Hard Lemonade

[pkrath84]

Hey all,

I started a hard lemonade on my own before discovering this thread and I've run into a "problem."

When I made this (started 6/5/13), I just pitched dry yeast straight into 1 gallon of store bought organic lemonade along with anough dextrose to bring gravity to 1.065. I used 1/5 pack of red star champagne yeast when I pitched.

Things started off ok, albeit slowly (I added yeast nutrient once fermentation got off to a nice start) and I had decent activity in my airlock for about 3 days. Then all of the sudden things started going downhill and a few days later... I could barely see small streams of bubbles floating to the surface and now another few days later (day 6) things have now slowed to a halt with no airlock activity and no stream of bubbles. Now I know I should take a gravity reading, but there's still undissolved dextrose at the bottom of my gallon container, so I know its not done. [the yeast in my apfelwein chewed right through undissolved dextrose]

Since I didn't make a starter, did I end up sending my yeast on a suicide mission? Should I rehydrate another round of yeast to repitch? Or am I just being impatient and just need to wait it out?

Side note: Same exact problem in a perry I made. Same exact process and time frame.

 

[thejudge]

Hey all,

I started a hard lemonade on my own before discovering this thread and I've run into a "problem."

When I made this (started 6/5/13), I just pitched dry yeast straight into 1 gallon of store bought organic lemonade along with anough dextrose to bring gravity to 1.065. I used 1/5 pack of red star champagne yeast when I pitched.

Things started off ok, albeit slowly (I added yeast nutrient once fermentation got off to a nice start) and I had decent activity in my airlock for about 3 days. Then all of the sudden things started going downhill and a few days later... I could barely see small streams of bubbles floating to the surface and now another few days later (day 6) things have now slowed to a halt with no airlock activity and no stream of bubbles. Now I know I should take a gravity reading, but there's still undissolved dextrose at the bottom of my gallon container, so I know its not done. [the yeast in my apfelwein chewed right through undissolved dextrose]

Since I didn't make a starter, did I end up sending my yeast on a suicide mission? Should I rehydrate another round of yeast to repitch? Or am I just being impatient and just need to wait it out?

Side note: Same exact problem in a perry I made. Same exact process and time frame.

Try stirring up to introduce some o2. Probably just stalled on you. Also add some more nutrient and energizer to help them along.

 

[d-will11]

I realize that this thread is quite old, but I was thinking of trying it for my first ever batch. If I don't plan on carbonating at the end, could I cork it?

 

[CA-LT1]

I guess you could, not sure why though. I haven't don't any really long aging on this, but it doesn't seem to get better with the time I have put on it. It does clear up though. If you let it finish all the way out, it's pretty dry, like white wine. I like to let it drop to about 1.025, then keep cold.

 

[d-will11]

I guess you could, not sure why though. I haven't don't any really long aging on this, but it doesn't seem to get better with the time I have put on it. It does clear up though. If you let it finish all the way out, it's pretty dry, like white wine. I like to let it drop to about 1.025, then keep cold.

I think i'm going to do hard lemonade (the recipe that Yooper posted). I don't plan on aging it at all. I like the size and look of the cork bottles. Think I could use flip top bottles? I guess I'm just curious if there is a mandatory way to bottle or if I have other options with this recipe. I'm a little hesitant regarding the bottling choices because I plan on back sweetening it and I wouldn't want to create any bottle bombs.

 

[CA-LT1]

You can bottle it anyway you like. If you back sweeten it with fermentables, you will make bottle bombs unless you kill the yeast or keep it cold

 

[vin6543]

1

 

[shovelheadfreak]

Down sized this for 2 gallon and it tastes good but would like more lemonade flavor. Should I have added more concentrate? Has a good kick.

 

[Blacksmith1]

I did one using 2 cans for a gallon. And 2 1/4 cups of cane sugar. After one month it tasted like homemade lemonade.

How many did you use for the 2 gallon batch?

 

[shovelheadfreak]

4 cans concentrate and 2 1/2 cups cane sugar. OG was 1.100 and SG was .992. I like it just want a more lemonade flavor.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Then add some straight lemon juice like Real Lemon till it's where you want it.

 

[shovelheadfreak]

Would that start it fermenting again?

 

[Blacksmith1]

If it does it won't be for long. Straight 100% lemon juice is very strong and (according to the label on mine) no sugars or carbs. Mine, store brand, also contains sodium metabisulfite and sodium benzoate which should inhibit yeast activity.

I wish I had read this label earlier today as I used a bit in a gallon brew I pitched this afternoon....

 

[shovelheadfreak]

Ok thanks