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.

 

[jdubdvdt]

That's condensation on the glass not chill haze. 7lbs of berries in 6.5 gallons.

Next time I would probably add the berries 100% after fermentation. I don't think there's enough sugar in the berries that it would actually make it sweet. It was too dry and the lutra stripped the berry flavor too much. I did 4lbs at about 1.010 and 3lbs more after fermentation. With a little lime juice at packaging to brighten the flavor a little.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Totally forgot to update. I hate it when threads do that. Thanks for the reminder.

This last batch turned out great. I'll have to take a pic and post next time I pour a glass. The crystalized blackberry is a little light, but the seltzer itself is great.

 

[jdubdvdt]

Is the crystalized blackberry the stuff from northern Brewer?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Is the crystalized blackberry the stuff from northern Brewer?

You got it. I got the blackberry and the lime. Reviews did say it was too light for their liking, so I felt comfortable using the whole thing in a 3-gallon batch. Kinda surprised it was still that light.

The lime was good though even though the batch I used it in was not.

 

[jdubdvdt]

You got it. I got the blackberry and the lime. Reviews did say it was too light for their liking, so I felt comfortable using the whole thing in a 3-gallon batch. Kinda surprised it was still that light.

The lime was good though even though the batch I used it in was not.

Good to know. I've used a couple of them, but mostly the citrus so I'd say the lime review is spot on.

I put the crystalized grapefruit in a sculpin clone and it tasted great!

 

[FloppyKnockers]

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.

Here's the latest picture of my seltzer. The raspberry is lighter than light, so a little Mio adds the additional flavor if desired.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

I was previously using mangrove jack seltzer yeast, worked great the couple times I uses it.. I only make a batch or 2 per year.. so I went to order it and it's not available. So, seems the current process uses lutra kveik and propper seltzer nutrient, which I'm fine with. Just curious of any advice on the process, boil sugar for 10 minutes or so, throw the nutrients in, chill, pitch yeast.. maybe flavor it at some point.. last batch I left plain and let ppl add flavor drops as they desired but debating flavoring this one.

 

[jdubdvdt]

I was previously using mangrove jack seltzer yeast, worked great the couple times I uses it.. I only make a batch or 2 per year.. so I went to order it and it's not available. So, seems the current process uses lutra kveik and propper seltzer nutrient, which I'm fine with. Just curious of any advice on the process, boil sugar for 10 minutes or so, throw the nutrients in, chill, pitch yeast.. maybe flavor it at some point.. last batch I left plain and let ppl add flavor drops as they desired but debating flavoring this one.

They have the process on omegas website as I linked in earlier posts.

I have used the MJ but I don't think it's nearly as clean as Lutra. I would consider flavoring it again, but I think the Lutra strips a significant amount of flavor. Consider killing the yeast and then flavoring it.

Amoretti artisan is good for aroma, but flavor is lacking. Most of those extracts don't taste like real fruit so if you like the real fruit flavor stay away. I used a combination of real fruit and amoretti artisan with good results.

Otherwise I have used the extracts to dose each glass. Most of my guests were weird about adding drops so I would consider making (2) 2.5 gallon kegs with different flavors already dosed for my next get together. Everyone loooooved the real fruit, but it gets expensive. Might do a limited release 1 gallon at my next pool party.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Thanks @jdubdvdt somehow I missed the link but I got it now. As far as flavoring, I'll add it after fermentation, and maybe do a blend of real fruit and the amoretti as mentioned. I have some time to figure that out.
Cheers.

 

[madscientist451]

This supplier may have the mangrove jack's seltzer yeast:
https://southernhomebrew.com/
I've also used "turbo" yeast for seltzer and it came out ok.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

This supplier may have the mangrove jack's seltzer yeast:
https://southernhomebrew.com/
I've also used "turbo" yeast for seltzer and it came out ok.

Good to know, I'll check it out.
Thanks

 

[nogoer]

Due to a combo of losing my LHBS for grain, getting older and having to repurpose my brewstand and fermentation room im no longer brewing beer but also now being unemployed im keen to save a few bucks and make some hard seltzer. Ingredients on ritebrew per batch are around $30 which makes this pretty cheap, especially since i keg everything. I also use prearimoon extracts for soda so i have flavorings on hand, has anyone used them to flavor seltzer?