coeceo
Well-Known Member
So I searched through the forum and put together a Hard Lemonade recipe for the SWMBO. I will probably have some too, heck its summer right?
Heres the recipe:
12 cans frozen lemonade concentrate
(Shaws/Albertson's brand, no preservatives/sorbate)
1# XLDME
2# Corn Sugar
London Ale #1028
OG = 1.060
I boiled about 1 gallon of spring water. Removed from flame and whisked in the 1# DME, added back to flame while mixing in the 2# corn sugar, I let this boil for about 15 min.
I let it cool on the stove while I mixed the 12 cans of lemonade with spring water in my fermenter. This mixture was pretty cool seems how the concentrate was still frozen so I poured in my 1 gallon of wort and it leveled off around 85*.
I took a sterile cup and scooped out some for a hydrometer reading and also some for a starter.
I pitched some washed London Ale Yeast 1028 (at about 80*) and also made a starter with another bottle of washed 1028 in case I dont get any activity.
Some recipes called for a champagne yeast or a dry wine yeast like you would use for Apfelwein which would ferment out to close to 1.000. Some noted that the SWMBOs found them a little bitter and would have to add lactos or splenda. A few posts did mention that a good ale yeast will leave you at about 1.010-1.015 which will help retain some sweetness in the beverage, while keeping the ABV closer to 5% or so rather than the 6+ I would expect from the champagne yeast (I'm guessing at these percentages).
Some also noted that the acidity of the mix could shock your yeast so a starter was recomended in order to ensure a successful pitch. If all else fails I will just pitch the champagne yeast.
Once I bottle this, I will taste test it for sweetness, possibly adding 1/4 cup of Splenda if needed. Now I just need to decide if I want to carbonate or not, I'm leaning towards the carb route. I'll update this if anyone is interested...
Heres the recipe:
12 cans frozen lemonade concentrate
(Shaws/Albertson's brand, no preservatives/sorbate)
1# XLDME
2# Corn Sugar
London Ale #1028
OG = 1.060
I boiled about 1 gallon of spring water. Removed from flame and whisked in the 1# DME, added back to flame while mixing in the 2# corn sugar, I let this boil for about 15 min.
I let it cool on the stove while I mixed the 12 cans of lemonade with spring water in my fermenter. This mixture was pretty cool seems how the concentrate was still frozen so I poured in my 1 gallon of wort and it leveled off around 85*.
I took a sterile cup and scooped out some for a hydrometer reading and also some for a starter.
I pitched some washed London Ale Yeast 1028 (at about 80*) and also made a starter with another bottle of washed 1028 in case I dont get any activity.
Some recipes called for a champagne yeast or a dry wine yeast like you would use for Apfelwein which would ferment out to close to 1.000. Some noted that the SWMBOs found them a little bitter and would have to add lactos or splenda. A few posts did mention that a good ale yeast will leave you at about 1.010-1.015 which will help retain some sweetness in the beverage, while keeping the ABV closer to 5% or so rather than the 6+ I would expect from the champagne yeast (I'm guessing at these percentages).
Some also noted that the acidity of the mix could shock your yeast so a starter was recomended in order to ensure a successful pitch. If all else fails I will just pitch the champagne yeast.
Once I bottle this, I will taste test it for sweetness, possibly adding 1/4 cup of Splenda if needed. Now I just need to decide if I want to carbonate or not, I'm leaning towards the carb route. I'll update this if anyone is interested...