Talk to me about seltzer...

[FloppyKnockers]

This is great! Thanks for all the info. Even after adding DAP and a little more yeast, it just didn't want to go. I will dump it this weekend and get some Omega stuffs. Third time's the charm, right?

 

[Chalkyt]

Sorry it didn't work out. The following might be useful for another occasion.

This is mildly technical, but to give you a guide on DAP (this information mostly comes from Claude Jolicoeur's and Andrew Lea's "experiments" as outlined in their books), yeast need nutrients of about 10ppm (mg/L) of YAN (Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen) for each 0.010 drop of SG when fermenting apple juice. It is reasonable to assume that the same applies to sugar and water for seltzer (after all, apple juice is about 80% water and 20% sugar).

Apples typically have much more than 50ppm of YAN so fermenting down from 1.050 often isn't a problem. However, apples from old unfertilised trees, late ripening, and stored juice (i.e. store-bought) can be low in YAN. This problem is compounded if the yeast (typically ale yeasts and in particular S04 Yeast) have a high nutrient demand. This has been my experience as I have the "triple whammy" (old unfertilised trees, late maturing apples and my go-to is S04 yeast). So, I imagine that this can be the situation with sugar and water. It isn't unusual for an initial fermentation with my apples to stall around 1.010 - 1.015.

A little DAP moves it along quite well. When I started making cider, I was advised to add a teaspoon of DAP per gallon but that sends it off like a skyrocket... far too quick for me.

DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) is 21% Nitrogen so 50ppm of DAP per 0.010 SG drop works for me. In my experience this is about 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon to finish off a stalled gallon (in my case 5L). I will sometimes add 1/4 teaspoon of DAP about halfway through fermentation just to ensure that I end up at 1.000. I really haven't tried to control the FG for sweetness this way as I don't think it would be precise enough, although Jolicoeur has done this successfully. I ferment to 1.000 then back sweeten and pasteurise for any sweetness that I want.

Phew, I hope that isn't too heavy!

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Update: last batch got dumped. Although it did ferment all the way out, I did a few things wrong that prevented it from being successful. Not discouraged, just found out what not to do.

Yesterday I started the third iteration from the advice of @jdubdvdt. Really straight forward instructions from Omega and I got fermentation activity within a couple hours. This morning it's bubbling along quite aggressively and actually has a clean, pleasant scent coming from the airlock. Hopes are high for this one.

I will update later on when I clear it and flavor it.

 

[jdubdvdt]

Update: last batch got dumped. Although it did ferment all the way out, I did a few things wrong that prevented it from being successful. Not discouraged, just found out what not to do.

Yesterday I started the third iteration from the advice of @jdubdvdt. Really straight forward instructions from Omega and I got fermentation activity within a couple hours. This morning it's bubbling along quite aggressively and actually has a clean, pleasant scent coming from the airlock. Hopes are high for this one.

View attachment 869480

View attachment 869481

I will update later on when I clear it and flavor it.

Nice!

Looking forward to your update. I had great success following their instructions and lots of seltzer drinkers were happy to indulge as a result.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Airlock activity has slowed to a crawl and it looks like I have successfully made 1% milk. I'll check gravity this weekend and see if SuperKleer is up to the challenge of clearing this up.

 

[jdubdvdt]

Airlock activity has slowed to a crawl and it looks like I have successfully made 1% milk. I'll check gravity this weekend and see if SuperKleer is up to the challenge of clearing this up.

Nice!

A good cold crash will do wonders on it.

This is only cold crashed. Not carbonated.

after a few days on gas and it was starting to clear.


I am looking to see if I have any fully cleared photos, but I used zero fining and it became crystal clear in the end.

 

[jdubdvdt]

Condensation on glass.

 

[jdubdvdt]

Patiently awaiting an update - in the meantime I put together another batch

Berry Bliss Seltzer
6.5 gallon batch size
4 lbs dextrose
1.028 OG
propper seltzer nutrient
lutra kviek
messed with my RO water a little - Ca 75, Cl 50, SO4 50

Doing fresh fruit in this one starting at 1.010 SG and a second addition at 0.998 or lower.

Will be on tap at the Highlands Beer Festival in Inverness, FL and the Hogtown Beer Festival in Micanopy, FL later this month.