New member

[Kyhomebrewer]

new to this forum.
Successful brewer of almost 100 juice/mash wines.
Including non-traditional wines like coffee

I've seen many people bash unusual brews on this forum, so if you are the type to ask "why bother?" Don't talk to me. In my opinion, the reason "why not" is good enough to try anything no matter how strange.

Also if you have successfully brewed sugar water (kilju) let me know. I've tried it 5 times with no success. It always smells/tastes funky. (No I'm not underage or incarcerated.) In my opinion being able to make a flavorless alcoholic base that flavorings like kool-aid, crystal light, Gatorade, tang or other drink mixes, creating new and interesting wine favors would be very cool.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Just curious; what ratio of sugar to water do you use, and which yeast. I’ve never made any, but might give it a try.

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

Just curious; what ratio of sugar to water do you use, and which yeast. I’ve never made any, but might give it a try.

The last batch I tried was 5 cups sugar to 1 gallon bottled spring water for an S.G. of 1.1 (I like sweet wines so I tend to start with high S.G.s and I used Red Star premiere classique this time but I have also tried lc-1118. Last batch I had to add 4tsp acid blend (pH started at 11+ and it took that much to bring it down to 3.66) and also added 2 tsp yeast nutrient (to compensate for lack of nutrient from lack of mash)

That last batch turned out better then the last few attempts but still had a bad smell after fermentating so I didn't even bother clearing or aging, I just chalked it up to a failure and disposed of it. I'm wondering if more nutrient might help.

I should mention I don't do things the traditional way. My primary Fermenters are the buckets you get in kits. I start with a S.G. of 1.1 then ferment for a week or so to 1.03 or 1.02 then filter through a 1 micron filter sock and stop the ferment with Campton tablets and potassium sorbate, clear with bentonite clay for about a week/week and a half then age for 1 month then bottle. I end up with sweet wines around 10%ABV

 

[bracconiere]

I've seen many people bash unusual brews on this forum,

Also if you have successfully brewed sugar water (kilju) let me know.

i got some sugar water fermenting now....but i find i have to boil it to get a neutral flavor from it. there are people that ferment hard seltzers though.

you might have seen them. fraid i can't speak for if they're any good.

flavorless alcoholic base that flavorings like kool-aid, crystal light, Gatorade, tang or other drink mixes, creating new and interesting wine favors would be very cool.

yeah i like to keep a couple gallons of kool-aid enhancer on hand too, just in case i run out of homebrew

stop the ferment with Campton tablets and potassium sorbate,

i've heard on these forums that sorbate just stops yeast from reproducing? not actually fermenting?

honestly i'm not sure, because that's what i always did to keep my ciders sweet too, way back in 96'...seemed to work?

just thought i'd mention it.

And of course! Welcome!

I'm the clown around here, with a hit and miss sense of humor

 

[T Murph]

Welcome to the community @Kyhomebrewer . And gee thanks for suggesting something else to ferment. When wife starts giving me grief for experimenting with sugar water I'll blame you.

 

[bracconiere]

When wife starts giving me grief for experimenting with sugar water I'll blame you.

wives are the ones that like hard seltzer!

and not everyone is anti-ethanol production techniques....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/when-life-gives-you-lemons.693471/#post-9126423

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

i've heard on these forums that sorbate just stops yeast from reproducing? not actually fermenting?

Correct. It's actually 3 parts to the stopping the ferment process. Yeast is 3 microns in size, so by filtering with a 1 micron filter sock it filters out most of it, the campton tablets kill whats left and the potassium sorbate makes sure any left behind doesn't reproduce.

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

Welcome to the community @Kyhomebrewer . And gee thanks for suggesting something else to ferment. When wife starts giving me grief for experimenting with sugar water I'll blame you.

I'm fine with that

 

[bracconiere]

so by filtering with a 1 micron filter sock

you are so going to get cussed for filtering through a sock!

(but for some reason it reminds me of "three's company".....

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

i got some sugar water fermenting now....but i find i have to boil it to get a neutral flavor from it. there are people that ferment hard seltzers though.

Let me know how it turns out. Never thought to boil it. Maybe I'll give that a shot next time. And I tend to shy away from making anything that may cause my bottles to explode so I dont know that I'll try hard seltzer.

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

you are so going to get cussed for filtering through a sock!

(but for some reason it reminds me of "three's company".....

Actually I got the idea from a YouTube video, I think the guys name was church mouse or something like that. It's a good idea and works really well. And they can bash me all they want. If I've discovered anything it's that there are as many methods to homebrew as there are homebrewers so I say to each there own, if it works for you, more power to ya!

 

[bracconiere]

Let me know how it turns out. Never thought to boil it. Maybe I'll give that a shot next time. And I tend to shy away from making anything that may cause my bottles to explode so I dont know that I'll try hard seltzer.

hmm, that was kinda an inside joke..when i boil it, i do it under a steam condenser. collect the steam and disposse of in a keg, then trough my liver.....

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

you are so going to get cussed for filtering through a sock!

(but for some reason it reminds me of "three's company".....

This is the filter sock I use

https://www.amazon.com/Micron-Singe...d=1649966729&sprefix=1+micron+,aps,169&sr=8-8

 

[bracconiere]

there are as many methods to homebrew as there are homebrewers

AMEN!

if it works for you, more power to ya!

i just ran 19 lbs of homemalted grain in a dryer to blow the rootlets off! and i also have a sugar wash as back up, it's at 12.5%...going to give it till the weekend, then should get 2 gallons of 65%....

 

[bracconiere]

This is the filter sock I use

https://www.amazon.com/Micron-Singe...d=1649966729&sprefix=1+micron+,aps,169&sr=8-8

i'd think you'd need something with pressure to get it through a 1 micron filter?

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

i'd think you'd need something with pressure to get it through a 1 micron filter?

Nope, gravity does the job just fine.

 

[bracconiere]

Nope, gravity does the job just fine.

i'd hate to rain on your parade...but i'm skeptical? so you have billions of 3 micron particles, going through a 1 micron screen? and it doesn't require pressure to force it through?

i've thought of these at that micron level?

https://www.morebeer.com/products/bevbright-beverage-filter-1-micron.html

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

i'd hate to rain on your parade...but i'm skeptical? so you have billions of 3 micron particles, going through a 1 micron screen? and it doesn't require pressure to force it through?

i've thought of these at that micron level?

https://www.morebeer.com/products/bevbright-beverage-filter-1-micron.html

I don't know what to tell you. It works. Had you said that an hour ago I could have made a video, but now it'll have to wait until my next batch. The only real problem is foam. If it foams alot sometimes the foam spills over the top of the sock but the liquid flows just fine.

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

Here's where I got the idea. You can see how the filter sock works there

 

[T Murph]

I used one of those 1 micron beer filters once. Once because I felt it also removed too much flavor for the brew being filtered. I rely on whirlpooling, cold crashing and an occasional chemical. But that sock does indeed should do the job albeit slowly. And Bracs filter works well under pressure.