Lemon Cider the hard way

[FTG-05]

I make that stuff all the time, well at least a version of it called Skeeter Pee. http://skeeterpee.com/ I make 7 gallon batches at a time. I use frozen fruit juice and usually mix it up: lemon with orange, orange with pineapple, pineapple with limeade and so forth.

Getting it to ferment is easier with the right yeast, I use Red Star Cuvee and EC-1118, both are a little more tolerant to high acidic juices plus will survive and thrive at the higher ABVs of 10% and above.

The stuff is potent: I usually mix one beer with my SP and after three of them, I'm done. It is very easy to drink and it can and will put you on your butt if you're not careful.

Good luck!

 

[TAFKAP]

Are you interested in bartering for a bottle?

I know a dude that makes some kickass bacon

 

[BamaProud]

So what did it taste like?

You even have your own corks?

Its great, tart and slightly sweet.

I buy corks from a homebrew supply website.

 

[BamaProud]

Are you interested in bartering for a bottle?

I know a dude that makes some kickass bacon

Absolutely! I'd love to try the bacon.

 

[BamaProud]

I make that stuff all the time, well at least a version of it called Skeeter Pee. http://skeeterpee.com/ I make 7 gallon batches at a time. I use frozen fruit juice and usually mix it up: lemon with orange, orange with pineapple, pineapple with limeade and so forth.

Getting it to ferment is easier with the right yeast, I use Red Star Cuvee and EC-1118, both are a little more tolerant to high acidic juices plus will survive and thrive at the higher ABVs of 10% and above.

The stuff is potent: I usually mix one beer with my SP and after, I'm done. It is very easy to drink and it can and will put you on your butt if you're not careful.

Good luck!

Yep, I've made that before too.

 

[PeteSon]

looks beautiful really would like to try something of the kind

 

[Teacher]

I see where you also make wine by looking at your label on the bottles. I have inherited a grape vineyard a few years ago that was used to grow the grapes for a master wine maker. I know absolutely nothing about making wine, but thought about giving it a shot this year. If you can lend me some expertise along the way, I would surely appreciate it. There are over 100 vines in one section that are "blue". My favorites to eat are the muscadine....... I have kept these vines in good shape by pruning them, etc.

If it is ok I will get back with you on a later date to get an idea of what I need to do. Just let me know. I will need all the insight I can get.

Thanks.
B

 

[DaveB]

Can't wait to see the thread for muscadine grapes.


Everyone remember I Love Lucy and her grape stomping episode?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUxjOS3g6Uc

 

[BamaProud]

I see where you also make wine by looking at your label on the bottles. I have inherited a grape vineyard a few years ago that was used to grow the grapes for a master wine maker. I know absolutely nothing about making wine, but thought about giving it a shot this year. If you can lend me some expertise along the way, I would surely appreciate it. There are over 100 vines in one section that are "blue". My favorites to eat are the muscadine....... I have kept these vines in good shape by pruning them, etc.

If it is ok I will get back with you on a later date to get an idea of what I need to do. Just let me know. I will need all the insight I can get.

Thanks.
B

Wine making is pretty dang easy. Its probably a good thing that I didn't know how to do it as a teenager. It does take a little patience though.

 

[TAFKAP]

I see where you also make wine by looking at your label on the bottles. I have inherited a grape vineyard a few years ago that was used to grow the grapes for a master wine maker. I know absolutely nothing about making wine, but thought about giving it a shot this year. If you can lend me some expertise along the way, I would surely appreciate it. There are over 100 vines in one section that are "blue". My favorites to eat are the muscadine....... I have kept these vines in good shape by pruning them, etc.

If it is ok I will get back with you on a later date to get an idea of what I need to do. Just let me know. I will need all the insight I can get.

Thanks.
B

Wine making is pretty dang easy. Its probably a good thing that I didn't know how to do it as a teenager. It does take a little patience though.

Probably why most teenagers drink MadDog instead

 

[Teacher]

My wife and I bought some strawberries two weeks ago that were delicious. I took a quart of the ones that were extra ripe and mashed them up. I put 6 cups of sugar with 1 packet of yeast from the grocery store. (I think the yeast was named Fleshmans??? At least it started with an F). We put yeast in hot water and filled all the above with water in a gallon jug until full. I let it set for 7 days and strained the liquid. The liquid looks like pulpy grapefruit juice after sitting for 5 days. I do stir the liquid every morning. How am I doing in comparison to what I need to do. Fill me in on my next steps and how long this needs to sit before it clears up like yours did.

Thanks for all the help. We are just practicing before we get the grapes start getting ripe.
B

 

[BamaProud]

A couple of things:

-Most importantly you probably killed your Yeast if you put it in water above 90 degrees. You really don't want to use bread yeast anyway. It will die and produce bad flavors when the alcohol content gets above ~10%. Wine yeast is just as cheap and if you don't have a homebrew supply store around you can order it online. I use MidwestSupplies.com. Jeck Keller(the Home-made Wine guru) recommends Lalvin K1-V1116 (Montpellier) or Lalvin Syrah for strawberry wine. You can still add wine yeast to your berry slurry with the bread yeast. It won't matter much since its likely dead.

You can get info straight from the Master here: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/search.html

-Your ratio of berries to sugar is likely off. The only way to be certain is to use a hydrometer but typically,
1 quart of Strawberries weighs 2 pounds(although this can vary by about 25%)
1 cup of Sugar is about 7 ounces.

A typical Ratio for Strawberry wine 3-3.5 lbs strawberries to 2.5 pounds of sugar for a 1 gal batch.
Here is Kellers Strawberry recipes. http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques5.asp

Boiling is fine, but not completely necessary. Freezing is also an option, so is using a natural enzyme(pectic enzyme) to break down your berries.

After adding the yeast, fruit wines usually take 1-3 months to clear, but there are some additives you can use to speed up the process. Sparkolloid and Super-Kleer are a couple.

After it clears you will need to stabilize it using Potassium Sorbate so it won't start fermenting again when you sweeten it(the yeast will eat all the sugar you used earlier to produce the alcohol) Then bottle and enjoy. ...at least that is the very basic steps.

I'd highly recommend purchasing an equipment kit like this before you really get started.

https://www.midwestsupplies.com/master- ... tarter-kit

 

[Teacher]

Wife and I stopped at a wine supply store this afternoon and picked up what you have mentioned above. The yeast we purchased was the Red Star brand, named Montrachet. While looking at the directions for the yeast, it said to dissolve the yeast in water at a temperature of 100-105 degrees. I saw where you said 90 degrees would kill the yeast, so I will use luke warm water to dissolve the yeast, not above 75 degrees. Going to buy some fresh strawberries tomorrow to up the berry count and leave the sugar as it is.

How long do I need to let this new batch sit before straining it and adding the potassium sorbate to it? I will have more questions to ask, but I did buy a recipe book that shows some basic steps to get me started. Thanks so much for the info, and there will be a lot more questions to follow.

B

 

[BamaProud]

Different yeast strains have different temperature tolerances. I use Montchrachet for my Apple Cider it is one of the most popular yeasts.

It should sit until it finishes fermenting...probably 2-3 weeks. If you don't have an airlock, use a balloon or something to stretch over the top of your fermenter. It will fill with Co2 when fermenting. When its done the balloon will deflate. If you are using an airlock you will stop seeing bubbles.

 

[Teacher]

Once again, thanks so much for the wealth of knowledge you are sending to us! We are just amateurs trying to practice for what will be coming our way about Labor Day. Our muscadine so usually ripen enough to start picking them by the first of September. These are big as quarters and are absolutely delicious. These are the only grapes that do not spoil on the vines. They are picked clean at least weekly by "visitors" who show up at night, etc. The other varieties of white and red grapes usually have a lot left on the vines that the bees and wasps devour. They are just not as good as the muscadines.

Again, thanks for all your help. I will be checking back with you soon to let you know our progress.

B

 

[Teacher]

Have you ever made grape wine from frozen concentrate. I bought a recipe book from the wine supply store in town and they have included recipes using frozen Grape juice concentrates-like Welchs, etc. The book says this will work in place of the ripe grapes we will be using this September. Since we are in the practicing mode, I thought I might give it a try. It sure seems easy enough. Just wanted to get your thoughts on it.

I also learned that you can make white wine from red grapes. I never would have thought about this. White wine from red grapes don't contain the grape hull and its extracts. Just squeeze out the seeds and pulp and throw the hull away.

 

[Mike Belt]

Muscadine wine is my second favorite home made wine and jelly. Blackberries are my #1 favorite for wine and wild plums are my favorite jelly.

 

[Teacher]

It should sit until it finishes fermenting...probably 2-3 weeks. If you don't have an airlock, use a balloon or something to stretch over the top of your fermenter. It will fill with Co2 when fermenting. When its done the balloon will deflate. If you are using an airlock you will stop seeing bubbles.

Do you have to use an air lock once it begins to ferment? I usually place a very tight woven piece of linen cloth over the mouth of the container and secure it with a rubber band. I do this to make sure nothing gets in it-like a gnat.

 

[FTG-05]

Reminds me that I have a new batch of Pee ready to be pitched this morning.

 

[BamaProud]

Have you ever made grape wine from frozen concentrate. I bought a recipe book from the wine supply store in town and they have included recipes using frozen Grape juice concentrates-like Welchs, etc. The book says this will work in place of the ripe grapes we will be using this September. Since we are in the practicing mode, I thought I might give it a try. It sure seems easy enough. Just wanted to get your thoughts on it.

I also learned that you can make white wine from red grapes. I never would have thought about this. White wine from red grapes don't contain the grape hull and its extracts. Just squeeze out the seeds and pulp and throw the hull away.

Yes, you can make it from juices and concentrates as long as they do not contain preservatives(labeled 100% juice).