Skeeter Pee

[justineaton]

Ok, thanks.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

The recipe says to check periodically and when it gets to about 1.050 add the rest of the lemon juice, yeast nutrient and yeast energizer. Unfortunately I broke my hydrometer earlier this week when I knocked it off the counter. Can someone tell me if that gravity is usually right after the strong rapid bubble fermentation starts to slow, or earlier or later? Is there a good way to guess it or should I run out and replace my broken hydrometer?

I added my nutrient/energizer after about a week and a half or two weeks if that helps.
If I recall the gravity at that time was about 1.06, but it got down to .096 just fine.

Texas has the right of it though. I cut corners when mine was working (not vigorously stirring, things like that) and it's fine so far.

 

[justineaton]

Thanks a bunch! I marked two weeks on the calendar to add everything. Just out of curiosity, about how long did it take to ferment dry after the second ingredient edition?

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

It's hard to say.
I believe I started it sometime in early March (I'd have to check my notes), but it was definitely done by Mid April. I hadn't been checking it regularly so it could have been done sooner than that.

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

31 days later....she finally get bottled, which is Saturday...and she is clear

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Anyone see any issue with backsweetening with a reduced bottle of Simply Lemon? I'm thinking of adding some pectic enzyme (but I'm not sure I'll need it) after it has reduced. Hoping to bottle a day or two after adding the reduction.
Any issues with this?

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

drank my first SP and did not get a buzz. It was almost like drinking Kool-Aid. started at 1.070 and finished at .0994.wtf?

 

[poptarts]

Just brewed up my second batch today, Added about 1/4 cup of fresh orange pekoe tea. Smelt like an Arnold Palmer im pretty excited.

 

[Arpolis]

When I make my SP instead of tannin powder I use earl grey black tea. I think it rocks. Bet your orange pekoe tea infused SP will be great.

 

[lalnx]

drank my first SP and did not get a buzz. It was almost like drinking Kool-Aid. started at 1.070 and finished at .0994.wtf?

Assuming you meant a final gravity of .994 that comes out to 10.1% ABV. You apparently are a raging alcoholic and have built up a tolerance. :cross:
Try a bigger glass!

 

[justineaton]

When I make my SP instead of tannin powder I use earl grey black tea. I think it rocks. Bet your orange pekoe tea infused SP will be great.

When can you add that? I forgot to pick up tannins and just skipped them, I love arnold palmers though. I'm going to be putting my sparkaloid in today is it to late?

 

[Almfamily]

My neighbor made up a batch and we had a couple glasses while watching GoT. After two glasses, both of us were definitely feeling no pain - great stuff!

 

[Texconsinite]

Anyone see any issue with backsweetening with a reduced bottle of Simply Lemon? I'm thinking of adding some pectic enzyme (but I'm not sure I'll need it) after it has reduced. Hoping to bottle a day or two after adding the reduction.
Any issues with this?

I do! I find that the 3 bottles the recipe calls for give it plenty of zest,
IMO this stuff NEEDS sweetness added back after its done fermenting to balance existing lemon flavor, not more tartness on top. This comes down to personal preference, but taste it first before adding and see what you think.
I've also never added pectic enzyme at bottling, and never had a problem with pectin haze or any other cloudiness, so don't know why you would need it

I've made batches that were more on the tart side. Here's how they turned out:

I added 2 cut up grapefruits to one batch initially, and backsweetened with a few cans of white grapefruit concentrate plus sugar. This is universally the least-liked batch I have made, by everyone who has tried, because its just TOO tart. Hence why I have 3 bottles of this still hanging around while later batches have long since been finished.

Another batch I made a Cherry Lime, and rather than substituting one bottle of lemon for lime (as was suggested on this site), I did all three lime. I learned that Real Lime is MORE intense than real Lemon, and was a little much. Still turned out good, but when faced with a choice, my panel of tasters all preferred the mixed berry lemon and original SP over this every time.

It depends on who will be drinking this and their preferences. I like all kinds of fermentables, but not everyone likes beer, particularly SWMBO and others like her who prefer sweet wines and ciders. Thus, I tend to cater my SP recipes to that crowd. Also, too much tartness or acidity gives some people heartburn or other adverse reactions. Hope that helps

 

[poptarts]

When can you add that? I forgot to pick up tannins and just skipped them, I love arnold palmers though. I'm going to be putting my sparkaloid in today is it to late?

I would probably just brew like 2 cups or so of really strong tea and dump it in, its probably too late to add it dry. I added mine when I was heating up the sugarwater before primary.

 

[Arpolis]

When can you add that? I forgot to pick up tannins and just skipped them, I love arnold palmers though. I'm going to be putting my sparkaloid in today is it to late?

Yea I add the dry tea at yeast pitch. It gives a cool effect with the active yeast swirling the dark tee around and you can see all the little vortices of liquid swirling around. And it is important to add then because when the yeast drops out the tea drops like a stone and is buried in the lees. Adding loose leaf later may not clear out and you may need to filter. Adding tea bags may work well but you can't leave it there long because the tea bags degrade badly. Well then a hops bag could work instead.

If you brew a couple cups and add that I highly suggest a long cold brew of tea. Hot tea brew pulls too much bitter flavor and it does not complement SP very well IMO.

 

[justineaton]

Thanks, I will try that next time.

 

[jimmyjjohn]

I have a cranberry wine going right now that should be ready for it's first racking soon. I think I will use the yeast from that. How does a cranberry lemon skeeter pee sound?
Could I just leave about half a gallon of the cranberry wine in the primary and add the skeeter pee ingredients right to it?

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[Cheesy_Goodness]

I do! I find that the 3 bottles the recipe calls for give it plenty of zest,
IMO this stuff NEEDS sweetness added back after its done fermenting to balance existing lemon flavor, not more tartness on top. This comes down to personal preference, but taste it first before adding and see what you think.
I've also never added pectic enzyme at bottling, and never had a problem with pectin haze or any other cloudiness, so don't know why you would need it

I've made batches that were more on the tart side. Here's how they turned out:

I added 2 cut up grapefruits to one batch initially, and backsweetened with a few cans of white grapefruit concentrate plus sugar. This is universally the least-liked batch I have made, by everyone who has tried, because its just TOO tart. Hence why I have 3 bottles of this still hanging around while later batches have long since been finished.

Another batch I made a Cherry Lime, and rather than substituting one bottle of lemon for lime (as was suggested on this site), I did all three lime. I learned that Real Lime is MORE intense than real Lemon, and was a little much. Still turned out good, but when faced with a choice, my panel of tasters all preferred the mixed berry lemon and original SP over this every time.

It depends on who will be drinking this and their preferences. I like all kinds of fermentables, but not everyone likes beer, particularly SWMBO and others like her who prefer sweet wines and ciders. Thus, I tend to cater my SP recipes to that crowd. Also, too much tartness or acidity gives some people heartburn or other adverse reactions. Hope that helps

Thanks for the reply. When I tested mine I wasn't getting as much lemon flavor as I would have liked so I went for it. I backsweetened a week or two ago, then added my reduction last weekend. Unfortunately, when I added the reduction it was super clear but it hasn't gotten to that point again yet.
If I could do it again, I wouldn't do it again

 

[Arpolis]

I have a cranberry wine going right now that should be ready for it's first racking soon. I think I will use the yeast from that. How does a cranberry lemon skeeter pee sound?
Could I just leave about half a gallon of the cranberry wine in the primary and add the skeeter pee ingredients right to it?

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I think it sounds great! I usually use the lees from a 1 gallon white grape peach wine but I only leave about 1 - 1/2 inch of wine above the lees and I mix that up and pitch it. But I get very little flavor from that in the final product. I am sure there is some change but I can't taste it unless I have a side by side comparison.

So about a half gallon to 3/4ths may impart a nice little bit of flavor and probably pinken the SP a bit.

 

[JuneHawk]

I finished my first batch last weekend. This stuff is delicious!!!!!!!!!! I foresee a fun Memorial Day weekend

I did a quick post about it with my notes on my blog.

June

 

[Arpolis]

Looks great. I am actually surprised at how little color there is. I thought you would have had to use super clear or bentonite but man you let it naturally clear according to the blog. Very cool.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Looks great. I am actually surprised at how little color there is. I thought you would have had to use super clear or bentonite but man you let it naturally clear according to the blog. Very cool.

I do the same thing. It clears find on its own. I also don't bother waiting to have a yeast cake, I just pitch two packets of Montrachet. My local wine shop sells them for 75 cents each.

 

[JuneHawk]

Looks great. I am actually surprised at how little color there is. I thought you would have had to use super clear or bentonite but man you let it naturally clear according to the blog. Very cool.

It actually has more color than the picture shows, there just wasn't enough of the wine in the glass to notice it. This is what it looks like bottled: http://instagram.com/p/oWP6IllVf9/

 

[Arpolis]

It actually has more color than the picture shows, there just wasn't enough of the wine in the glass to notice it. This is what it looks like bottled: http://instagram.com/p/oWP6IllVf9/

Ok I see. That is pretty close to my batches.

 

[Apple_Jacker]

Got 6 more gallons started about 2 weeks ago and my margarita wine (lime and brown sugar skeeter pee) is finally ready to be bottled after 18 months of mellowing out the intense sourness of the lime. I hope I have enough bottles!

 

[justineaton]

I stabilized and added my clearing agent a couple days ago, it's looking good. Can't wait to try it! I just started a pumpkin Apple wine and will be racking that soon but I'm not sure how the pumpkin flavor would do if I used that yeast cake for a second batch of pee so I will probably wait to get another one going

 

[justineaton]

Tonight is the night to backsweeten, I'm thinking about using agave nectar but I'm not sure how much any suggestions, or comments on how it tastes from someone who had used it?

 

[Arpolis]

Tonight is the night to backsweeten, I'm thinking about using agave nectar but I'm not sure how much any suggestions, or comments on how it tastes from someone who had used it?

Use about 5 cups worth to sweeten the SP. That should be less sugars than the normally required 6 cups of sugar but the agave will be a little thicker so I would think a little less will be fine. At least that has been my experience with honey and it is similar to agave in viscosity.

 

[justineaton]

Thank you

 

[podz]

finally ready to be bottled after 18 months of mellowing out the intense sourness of the lime.

The name "skeeter pee" is intentionally designed to attempt to prohibit people from feigning sophistication.