Lemon Cider the hard way

[BamaProud]

An uncle of mine in Mobile has a pretty productive Lemon tree. He wanted me to make a cider from scratch. I've done it from Juice before, but this is my first attempt from fresh fruit.

About 55 lemons yielded just over 1 gal of juice (and cramped hands)

With 7 pounds of sugar and enough water to reach 5.5 gals the OG hit ~1.077. If if ferments dry is should be about 11% ABV in about 3-4 weeks. However, due to their acidity lemons are particularly hard to ferment...so its gonna require a little TLC.

 

[BamaProud]

If all goes well, I should have 11 more like this in about 6 weeks.

 

[edtcase]

Bet that's good. Hope it turns out well!


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[AT Hiker]

Very [emoji41] keep us posted.


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[TAFKAP]

Interesting.......

 

[TN Song Dog]

Lemon Shine! Different from the generic furniture polish...

 

[Forvols]

Does that end up something like a Mikes hard lemonade?

 

[BamaProud]

Does that end up something like a Mikes hard lemonade?

Not at all....the commercial stuff is a carbonated malt liquor at about 5% ABV, this is uncarbed, about 10-12% ABV mildly sweet and tart. Much closer to the taste of actual lemonade than Mikes.

 

[Forvols]

Does that end up something like a Mikes hard lemonade?

Not at all....the commercial stuff is a carbonated malt liquor at about 5% ABV, this is uncarbed, about 10-12% ABV mildly sweet and tart. Much closer to the taste of actual lemonade than Mikes.

Nice, I have a old time granny smith apple tree(not your pretty commercial granny smith apple at the store, but way more flavor tree is probably 30-50 yrs old) got me thinking about next year making some apple cider. Tree is usually loaded made apple butter and apple pies, fried pies etc from it...nice apple cider would be good or some apple brandy.

 

[bigtex]

Looks interesting. How you liking that big mouth bubbler? I bet it's a lot easier to clean than a regular carboy.

 

[BamaProud]

I like it, its only my second time using it.

 

[BamaProud]

Testing a video
...well that didn't work.

 

[BamaProud]

20 days later its fermented dry...gonna give it another few days to see if it drops a little more, then stabilize. It should be ready to bottle early February.

 

[DaveB]

I don't understand how it fermented, even with 7 pounds of sugar. So acidic, whadyado?

What is the TLC you were going to apply?


I could never be a moonshiner I am just too impatient

 

[BamaProud]

I use Yeast Nutrient an Yeast energizer about 1/3 of the way through fermentation (SG~1.050) and then another dose of Nutrient when the SG hist around 1.025). I also use a wine whip once a day for the first week or so to keep the must oxygenated. Out of about 10 batches(only one starting with actual lemons) only one didn't ferment dry.

 

[BamaProud]

38 days later its crystal clear, stabilized and ready to backsweeten a little and bottle.

...I dropped my wine whip drill attachment in there when I was degassing it. Figured better to just leave it in there rather than fish it out. :mrgreen:

 

[RobbyW]

Do I need to PM you my address for quality control?


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[BamaProud]

I don't mind sharing...but I ain't shipping.

 

[BamaProud]

Done. I have 30 of these. A dozen are going to my uncle for supplying the lemons.

 

[DaveB]

So what did it taste like?

You even have your own corks?