Hard Lemonade

[Genacide]

"Pour into a secondary and airlock". You can stop when you get to the sludge.

The direction indicate to stir everyday in primary, with doing this I assumed that their wouldn't be any "sludge" on the bottom, or should I let it clear for a day before transferring?

 

[Gilbey]

I jumped on the bandwagon and started a batch of this last week. It's going fine, got my yeast going just as suggested, pitched, and I have nice activity now. Only thing is I didn't have any campden....forgot to buy at HBS . Is this a problem?

Once it gets down to 1.018 -1.020 I can cold crash and keg right? And then force carb like beer?

Alan

 

[Genacide]

I took a sample last night and it's down to 1.036 from 1.096 and it's very "Hot". With it possibly fermenting out to 1.0 I suspect this will get very hot. Does this mellow out with time?

 

[mredge73]

I slowed/stopped fermentation on mine once it hit about 1.012 to preserve some sweetness by reducing the temperature, no chemical additions. I then bottled it in plastic bottles without priming sugar and left it in the fridge. It carbed up nicely, it isn't crystal clear and I have very little sediment settling out. The "Hot" taste has mellowed out some after 3 weeks in the bottle, the rotgut smell has mostly gone away as well. I expect it to remain hot to an extent, mine finished at about 12%.

 

[Yooper]

I jumped on the bandwagon and started a batch of this last week. It's going fine, got my yeast going just as suggested, pitched, and I have nice activity now. Only thing is I didn't have any campden....forgot to buy at HBS . Is this a problem?

Once it gets down to 1.018 -1.020 I can cold crash and keg right? And then force carb like beer?

Alan

That's what I did for this batch. My daughter likes it sweet, so I crashed it at 1.040 (!) and she ended up not drinking it anyway. Her husband has been helping to drink it, though!

 

[Yooper]

I took a sample last night and it's down to 1.036 from 1.096 and it's very "Hot". With it possibly fermenting out to 1.0 I suspect this will get very hot. Does this mellow out with time?

Yes, it does mellow with time.

 

[Misfit]

Checked the gravity of it today. A smidgen below one. It's clear now. Maybe ill bottle it soon? Wait do I have bottles? Hmm. Time to go find the professional brewer friends

 

[Tnoodle]

Just started a 2 gallon batch in the old Mr. Beer keg. Secondary will be 1 gallon glass carboys.

 

[tucsontony]

Just pulled a sample after a couple weeks. OG 1.072 SG 0.994 - 10.19% ABV. Seems high, but both sets of my notes show the same OG. I sweetened the sample up and it has a slight burnt rubber taste otherwise it is pretty good. Will the taste go away as the yeast drops out of suspension more?

Just like to mention I am now consuming this and it tastes fantastic! I tried some a week ago and it was still just a little too yeasty. Today I can still detect a very slight yeast taste, but other than that...awesome!! I expect in one more week there will be no yeast taste. I'm curious now what it would have tasted like without the crystal light. One thing though. I did add 3 or so oz of corn sugar to carbonate, but there is zero carbonation after 3 weeks. It's been sitting at 71 degrees all the while. Anyone know why?

I didn't see a response to your question about the zero carbonation. Did it ever carbonate? I was thinking about using crystal light also but I was worried about the preservatives in there killing the remaining yeasties needed for carbonation. Do you think that's a possibility?

 

[hippo8046]

Hey!

I've been eyeing this recipe for the last couple of days. Has anyone had any good reproductions of this recipe with different yeasts? I think I will start a couple 1 gallon test batches to find what I like before I start mass producing it.

If anyone has any tips or tricks that might help please don't hesitate to let me know!

 

[VoodooManX]

Hey!

I've been eyeing this recipe for the last couple of days. Has anyone had any good reproductions of this recipe with different yeasts? I think I will start a couple 1 gallon test batches to find what I like before I start mass producing it.

If anyone has any tips or tricks that might help please don't hesitate to let me know!

Im sure there are some good tid bits in the 340 posts but for me it was make sure to stir it twice a day. Releasing the suspended carbonation is crucial to fermentation.

 

[Genacide]

So my 3 gal carboy finished out at around 11-12% alcohol and it is hot. I wanted to backsweeten with raspberry lemonade, but I'm stuck on what exactly I should do.

Should I stabilize with campden and sorbate and then add the roughy 1-2 gallons of raspberry lemonade? Do I need to campden the raspberry lemonade from concentrate? Should I heat the 2 individually and forget the campden and sorbate?

 

[Yooper]

So my 3 gal carboy finished out at around 11-12% alcohol and it is hot. I wanted to backsweeten with raspberry lemonade, but I'm stuck on what exactly I should do.

Should I stabilize with campden and sorbate and then add the roughy 1-2 gallons of raspberry lemonade? Do I need to campden the raspberry lemonade from concentrate? Should I heat the 2 individually and forget the campden and sorbate?

If it's done, you can rack onto campden/sorbate in the appropriate "dose"- on campden tablet per gallon (crushed) and 1/2 teaspoon of sorbate per gallon. You could dissolve that in some boiling water (I use a microwave) and stir it well to make sure it's all dissolved. Then put it in the carboy and rack the lemonade into it. Wait a couple of days, and then sweeten as desired. You don't need to campden the concentrate- it'll be fine to just thaw it and use it.

 

[Genacide]

If it's done, you can rack onto campden/sorbate in the appropriate "dose"- on campden tablet per gallon (crushed) and 1/2 teaspoon of sorbate per gallon. You could dissolve that in some boiling water (I use a microwave) and stir it well to make sure it's all dissolved. Then put it in the carboy and rack the lemonade into it. Wait a couple of days, and then sweeten as desired. You don't need to campden the concentrate- it'll be fine to just thaw it and use it.

I've read that some people stabilize and sweeten at the same time. Any reason not to do that?

 

[Yooper]

I've read that some people stabilize and sweeten at the same time. Any reason not to do that?

Only that if the stabilizer doesn't work, then the sweetener will start fermentation again.

 

[Misfit]

Forgot about my hard lemonade. Maybe I should check on it and bottle it.

 

[defishentman]

Explain ways to backsweeten. I have really tart product! No keg equipment.

 

[mredge73]

splenda will sweeten without fermenting.
wine conditioner is similar

 

[pi_brewer]

Everyone (most) having some problems with yeast and I'm wondering if Turbo 48 would affect the taste and work maybe a little easier? Got a batch starting, hope that the starter does its thing well, but just in case some Turbo 48 is in the freezer.

 

[humann_brewing]

I have a source (neighbors lemon tree) of a crap ton of lemons, how much straight lemon juice can I substitute for the concentrate?

 

[Yooper]

I have a source (neighbors lemon tree) of a crap ton of lemons, how much straight lemon juice can I substitute for the concentrate?

I have no idea! But I'm jealous- I'd love to try this with real lemons!

 

[CA-LT1]

As I recall from my lemonade stand days, You'd go 1 part lemon juice, 1 part sugar, and 5 parts water. By volume.

 

[humann_brewing]

I have no idea! But I'm jealous- I'd love to try this with real lemons!

As I recall from my lemonade stand days, You'd go 1 part lemon juice, 1 part sugar, and 5 parts water. By volume.

Thanks! I actually am trying the skeeter pee method with real juice instead of the stuff in the green container and I am doing about 50% more juice too.

The pH was like 2.5 before adjusting

 

[Theshorey]

I've got a 2 gallon batch waiting for me and the yeast to get home from work tonight. Gonna try the "Simply Lemonade with Raspberry" in place of Lemonade concentrate, will post the results in a couple of weeks!

 

[D_Nyholm]

Just ordered my yeast, nutrients, other stuff for this recipe. Going to try a 3 gallon batch and see how it comes out before the summer hits. Then maybe make another 6 gallons or so to get me through the summer. Thanks Yooper, making my 4th recipe of yours and so far they have all been great!

 

[ennis2000000000]

I'm thinking about adding some fresh raspberries in secondary what do u guys think of that?

 

[D_Nyholm]

I'm thinking about adding some fresh raspberries in secondary what do u guys think of that?

People do it with skeeter pee so I don't see why it wouldnt work here. I dont know how much to use, but 1/2 lb per gallon may be a good place to start. I've also heard blueberry turns out extremey good as well!

 

[lylo]

My lemonade hit 1010 in the primary while I wasn't watching,I had a taste as I was racking to secondary and it tastes great! After rereading Yoopers instructions, I am thinking I should probably stabilize now and let it clear some before kegging? All I have on hand right now is a 5.5gram pouch of sorbate from a wine kit that I have going.Would this be enough to kill it?

 

[Yooper]

My lemonade hit 1010 in the primary while I wasn't watching,I had a taste as I was racking to secondary and it tastes great! After rereading Yoopers instructions, I am thinking I should probably stabilize now and let it clear some before kegging? All I have on hand right now is a 5.5gram pouch of sorbate from a wine kit that I have going.Would this be enough to kill it?

The issue is that sorbate doesn't kill yeast- it only inhibits yeast reproduction. Since the yeast have reproduced, adding it now won't do anything.

You could try putting it in a cold place to drop out the yeast, and then racking it into the keg.

 

[lylo]

Thanks Yooper,what did you mean by"stabilize"in your OP?
BTW this will be my third Yooper recipe in the brewery,joining Fat Sam amber,and your cream ale.Thanks, Lyle