Hard Seltzer... current wisdom?

[NewJersey]

Headed downstairs to make this now. How much fermaid and when do I add?

 

[Nathan Graen]

Anyone consider fermenting a pile of Jolly Ranchers into a seltzer? They would provide both sugar and flavor. Not sure how much it would cost though...

 

[NewJersey]

So, since hard seltzers are 100% simple sugar and start at a relatively low gravity where do these usually finish for everybody?
.998?
Lower?

 

[NewJersey]

It's currently at 1006. This is the slowest fermentation I have ever experienced. I have added fermaid a few times. It's still going slow and steady but jfc this is slow.
Mine was dextrose and US05.
Next time I'm gonna use lutra kveik as suggested in that video.
Also gonna use table sugar as its way cheaper and will help offset the cost of the lutra.

 

[Nathan Graen]

I'm currently on attempt #2. The first was a Northern Brewer kit with EC118. Now I'm trying the Omega Yeast Lab recipe that came with the pack of Lutra with the Propper Seltzer Yeast Nutrient.

The Northern Brewer kit took 6 weeks and eventually stalled, it had a wine taste to it also.

I pitched the Lutra 7 hours ago and it's down 3 points. You can watch the Tilt log here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...BBEqdQDI-OaX8iPfwNbm2658pLA/edit?usp=drivesdk
I'd like to get away from the from Corn Sugar and Propper Seltzer Nutrient. It would really make it more affordable.

 

[NewJersey]

I'm currently on attempt #2. The first was a Northern Brewer kit with EC118. Now I'm trying the Omega Yeast Lab recipe that came with the pack of Lutra with the Propper Seltzer Yeast Nutrient.

The Northern Brewer kit took 6 weeks and eventually stalled, it had a wine taste to it also.

I pitched the Lutra 7 hours ago and it's down 3 points. You can watch the Tilt log here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...BBEqdQDI-OaX8iPfwNbm2658pLA/edit?usp=drivesdk
I'd like to get away from the from Corn Sugar and Propper Seltzer Nutrient. It would really make it more affordable.

Same boat. I'm gonna roll with regular table sugar, lutra, and some regular fermaid as I already have a bunch.
I don't mind spending some money to make a beer, but I feel weird spending more than a few bucks on fermented sugar water and part of the appeal is making for next to nothing.

 

[NewJersey]

I'm currently on attempt #2. The first was a Northern Brewer kit with EC118. Now I'm trying the Omega Yeast Lab recipe that came with the pack of Lutra with the Propper Seltzer Yeast Nutrient.

The Northern Brewer kit took 6 weeks and eventually stalled, it had a wine taste to it also.

I pitched the Lutra 7 hours ago and it's down 3 points. You can watch the Tilt log here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...BBEqdQDI-OaX8iPfwNbm2658pLA/edit?usp=drivesdk
I'd like to get away from the from Corn Sugar and Propper Seltzer Nutrient. It would really make it more affordable.

Where did yours stall btw?

 

[Nathan Graen]

Where did yours stall btw?

I don't remember, and I didn't take good notes on that one. It got pretty low like 1.005, but not the 0.998 other people were getting.

You'll have to let me know how clean the table sugar and Fermaid turns out.

I also stumbled upon this the other day, it covers carbonation volumes and ph correction. Some things I hadn't seen before.
https://firstkey.com/hard-seltzer-production-methods/

 

[Whiskeymovie]

I have now made two batches of hard seltzer. The first one I used a kit and whatever slats and stuff came with it. I ultimately ended up using 3 packets of US-05 because after 2 weeks, it was only at 1.015. And that was after already using two packets. So, I added another packet and some more yeast nutrient. It got down to .994 in a few days. I kegged it, fined it, and let it sit for a few weeks at near freezing. It did have a sulfur taste and it was yellowish. I am guessing the dap. Even with fining, it took a good few weeks for the seltzer to clear, so I am assuming it has to be treated like a Pilsner or Lager and age it to get that crystal clear appearance. The sulfur taste dissipated as well.

The second batch, I used a packet I got from Brewchatter. It worked well and fast. It got down to .996 in less than a week. Also, no yellow color, which was nice. So, I CO2 scrubbed it for 5 minutes, kegged, cold crashed and fined. It has been over a week and it smells VERY sulfury and while it's not yellowish, it's far from clear.

I am going to try another batch, but use the Proper Seltzer Salts with some Lutra and see how that works out.

I'm not a huge fan of the seltzers per se, but sometimes it's nice to take a break from my heavy IPA's and such. Also, when friends come over, they like having it on tap.

And for flavoring, I bought a bunch of different extracts from Olive Nation and messed around until I found flavors and amounts I like, including mixing some flavors. The Watermelon Blood Orange came out awesome.

The one on the left is the new one, recently kegged, cold crashed, and added the gelatin 4 days ago. I poured off two throw away pints, but was still left this murky mess. However, I think more time aging will clear it.
The older one, the one on the right, is now crystal clear, but has the yellowish hue to it from the DAP, I believe.

I guess like most things with brewing, patience and time are the keys to making great brews...or seltzers.

 

[bwible]

I haven’t gone this route, but if I did I would try wine yeast instead of ale yeast. One of the ones people use for mead, like Lalvin D47.

I’ve made one batch of seltzer and it was just vodka mixed with bottled water and flavor added. I remember trying the fermented sugar route back in the early 00s when alcopops were all the rage. I didn’t have luck with it then, ran into the same things you are describing. Sulfur flavor, off color. The big commercial guys have great filtration options that we homebrewers don’t and I think that also accounts for some of it.

 

[bwible]

Ukeg was doing a kickstarter for their hard seltzer maker back in March. Exceeded their fundraising goal by a whole lot a long time ago:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/growlerwerks/the-ukeg-twist-hard-seltzer-maker
It looks really cool, just going to be the expense of the consumable co2 cylinders for each use. Looks like they are still not available for sale yet but can be pre-ordered on their site.

https://www.growlerwerks.com/

 

[bwible]

i think it was the “original” hard seltzer

 

[16'er]

Interesting thread, no interest in replicating a hard seltzer myself but a couple of thoughts. If I were I’d substitute some of the invert sugar for fermentables with some nutritional values for the yeast. A gallon of apple juice or white grape juice would not affect color much and the residual flavor will blend in to the added flavor in the end. Cost goes up, but not prohibitive.

Personally, I’d also add a pound of LME or wheat extract. I guess if your target is to be grain free, this doesn’t work. Again, color changes will be minimal, but cost will go up. On the flip side, the yeast will be much happier.

I might also try infusing some kind of fruity herbal tea into the batch. Something like lemon zinger? That can help yeast with some electrolyte/minerals as well.

 

[bwible]

I might also try infusing some kind of fruity herbal tea into the batch. Something like lemon zinger? That can help yeast with some electrolyte/minerals as well.

I tried this with one batch of mead that I made awhile back. I thought I was being smart by using Tazo flavored tea bags. I used orange tea bags, added a whole box to the heated water and steeped before adding the honey. What you have to remember is tea has tannin. The resulting mead was very acidic and not very enjoyable. I had to blend it with other mead or add some Sprite to it just to make it drinkable. Take note.

 

[Melicious]

I tried this with one batch of mead that I made awhile back. I thought I was being smart by using Tazo flavored tea bags. I used orange tea bags, added a whole box to the heated water and steeped before adding the honey. What you have to remember is tea has tannin. The resulting mead was very acidic and not very enjoyable. I had to blend it with other mead or add some Sprite to it just to make it drinkable. Take note.

Herbal tea does not necessarily have tannin--it only would if there were some ingredient that is tannin specific; herbals contain no actual tea plant--lemon zinger does in fact contain some tannins in the rosehips and hibiscus. ;-) Of course, this is a fine example of the limitations of language and the ways we typically use terms like "tea!" Or if you go to TX..."I'll have a coke." "What kind of coke?" "A Sprite."

https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-herbal-tea-interfere-with-iron-absorption-89168