Skeeter Pee

[D_Nyholm]

You could always try cold crashing it and bottling Friday morning.

 

[Arpolis]

Yea you could siphon off a gallon and put that in the fridge. That may drop most of the sediment by mid day tomorrow.

 

[Texconsinite]

Good idea! One gallon should be enough to get the wedding party quite bamboozled.


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[Vox]

How do you all recommend to backsweeten then? Only backsweetened a cider or two before. Also, do you have to worry about oxidation or having too much headroom if I pull a gallon or two off leaving the carboy only 2/3 full?

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[Arpolis]

The high amounts of citric acid helps against oxidation so any detriment may not be too bad as long as you only go another 2 to 3 weeks to let it fully clear.

 

[Texconsinite]

Backsweetening this is different from a cider, because in this case you stopped fermentation so probably don't have to worry about the yeast eating any new sugars you add.
This opens up a world of possibilities for back sweetening.

I use 2-4 cans of frozen 100% juice concentrate, and sugar to taste to back sweeten my skeeter pee. You can give it any flavor you want this way, some ppl even split in 2 and flavor each part differently however they want.


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[Arpolis]

I think for the purpose of clarity and time it may be better to only back sweeten with sugar. Adding juices may add a haze and sediment to drop out in the bottle. But then again if you sweeten late tomorrow night and use the next day then there may not be enough time for sediment to be an issue and clarity might not be too bad if you are not worried about the wine not being 100% crystal clear.

As long as you have added the sorbate/Camden to the pee then sweetening can go any way you like.

 

[Texconsinite]

Backsweetening this is different from a cider, because in this case you stopped fermentation so probably don't have to worry about the yeast eating any new sugars you add.
This opens up a world of possibilities for back sweetening.

I use 2-4 cans of frozen 100% juice concentrate, and sugar to taste to back sweeten my skeeter pee. You can give it any flavor you want this way, some ppl even split in 2 and flavor each part differently however they want.


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[ilikerolls]

If you added sorbate you will not have to worry about refermentation. I recommend using 6 cups invert sugar. Fructose is much more sweeter than sucrose/table sugar. It covers up the alcohol dangerously good

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[Jon112]

Any suggestions what fruit juice I should mix with for my next batch?

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[Texconsinite]

A citrus or tropical flavor like orange, mango or pineapple might blend w lemon tartness well


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[ilikerolls]

I found cranberry juice almost as tart as the lemon juice. Mix lemon and cranberry to make Pink Lemonade.
It will be a while until I make another batch, but I am going to add more cranberry next time. Make sure you get straight cranberry and not a blend. I tested both and imo straight cranberry juice worked best.

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[Swarley88]

Some family is coming into town in June. I will be making some SP for sure! And probably some hard iced tea too. I want to do five separate gallon batches this time. Strawberry, black berry, cranberry, regular and a raspberry again.

Do you guys like using whole fruit, I did this with frozen raspberries last batch, or frozen concentrate?

Also hoping to boost abv this round too and hope the family members enjoy that at least.

 

[Texconsinite]

I like to use a lb or two frozen fruit in primary, and back sweeten with a few cans of concentrate. Not too expensive, and very effective

Blackberry sounds good, let us know how the different flavored turn out!


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[PackerfaninSanDiego]

I'll be adding EC-1118(2 paks) to my batch. What is the process? When do I? after 24-48 hours? And SP is to be fermented for 4weeks @ 70-78 degrees?

 

[HBngNOK]

I'll be adding EC-1118(2 paks) to my batch. What is the process? When do I? after 24-48 hours? And SP is to be fermented for 4weeks @ 70-78 degrees?

C'mon man, did you read the first post, and follow the link in it?

fwiw, I make a starter with 1/2 gallon of white grape juice and 1 pack of 1118 while the lemon juice/invert sugar mixture sets for a couple of days.

 

[Texconsinite]

Make a starter like HB said, also just 1 pack of EC 1118 is plenty, no need to double up, this stuff it potent and will eat EVERYTHING just fine w 1 pack. My 6 Batches of SP following this method, and every one fermented down below 1.00

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

call me stupid, ******* or whatever but I see no instruction on how to make a starter. I make beer, not wine and this is going to be my first attempt

 

[HBngNOK]

call me stupid, ******* or whatever but I see no instruction on how to make a starter. I make beer, not wine and this is going to be my first attempt

LOL! Ok, making a starter for skeeter pee is just as easy as I previously posted.

First, make up the skeeter pee must per the directions - invert sugar and lemon juice, yeast energizer and, etc. Then make the starter, half-gallon of white grape juice, pack of EC1118 in a container with some head-room. Loosely cover the container and swirl/shake when you walk by.

While the starter is growing, aerate the must when you think about it.

After a day ~ day and a half the starter will be going like crazy. Pitch it into the must, and within 24 ~ 36 hours you should see the magic happening!

 

[Kirkwooder]

I just rehydrated 2 1/2 packets of e-1118 and pitched them directly into my must! I had a rolling fermentation within a few hours! Came out great! nestar:nestar:nestar:nestar:nestar:

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Easiest way I found is to mix up all the sugar and water add nutrient and energizer then add the yeast. When it starts rolling add all three lemon juice's and forget it. It is just so easy this way.

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

LOL! Ok, making a starter for skeeter pee is just as easy as I previously posted.

First, make up the skeeter pee must per the directions - invert sugar and lemon juice, yeast energizer and, etc. Then make the starter, half-gallon of white grape juice, pack of EC1118 in a container with some head-room. Loosely cover the container and swirl/shake when you walk by.

While the starter is growing, aerate the must when you think about it.

After a day ~ day and a half the starter will be going like crazy. Pitch it into the must, and within 24 ~ 36 hours you should see the magic happening!

Thanks now I'm getting someplace. Just got my stir bar in the mail yesterday so now I'm ready to use my stir plate

 

[trainman66]

I racked to another Carboy added my sparkloid or whatever it is called two day it is clear but still some sediment on bottom is it done or need more time to sit before I move to diff container and back sweeten?


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[SilverZero]

Thanks now I'm getting someplace. Just got my stir bar in the mail yesterday so now I'm ready to use my stir plate

There are so many ways to start SP, and really I think they all boil down to the fact that the yeast are more hardy than we give them credit for. I started an 8-gallon batch yesterday by adding my water, invert sugar solution, and 2 bottles of lemon juice to the fermenter with the nutrient/energizer/tannin, and starting two packs of Premier Cuvee on a stir plate with 1 cup of warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar, plus a pinch of nutrient and energizer. I let the yeast bloom for 30 minutes (probably less, they were going strong) then I added 1 cup of the must. Let that spin for 20 minutes until I could see it was picking up again (foaming) and added another cup of must. Repeated once more with 2 cups on the third addition which brought my starter up to 1300mL or so. I let that spin while I aerated my must with a paint mixer, then dumped it all together and set it to 74°. That was last night. Just checked it this morning and it's got a good head going already. After it hits 1.060 I'll dump in the 3rd bottle and the 2nd addition of nutrient and energizer.

This is how I did my first batch (a year ago - exactly!) and it came out awesome. I even used one new pack of PC yeast and one I had left over from that first batch. No problem. It would probably work with just everything added all at once, but I don't mind taking two steps since I know it works and it takes about 7 seconds.

 

[Texconsinite]

There are so many ways to start SP, and really I think they all boil down to the fact that the yeast are more hardy than we give them credit for.

Agreed. I do not have a stirplate or fancy aeration stones or drill attachments, and this is how I make my Skeeter Pee batches. I realize my method is probably overkill and im sure there's better ways, but this is what worked for me 100% of the time and has been repeatable while experimenting with different flavors every time. Seen several posts on this thread of others doing things in ways that seem like they didnt read the instructions, so hope this answers alot of questions. NOTE This was the first thing other than Beer extract kits I EVER made, so if a noob like me could figure this out, there's hope for anyone else reading this.


Day 1: Make invert sugar with 1 quart of water and 1 lb of white sugar. Add to gallon jug with 1/2 gallon of 100% juice (pick something similar to your desired batch flavor), top off with water. Add 1 pack EC 1118, put cap on & shake vigorously, then put on stopper and airlock and let sit in cool dark place.

Day 3: Put 1-2 lbs (thawed)frozen fruit in strainer bag and place in bottom of 6.5 gallon fermenter. Following SP directions, make the invert sugar by adding white sugar to water, stirring until solution is clear and sugar is fully dissolved. Dump on top of fruit in fermenter, along with 2 bottles of Lemon Juice, and first half of Nutrient and Energizer. Top off to 5.25ish gallons with water, stir vigorously to aerate and get the preservatives in Lemon juice to start evaporating. Take gravity reading, add sugar until it reaches 1.070ish then cover with towel and let sit.

Day 5: Take Towel off of Fermenter. Stir vigorously, squeeze fruit bag against side of fermenter with brew spoon, then dump in entire contents of 1 Gallon Starter, continuing to stir.
(it helps if you shake starter before dumping to dislodge yeast cake from bottom so all the goodness gets into the main batch)
Affix Lid and airlock, and let it go.

A few notes: This makes 6.25 gallons once starter added, which is close to top of fermenter. Headspace is not an issue bc EC 1118 is a low krausen yeast, you won't even need a blowoff valve with this recipe.

After 5-8 days, Gravity will be 1.020 or lower. Add second half of Nutrient/Energizer, and third bottle of Lemon Juice. Squeeze fruit bag against side with brew spoon. 1-2 days later, rack to new fermenter, and discard fruit.
(IMO the SG here is not THAT important, just watch it bc this stuff ferments dry FAST)

Once this ferments DRY- meaning .994 to .988, add Kmeta, Sorbate and Sparkalloid, and rack to Glass Carboy. Now is the time to be patient. Let it clear really well (could be 1 week, could be 3) before proceeding. The fruit juices make it harder to tell when its "clear", but at the very least watch for the yeast "halo" to settle out. Oftentimes it will still look opaque but will be much clearer once u bottle. Btw going dry, stabilizing, and waiting to clear, this should safely kill off any renewed fermentation problems when backsweetening

Once "clear", transfer and backsweeten. I backsweeten with 2-3 cans of 100% juice concentrate (same or complimentary flavor to juice in starter and fruit used), and sugar to taste. Once it tastes right, let sit for another 1-2 weeks just MAKE SURE no more fermentation takes place, and to let it age and mix together. This step can prob be shortened if neccesary.

Bottle/Keg. This stuff is ready to drink right away, and you can put it in wine bottles or 12ozers. Serve chilled and/or over ice and be careful, its dangerously good.

 

[T_Baggins]

If you have an auto siphon, use it as a pump, with the outlet aimed back into the must. It will work like a fish tank bubbler!

 

[Fuzzymittenbrewing]

If you have an auto siphon, use it as a pump, with the outlet aimed back into the must. It will work like a fish tank bubbler!

WTF!?!? Genius how has this not crossed my mind? Nice tip!

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

From what I have read on HBT and other sites.....you should not do a yeast starter using a dry yeast,,as you will ruin the yeast nutrient?

 

[Fuzzymittenbrewing]

From what I have read on HBT and other sites.....you should not do a yeast starter using a dry yeast,,as you will ruin the yeast nutrient?

Its fine

 

[chalkdust41485]

Its fine

Well actually...

You shouldn't need to make a starter with dry yeast, but if you must: make sure to rehydrate the yeast first per the directions and not directly pour the dry yeast into your starter. The dry yeast has been packaged with nutrients designed specifically for rehydration of dry yeast. While it will make beer if you put it directly into the starter, you run the risk of killing up to 50% of the yeast.

Sorry, I'm in the middle of the "Yeast" book by Chris White and Jamil. Just had to add my 2¢...

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