Hard Lemonade Tastes Like Vinegar

[tucsontony]

I hope I'm not off topic. Please let me know if there's a better place to post this.

I've making my first batch of lemonade. It's only 15 days since brew day and it's nearly done. Starting gravity was 1.080, current gravity is 1.002. The airlock bubbles about 1 x per 15 seconds. I've sampled it a couple times over the past 5 days or so. First sample tasted decent but had a noticable "apple cider" flavor. Every sample since is becoming stronger and now it has a fairly strong unpleasant vinegar flavor. Also, I'm concerned that it fermented so quickly. Most posts I've read indicated 4-8 week fermentation time.

Any comments on why the vinegar flavor and fast fermentation will be appreciated. Also, just FYI I plan on back-sweetening with Splenda, then bottling with priming sugar to carbonate in the next day or so.

Here is my ingredients list:
INGREDIENTS (5 gallon batch)
4 gallons filtered water
10 cans Minute Maid concentrated lemonade
3 lb. corn sugar
1 lb. ultra light malt extract
5 lb. bag of ice cubes (unless using a chiller)
1 package (5 grams) Lavlin EC-1118 champagne yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons yeast energizer
1 oz (2 tablespoons) yeast nutrients
5 oz. priming sugar (if bottle carbonating)

Current PH seems a little low (3.0) but I didn't think it would be causing the vinegar flavor. Can I use baking soda to raise the PH?

 

[Yooper]

I hope I'm not off topic. Please let me know if there's a better place to post this.

I've making my first batch of lemonade. It's only 15 days since brew day and it's nearly done. Starting gravity was 1.080, current gravity is 1.002. The airlock bubbles about 1 x per 15 seconds. I've sampled it a couple times over the past 5 days or so. First sample tasted decent but had a noticable "apple cider" flavor. Every sample since is becoming stronger and now it has a fairly strong unpleasant vinegar flavor. Also, I'm concerned that it fermented so quickly. Most posts I've read indicated 4-8 week fermentation time.

Any comments on why the vinegar flavor and fast fermentation will be appreciated. Also, just FYI I plan on back-sweetening with Splenda, then bottling with priming sugar to carbonate in the next day or so.

Here is my ingredients list:
INGREDIENTS (5 gallon batch)
4 gallons filtered water
10 cans Minute Maid concentrated lemonade
3 lb. corn sugar
1 lb. ultra light malt extract
5 lb. bag of ice cubes (unless using a chiller)
1 package (5 grams) Lavlin EC-1118 champagne yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons yeast energizer
1 oz (2 tablespoons) yeast nutrients
5 oz. priming sugar (if bottle carbonating)

Current PH seems a little low (3.0) but I didn't think it would be causing the vinegar flavor. Can I use baking soda to raise the PH?

If it's actually "vinegar", that's a bacterial contamination. It'll get worse, not better, if it's aceterobacter, so to wait is the best course.

I would NOT use baking soda- unless you take a sample of the hard lemonade and stir in some baking soda and love the way it tastes.

 

[tucsontony]

If it's actually "vinegar", that's a bacterial contamination. It'll get worse, not better, if it's aceterobacter, so to wait is the best course.

I would NOT use baking soda- unless you take a sample of the hard lemonade and stir in some baking soda and love the way it tastes.

Thanks Yooper. I'll give it a few days and test it again. Very disappointing since I'm so incredibly anal about sanitizing EVERYTHING that could come into contact with the equipment and liquid. I'll report back in a few days.

 

[BrewerBear]

I would not expect that high of gravity to taste good so soon. I would wait a couple more weeks at least before doing anything. Hope it turns out good.