, so I like to make a ton of it for the summer. We always have something going on during the summer, vacations, beach trips, BBQ, parties, camping, beer league softball games, etc. So I fill up several of my 3 gallon kegs and keep them on stand by for the portable kegerator.

These are the kegged lemonade and hopped cider sitting in my spare room. The milk stout is still fermenting in the chamber in the basement.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Nice!

 

[decoleur]

this lemonade is such a winner. served it at a charity and people kept coming back for more.

Cheers!

 

[Skenn]

I've only brewed beer. Since my bride isn't a big beer fan. I looked for apple cider and have made a few of those. So I thought I would give this a try.

This was a great recipe! At first I thought it was a bit bitter. But I just left it sit in the bottles for a lot longer( brewed in April, awesome in August).
I'm gonna to make two batches and just leave them in the basement until next summer. This drink is awesome over ice.

Btw. A hint for Brewers. When u r boiling that sugar. Keep an eye on it. I answered the phone and it started to boil over.

Thanx for the recipe
Ken

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

I've only brewed beer. Since my bride isn't a big beer fan. I looked for apple cider and have made a few of those. So I thought I would give this a try.

This was a great recipe! At first I thought it was a bit bitter. But I just left it sit in the bottles for a lot longer( brewed in April, awesome in August).
I'm gonna to make two batches and just leave them in the basement until next summer. This drink is awesome over ice.

Btw. A hint for Brewers. When u r boiling that sugar. Keep an eye on it. I answered the phone and it started to boil over.

Thanx for the recipe
Ken

Guess I do it differently. I boil 1.5 gallon water and DME for 5-7 min tops. Remove from heat, then add corn sugar, dissolve, then add the cans of Lemonaid to chill. Strain liquid to fermenter and add RO to 4.5 gallons and pitch yeast. No danger of boil over this way.

Done maybe 10 batches of various combos; limeaid, Lemonaid, cherry, and raspberry flavoring . Got Lemonaid fermenting now and trying mango next.

 

[Silentdrinker]

Guess I do it differently. I boil 1.5 gallon water and DME for 5-7 min tops. Remove from heat, then add corn sugar, dissolve, then add the cans of Lemonaid to chill. Strain liquid to fermenter and add RO to 4.5 gallons and pitch yeast. No danger of boil over this way.

Done maybe 10 batches of various combos; limeaid, Lemonaid, cherry, and raspberry flavoring . Got Lemonaid fermenting now and trying mango next.

There's no reason to even boil the DME. There's no worry about DMS. So just heat water to dissolve both dextrose and DME, chill then pitch the defrosted juice and yeast and call it a day. Best thing about this one is its a 30 minute process, and I make 10 gal at a time. I also let it sit and age.

I'm getting married this time next year. I'll have cider, lemonade and a malty beer (probably a scotch ale) made made here real soon to age for the next year. Then I'll make the IPA and session beer closer to the date.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

There's no reason to even boil the DME. There's no worry about DMS. So just heat water to dissolve both dextrose and DME, chill then pitch the defrosted juice and yeast and call it a day. Best thing about this one is its a 30 minute process, and I make 10 gal at a time. I also let it sit and age.

I'm getting married this time next year. I'll have cider, lemonade and a malty beer (probably a scotch ale) made made here real soon to age for the next year. Then I'll make the IPA and session beer closer to the date.

You know, I didn't boil at first, but, and maybe something else was going on, but there was a DME flavor in the final product. After boiling, letting it hot break, this background flavor went away. But the difference between 175f/cool and boil/cool is about 10min extra minutes so ok for me.

Your right about aging. My experience also.

 

[cdog127]

I have never boiled it either, just heated it up to dissolve. If you guys wanna kick it up a notch too, i also made a very basic (juice, sugar and yeast) hard cranberry and then mixed the lemonade and cranberry and it was awesome(r)

 

[illogicallyovercome]

I am thinking of making a batch of this over Labor Day weekend. Sounds great!

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Moving beyond raspberry and cheery. Put 40oz frozen mangoes in secondary. Will also add 4oz mango extract from LHBS. Looking forward to something different.

 

[illogicallyovercome]

So I brewed up the straight lemonade this last Saturday and those yeast are some happy critters! They have been burping out CO2 all weekend long, making my laundry room smell of lemon custard! We are looking forward to this one.

 

[Jakkob]

I thought I'd experiment with fermenting the alcohol (water, sugar, yeast) and then flavoring/backsweetening with lemonade.

The higher pH along with temperature control produced a really mild, inoffensive "beer" that's honestly good on its own. I just finished adding lemon juice, CO2 and simple syrup... Wow, it packs a punch and goes down smooth. There's no way I'm calling something this good "skeeter pee" and not "Hard Lemonade!" Nice

 

[Silentdrinker]

I thought I'd experiment with fermenting the alcohol (water, sugar, yeast) and then flavoring/backsweetening with lemonade.

The higher pH along with temperature control produced a really mild, inoffensive "beer" that's honestly good on its own. I just finished adding lemon juice, CO2 and simple syrup... Wow, it packs a punch and goes down smooth. There's no way I'm calling something this good "skeeter pee" and not "Hard Lemonade!" Nice

That's known as sugar wine. I actually haven't done this yet, but I was thinking about trying it for both lemonade as well as a hard rootbeer. How high was the ABV of the sugar wine? And you didn't use any nutrients? What yeast did you use? I was thinking of using notty and ferment it on the colder side for a clean flavor. Then add potassium sorbate and root beer extract/lemonade juice then back sweeten.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

That's known as sugar wine. I actually haven't done this yet, but I was thinking about trying it for both lemonade as well as a hard rootbeer. How high was the ABV of the sugar wine? And you didn't use any nutrients? What yeast did you use? I was thinking of using notty and ferment it on the colder side for a clean flavor. Then add potassium sorbate and root beer extract/lemonade juice then back sweeten.

Root beer extract..how much for 5 gallon batch?

 

[Jakkob]

That's known as sugar wine. I actually haven't done this yet, but I was thinking about trying it for both lemonade as well as a hard rootbeer. How high was the ABV of the sugar wine? And you didn't use any nutrients? What yeast did you use? I was thinking of using notty and ferment it on the colder side for a clean flavor. Then add potassium sorbate and root beer extract/lemonade juice then back sweeten.

Sugar wine okay yeah, I'd read about Kilju but it didn't quite click for me at first.

I used nutrients yes, but I would add more next time and oxygenate with pure 02 as it didn't quite attenuate as expected. It ended up about 7% abv nonetheless and with everything added maybe 6.5% abv.

I used Cooper's believe it or not, not the best choice but it's what I had laying around. I'd recommend EC-1118 champaign yeast but it sediments out slowly. Nottingham could be could and I think safale us-05 would be good too.

I really like the root beer idea, Not Your Father's Root Beer is really good and really pricey.

 

[Silentdrinker]

Root beer extract..how much for 5 gallon batch?

Haven't done it yet, but mccormicks is what I bought. It was a few bucks at the store for a couple oz bottle. I think you can get more than 5gal out of it.

Sugar wine okay yeah, I'd read about Kilju but it didn't quite click for me at first.

I used nutrients yes, but I would add more next time and oxygenate with pure 02 as it didn't quite attenuate as expected. It ended up about 7% abv nonetheless and with everything added maybe 6.5% abv.

I used Cooper's believe it or not, not the best choice but it's what I had laying around. I'd recommend EC-1118 champaign yeast but it sediments out slowly. Nottingham could be could and I think safale us-05 would be good too.

I really like the root beer idea, Not Your Father's Root Beer is really good and really pricey.

Ya, I gotta say in not a fan of that fathers rootbeer stuff you get at the stores now. I hear the 19% stuff is awesome! but the store kind tastes like chemicals to me. I had a hard time getting through a 6 pack and I even gave some away.

That's why I wanted to try my own hand at it. I bought all the ingredients. I just need to do it.

 

[illogicallyovercome]

After only 7 days in the primary, my bubble activity has dropped to one bubble leaving the primary every 4.75 minutes. It seems to me about time to rack this lemonade to the bottling bucket. I will be checking the gravity later today before racking and it is close to 1.000, I will blend it with a 5 cup simple syrup with the potassium sorbate, and two 12oz containers of raspberry lemonade concentrate. Stir that in and bottle. I use the 22oz bottles, so I picked up 24 bottles and have a half dozen or so extras waiting. I am going to see if I have an available 750ml flip top clear bottle that I can fill too. The flip top gives me the ability to watch the clarity while in bottle. Kind of fun to watch over time.

Has anyone felt the need to keep this in primary any longer? At this point, I don't see why I should unless the gravity sample says otherwise.

Thanks much,

Jonathan

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

After only 7 days in the primary, my bubble activity has dropped to one bubble leaving the primary every 4.75 minutes. It seems to me about time to rack this lemonade to the bottling bucket. I will be checking the gravity later today before racking and it is close to 1.000, I will blend it with a 5 cup simple syrup with the potassium sorbate, and two 12oz containers of raspberry lemonade concentrate. Stir that in and bottle. I use the 22oz bottles, so I picked up 24 bottles and have a half dozen or so extras waiting. I am going to see if I have an available 750ml flip top clear bottle that I can fill too. The flip top gives me the ability to watch the clarity while in bottle. Kind of fun to watch over time.

Has anyone felt the need to keep this in primary any longer? At this point, I don't see why I should unless the gravity sample says otherwise.

Thanks much,

Jonathan

For me, it 1118 would take 14 days but obviously your good. I always rack to 2nd, for 2 days with Potassium Sorbate to give yeast time to goto sleep. I've had bottle bombs with this stuff so all precautions are necessary. Now that I keg, not as concerned.

 

[TexasWine]

After only 7 days in the primary, my bubble activity has dropped to one bubble leaving the primary every 4.75 minutes. It seems to me about time to rack this lemonade to the bottling bucket. I will be checking the gravity later today before racking and it is close to 1.000, I will blend it with a 5 cup simple syrup with the potassium sorbate, and two 12oz containers of raspberry lemonade concentrate. Stir that in and bottle. I use the 22oz bottles, so I picked up 24 bottles and have a half dozen or so extras waiting. I am going to see if I have an available 750ml flip top clear bottle that I can fill too. The flip top gives me the ability to watch the clarity while in bottle. Kind of fun to watch over time.

Has anyone felt the need to keep this in primary any longer? At this point, I don't see why I should unless the gravity sample says otherwise.

Thanks much,

Jonathan

I think your timing of things is a little off. Since you're adding sorbate that would indicate you want it still. If that's the case, I'd let it ferment until it was completely done, meaning 2-3 stable readings over the course of a few days. Then I would stabilize with sorbate and let it sit a few days to a week. And the last step would be to back sweeten, let it sit again for a few days to make sure fermentation doesn't kick back in, and finally bottle.

If you are shooting for a bottle carbonated beverage then you shouldn't be using sorbate. I'd still let it ferment to completion then back sweeten. You'll have a more controlled carbonation that way and can pasteurize when needed.

 

[illogicallyovercome]

Thanks for the reply Pianoman. I don't have a secondary big enough to contain the 6+ gallons, otherwise I was thinking of transferring and letting it sit another week.

Texaswine, I was following the original recipe, which calls for the sorbate to be added when sweetening on bottling day. The original recipe owner stated that minor fermentation would give a light fizz, which is what I was looking for. As per Pianoman's post, it does sound like I may need to rack to secondary and given that he had bottle bombs, add the sorbate and let it sit a couple of days.

Thanks guys for the replies.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

I bought 5gal home depot buckets/lids for $5. Bored a hole, placed bung and silicone. Cheep option..

View attachment 1442094315414.jpg

 

[TexasWine]

I bought 5gal home depot buckets/lids for $5. Bored a hole, placed bung and silicone. Cheep option..

A little off topic, but it looks like you drilled a very large hole for your entire bung and backfilled with something (maybe silicon). Why didn't you just drill a small hole, fit it with a grommet and slip the tip of your air lock into it? They're dirt cheap at home cheapo, and I'm confident they provide a better seal than using the bung and silicon.

http://www.homebrewing.org/product....awSjrhfwz3PGlcRu3KKZ7vnGe0vmGNIZDQaAnpy8P8HAQ

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

A little off topic, but it looks like you drilled a very large hole for your entire bung and backfilled with something (maybe silicon). Why didn't you just drill a small hole, fit it with a grommet and slip the tip of your air lock into it? They're dirt cheap at home cheapo, and I'm confident they provide a better seal than using the bung and silicon.

http://www.homebrewing.org/product....awSjrhfwz3PGlcRu3KKZ7vnGe0vmGNIZDQaAnpy8P8HAQ

Good point, only been brewing for 18 months. Made these early on and stuck with it. Your idea better imho!

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Lastest...Mango Hard Lemonaid. Made with 3 bags frozen mangoes (3 weeks in secondary) and added 4oz Brewers Best extract at keg. Mango noticeable, but not pronounced. Drinkable for sure!

View attachment 1443312108690.jpg

 

[thasista]

I just bottled this today great taste! 8.5% ABV. I will make it again and add frozen strawberries in a secondary for 2-3 weeks! Thanks for the recipe!

 

[menerdari]

I bottled today also, 54 375ml bottles all together.
Made a 5+ gallon batch and divided it up into 4 1 gallon batches that I flavored and a 1-1/2 gallon that stayed just lemon (plus back sweeten)
the flavors were, Pina Colada, strawberry daiquiri, apple raspberry and passion fruit. I used 1 can of frozen concentrate for each of the flavored batches and found they were not quite sweet enough so added 1/2 cup of sugar to each.
The recipe I used for this was the skeeter pee recipe. using 3 quarts of real lemon, 8 pounds of dextrose and EC1118 yeast along with nutrient and energizer.Came out very tasty but dangerous, I can't taste the alcohol but sure can feel the effects.
Each of the batches I filled what bottles I could and I didn't want to just throw away what was left in each jug so I took it upon myself to sample.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Great idea!

 

[menerdari]

Got them labelled and shrink capped today, figure I would share the pic. I did 54 bottles but only used 2 of each flavor in the photo.
You may recognize the label, I copied it from the net and photoshopped it.
Oops forgot the picture

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

That's too cool! Makes me want to bottle again.

 

[illogicallyovercome]

I am thinking of doing a "Christmas cranberry" version, but lowering the DME to 0.5lbs to lessen the malt flavor and upping the sugar during the boil. The spices will be cinnamon, all spice berries, whole cloves, and possibly nutmeg. I am thinking of doing a vodka tincture with the spices and adding them in secondary, and using cran-Apple concentrate to sweeten at bottling time. I have not finalized the recipe but I'm open to suggestion. Also, I do realize that the spices can impart a hard bitterness if over used, so I am expecting to use them sparingly.

Thanks much for any input, in advance.