Modified Skeeter Pee

[CBell]

While waiting a month for my last batch of skeeter pee to clear, I had a lot of time to think about modifications to the recipe and flavor variations that would be fun to try.

So this afternoon I browsed Aldi and Ocean State Job Lot looking for inspiration and fermentables. I was planning on just making 1 large 6 gallon batch, but poland spring 1 gallon water containers were on sale for $1 each. Therefore, I am making 1 large batch of modified recipe skeeter pee, and after primary, racking to 5 1 gallon batches.

Recipe for 6 gallon:
zest and juice of 16 fresh lemons (total of $5)
48 oz Real Lemon
3 bananas, peeled, broken in half, added straight to must
20c. sugar (broke hydrometer last week, so playing by ear here)
4 tsp bentonite (I am NOT messing around with clearing this time. Fool me once, skeeter pee, fool me once...)
Tannin
generous amt of nutrient and energizer, probably twice the mfg recommended
water to 6 gallons

Make invert sugar with 2 gallons water, 20c. sugar, and all fresh lemon juice. Near boiling for about 30 minutes, allowed to cool, add to must.

Lalvin EC 1118 will be pitched dry later this evening or tomorrow morning, when must has cooled to room temperature.

Stepwise nutrient and energizer additions will be added 48 hours thereafter.

Ferment until vigorous activity subsides...


Then plan to rack into 1 gallon containers to continue

1. 3# Fresh strawberries chopped, frozen, added to knee high stockings
2. juice and zest of 6 limes
3. 32 oz. sour cherries in sugar water, prepackaged
4. ?
5. ?

Possibly mint additions in one? Possibly with the lime? Anyone have additional suggestions for what the last couple of gallons should be? Or improvements to recipe in secondary?

Obviously primary must is already mixed up, will keep posted on decisions, how various mods turn out.

Cheers,
CBell

 

[chasemandingo]

Sucks that you broke your hydrometer man. Also, very interesting on the bananas. They will definitely add body and perhaps some flavor. I have always inverted my sugar and I feel that it probably helps. I just had my first dragons blood ferment from 1.09 to .992 in 62 hours and the inverted sugar and my strong starter are responsible. I just started a lemon lime cherry pee. If it turns out good I will post the recipe here and see if others can replicate my results!

 

[dangerdave]

You will love the lemon/lime with the lime zest. Tastes just like a margarita. One of my favorate modifications---after the Dragon Blood, naturally.

 

[CBell]

Don't worry Dave, I've already got 5 gallons of Dragon Blood bottled. Tasting great, obviously. Cleared before my skeeter pee, in fact, despite being pitched 2 weeks later.

 

[CBell]

And Chase, I've broken like, 2 hydrometers a month. I need to negotiate a bulk deal with my LHBS.

 

[dangerdave]

I'd be interested to find out how many people are making Dragon Blood. When I first made it, I knew it was good, but I really had no idea it would be so popular.

 

[CBell]

Dave, you're definitely becoming as famous on this forum for dragon blood as Lon is for the original Skeeter Pee...Just look at everyone's advice when newbies ask what to make first. It may not be the classiest wine in the world, but SP and DB are so frequently recommended as easy early drinkers while you're waiting for your 'real wine' to age it's not even funny. I learned so much about the process and everything from making these fun wines to start.
Thanks again,
CBell

 

[dessertmaker]

Dave, you're definitely becoming as famous on this forum for dragon blood as Lon is for the original Skeeter Pee...Just look at everyone's advice when newbies ask what to make first. It may not be the classiest wine in the world, but SP and DB are so frequently recommended as easy early drinkers while you're waiting for your 'real wine' to age it's not even funny. I learned so much about the process and everything from making these fun wines to start.
Thanks again,
CBell

+1 definitely

 

[CBell]

This must smells AMAZING. Next batch o Skeeter Pee I am using all resh squeezed lemon juice! Makes it smell AMAZING and so thereore, hopeully, taste amazing. ps one o the keys on my keyboard is broken, can you guess which letter?

 

[dangerdave]

Looks like you're effing effless! Either that, or you're Irish...

 

[CBell]

You are so right Dave. Sadly my comp is less than a year old, just been in a car crash and through a lot otherwise. Don't want to spend another grand, though, so trying to avoid a certain letter or awhile.

 

[CBell]

Have figured out how to copy and paste an 'f' whenever I need it, as long as I remember, although it is a little ghetto for my liking. Perhaps I will have it looked at, but getting things looked at always entails expensive solutions. Money much better spent on carboys and kits

 

[gird123]

Buy a 10 dollar key board. I was pleased I could tell it was F.

 

[CBell]

haha i was hoping to have a male friend look at it. that tends to be cheap.

 

[gird123]

Sometimes.

 

[CBell]

Day 3, pee finally took off! Will make additional nutrient/energizer additions tomorrow and reserve the last dose of lemon juice until I know things are coming along nicely.

 

[CBell]

Pee has fermented to 0.998 and is still fizzing away. racked 1 gallon on top of 16oz sour cherries in juice and it took off like a rocket again. Just zested and juiced 6 limes, to rack another gallon of pee on top of. Hoping the lime zest will impart a green color. Don't have strawberries at the moment, and thinking I need to keep a few gallons of this pee lemon-flavored, since the first batch is fading fast. Next batch I will experiment with more flavors.

Racking to carboy to free up a primary for a kit today

 

[BernardSmith]

CBell, You mentioned adding far more nutrient than was recommended by the manufacturer. Does that not tend to result in off flavors and aromas? Or is this a case of more is better?

 

[CBell]

Skeeter Pee never wants to ferment or get started. If you look at the original recipe, it recommends about twice as much as my products say on the label. First batch had no off flavors after the first month. So with this particular wine, I'll chance it.

 

[dangerdave]

Just zested and juiced 6 limes, to rack another gallon of pee on top of. Hoping the lime zest will impart a green color.

I have used the lime zest before. It did not lend any green color to the wine.